tested by ERIC TINGWALL in California City, CA*C/D est.- ROAD TEST. CAR AND DRIVER. MAR/2017
2017 CHEVROLET
CAMARO ZL1
PRICE
AS TESTED ...................................... $67,000*
BASE ................................................................. $63,435
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive,
4-passenger, 2-door coupe
OPTIONS: automatic transmission, $1595;
performance data recorder, $1300; navigation, $495;
black center stripe, $470
AUDIO SYSTEM: satellite radio; minijack, USB, and
Bluetooth-audio inputs; Android Auto and Apple
CarPlay interfaces; 9 speakers
ENGINE
supercharged and intercooled V-8, aluminum block
and heads
BORE X STROKE ....... 4.06 x 3.62 in, 103.3 x 92.0 mm
DISPLACEMENT ............................... 376 cu in, 6162 cc
COMPRESSION RATIO ........................................ 10.0:1
FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM: direct injection
SUPERCHARGER ............................... Eaton R1740 TVS
MAXIMUM BOOST PRESSURE ........................ 9.4 psi
VALVE GEAR: pushrods, 2 valves per cylinder,
variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing
REDLINE/FUEL CUTOFF ................. 6500/6600 rpm
POWER .......................................... 650 hp @ 6400 rpm
TORQUE ..................................... 650 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
TRANSMISSION: 10-speed automatic with manual
shifting mode
FINAL-DRIVE RATIO .................. 2.85:1, electronically
controlled limited-slip
GEAR R ATIO MPH PER MAX SPEED
1000 RPM IN GEAR (rpm)(^1) .......... 4.70 ........... 6.0 ................ 40 mph (6600)
(^2) .......... 2.99 ........... 9.4 ................ 62 mph (6600)
(^3) .......... 2.15 ............ 13.1 ............... 87 mph (6600)
(^4) .......... 1.77 ............ 16.0 .............. 106 mph (6600)
(^5) .......... 1.52 ............ 18.5 .............. 122 mph (6600)
(^6) .......... 1.28 ............ 21.9 .............. 145 mph (6600)
(^7) .......... 1.00 ........... 27.5............... 182 mph (6600)
(^8) .......... 0.85 ........... 32.4 .............. 195 mph (6025)
(^9) .......... 0.69 ........... 40.3 .............. 185 mph (4600)
(^10) .......... 0.64 ........... 43.4 .............. 180 mph (4150)
CHASSIS
unit construction with a rubber-isolated rear subframe
BODY MATERIAL: steel and aluminum stampings
STEERING
rack-and-pinion with variable ratio and variable
electric power assist
R ATIO ............................................................. 15.0–11.0:1
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK ........................................... 2.3
TURNING CIRCLE CURB-TO-CURB ................. 38.4 ft
SUSPENSION
F: ind, struts located by 1 diagonal and 1 lateral link,
coil springs, 3-position electronically controlled
magnetorheological dampers, anti-roll bar
R: ind; 2 diagonal links, 2 lateral links, and a
toe-control link per side; coil springs; 3-position
electronically controlled magnetorheological
dampers; anti-roll bar
BRAKES
F: 15.4 x 1.4-in vented disc, 6-piston fixed caliper
R: 14.4 x 1.1-in vented disc, 4-piston fixed caliper
STABILITY CONTROL ......... fully defeatable, traction
off, competition mode, launch control
WHEELS AND TIRES
WHEEL SIZE .................... F: 10.0 x 20 in R: 11.0 x 20 in
WHEEL CONSTRUCTION ................. forged aluminum
TIRES ............................. Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3
F: 285/30ZR-20 (95Y) R: 305/30ZR-20 (99Y)
EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE ....................................................... 110.7 in
LENGTH .............................................................. 188.3 in
WIDTH .................................................................... 74.7 in
HEIGHT ................................................................. 52.4 in
FRONT TRACK .................................................... 63.4 in
REAR TRACK ....................................................... 62.6 in
GROUND CLEARANCE ........................................ 4.0 in
INTERIOR DIMENSIONS
SAE VOLUME ................................ F: 54 cu ft R: 31 cu ft
TRUNK ................................................................... 9 cu ft
CAR AND DRIVER TEST RESULTS
ACCELERATION
ZERO TO SECONDS
30 MPH ...................................................................... 1.5
40 MPH ...................................................................... 2.1
50 MPH ...................................................................... 2.7
60 MPH ..................................................................... 3.4
70 MPH ...................................................................... 4.3
80 MPH ...................................................................... 5.2
90 MPH ...................................................................... 6.2
100 MPH ...................................................................... 7.4
110 MPH ..................................................................... 8.8
120 MPH .................................................................... 10.4
130 MPH .................................................................... 12.4
140 MPH .................................................................... 14.9
150 MPH .................................................................... 18.4
The new 10 -speed transmission, the addition of the eLSD, and
an extra 70 horsepower make this ZL1 both faster and more
rewarding than the fifth-generation ZL1. Yet the largest transfor-
mation happened when all sixth-generation Camaros moved from
GM’s Zeta platform to the lighter, more nimble Alpha architecture.
That change saves more than 200 pounds compared with the prior
ZL1. It’s not light, at almost 4000 pounds with the automatic gear-
box, but the ZL1 coupe moves with uncanny agility.
Equipped with staggered Goodyears, the ZL1 isn’t quite as neu-
tral as the fifth-generation Z/28, nor is it latched to the pavement
like that car, which wore 305-section Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R rubber
at all four corners. It does, though, circle the skidpad at 1.04 g’s and
haul its 3933 pounds to a stop from 70 mph in 143 feet, continuing
to erase the notion of the American muscle
car as a crude, one-trick, straight-line hero.
Weighty electrically assisted power steer-
ing with a variable-ratio rack bends the car
into curves with poise and precision.
Understeer is easily abated with clean driv-
ing or a quick prod of the throttle, and the
suede-wrapped steering wheel communi-
cates the chatter of the front rubber
instantly and clearly when the tires start to
slide. GM’s excellent Performance Traction
Management offers five increasingly
lenient traction and stability settings to
help the driver set a quick and safe lap time,
no matter their skill.
A new line-lock feature (yes, the Mus-
tang had it first) clamps down on the front
brakes for up to 15 seconds so the driver can
warm the rear meats before a drag run or smoke out the crowd at a
car show. But really, who needs help spinning the tires with this
much torque? The launch-control algorithm now offers both auto-
matic and custom settings. The latter allows the driver to select the
launch rpm and the amount of wheelslip, from 5 to 15 percent in
half-percent increments.
It might look like a
brute, but with an
eLSD, communicative
steering, and perfectly
judged suspension
tuning, the ZL1 moves
with genuine grace.