Powertrain sharing between the Chevrolet Corvette and Chevrolet Camaro is nothing new. The two have swapped more than just engines over the years, often sharing other forms of mechanical bits and pieces. The circumstance is the automotive equivalent of a crossover TV episode where your two favorite shows somehow exist in the same universe. And one of those automotive crossover episodes recently took place at the drag strip, where a stock 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (in white) squared up against a stock 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (in red).
On paper, the two high-performance Chevy sports cars pack the same engine – the supercharged 6.2L LT4 V8 that produces 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque sending power to the rear wheels. While the two share the same engine, there is a rather substantial weight difference of about 500 pounds in favor of the Corvette (Camaro is heavier), and with the Camaro seating four while the Corvette seats two in typical roadster fashion. But this video shows the two race cars being much closer in a race than they should have been.
The first race has the Corvette Z06 struggling for traction off the line, a circumstance that appears to be the result of driver error when the tree turns green. Once the Corvette finds traction, it quickly matches the Camaro on speed… but the botched launch was enough for the Camaro to get an unbeatable lead. The Camaro won with 12.27 seconds at 124.42 mph, while the Corvette finished less than half a second behind with 12.74 seconds at 118.71 mph. A second race between the two had the Corvette winning with an 11.97-second time at 121.45 mph. The Camaro ran a 12.02-second quarter-mile time at 122.61 mph.
The video is the latest piece of evidence that shows money can’t buy (driving) skill. After all, a powerful sports car cannot make up for poor racing skills. However, it wouldn’t be exactly appropriate to tease the Corvette driver, either. Anyone who staged in front of the tree knows just how anxious one can get waiting for the lights to turn green. Enough anxiety can cause any driver to slip at launch, and the next sensational YouTube video could be any one of us.
In any event, watch the race video for yourself.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Camaro news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
At a time of year when luxury car ATP usually rises.
Sales decreased 5.6 percent to 16,670 units during the first ten months of 2024.
Specifically critical minerals supply chain development.
Scheduled for a Spring 2025 launch.
View Comments
When you got nothing to write about
That’s a 2019 Camaro...
First off that’s a 2019 Camaro, and I don’t know what’s the big surprise the manufacturer times are only .4 in favor of a z06 (11.1 to 11.5) both auto. Also I believe the 10 speed makes up a little for the weight compared to the vettes 8 speed.
If you were to watch hennesey Zl1 vs z06 both manual the vette only edges it and I can imagine if both were auto it would have been closer.
Lastly it’s dahm near impossible for a average driver to get car and driver times at a strip. So many things need to be in your favor. From track prep to, temperature, altitude etc.
Bad engineering and overheating issues in the ZO6 * makes Corvette Z06 Camaro Zl1 race too close all time !
I was expecting a higher trap speed for the Corvette. The 638HP ZR1 would trap about 128-130 with a talented driver.
Track prep and tire setup is critical for ET's, but trap speeds are mostly power to weight, unless you can't shift a manual trans quickly. Assuming a manual to begin with.
{please} 1st it's the tire choice. 2nd it's driver reaction. 3rd: the time it takes 4 the linkage & powertrain to motivate! Also included: the materials inside each car & the material of the engine build-up + the weight of everything & no arrow dynamics of either car!!
very cool, much to my surprise that track was in my hometown outside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Huge car culture here.
These drag videos from Misson Raceway always suck. Bad drivers, bad track and times are .5 to 1 second off normal expected times.
everyone knows 8 speed or 10 speed auto is always faster than 7 speed manual at the 1/4 mile......but head out to the roadtrack, and my 7 speed manual has never lost to an auto, with same tires.