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Official Camaro ZL1 Thread

Bigerik

Bigerik

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Just seems wrong to me that Chevy produces the all time greatest pony car, and it gets relegated to being an afterthought in the Mustang thread.

Anyhow, Motor Trend just tested the baddest Mustang you can buy (the race ready Boss 302 Laguna Seca) against the ZL1, and the Mustang was a definite second.

Yes, Ford is tooling up a new GT500 to try to compete with the Camaro. Will it do that? That remains to be seen. But for now, the baddest pony car you can buy is the Camaro ZL1.

2012_chevrolet_camaro-zl1_f34_ns_209112_717.jpg
 
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What Motor Trend had to say:

The Camaro felt far more composed on the track than the Mustang. "I can put this thing right where I want it!" barked Randy as he slid the car around with one hand. Although heavier than the Mustang, the ZL1 still changes direction easily and is capable of pulling higher g-forces mid-corner. The constantly variable damping rates make the Camaro feel as though its tires sink into the track. Bumps that shook the Boss simply disappeared and never upset the ZL1. More important, more of the track became usable since curbing wouldn't throw the Camaro into a tailspin. The ZL1 doesn't transition like the Boss; it seems to have a much higher moment of inertia. Ham-footing the throttle in the Camaro, which provides nearly 140 horsepower more than the Mustang, will result in more sideways action but the horseplay is still very controllable. It is also worth noting that flooring the Camaro means dealing with almost 140 horsepower more than the Mustang.

and:

Braking was the biggest difference in the two cars' on-track behavior. While data shows that both cars can haul down from speed at similar rates, the Camaro inspired far more confidence. The Mustang, however, made us wonder if the brakes were working to their full potential. Randy explained, "I have to use a tremendous amount of pedal effort, and it just doesn't inspire confidence. There is a little bit of brake dive, but it just doesn't feel like it can generate a lot of friction on the rotors."

and further:

On the road course, the Camaro was 2.4 seconds a lap quicker and almost 10 mph faster at the end of the back straight. Roughly 4 of those mph were courtesy of higher cornering speed carried out of the previous turn. Even without the big power difference on the straight, the Camaro would have been constantly making ground on the Mustang with mid-corner speed. The Camaro can simply generate more cornering force and corner faster, thanks in part to front tires that are as wide as the Mustang's rears and rear tires that are 20 millimeters wider still. Coupled with a stiffer body and more compliant suspension, the Camaro is a more capable car around the track.

and finally:

The last piece of the puzzle is driver confidence. The Camaro is easy to drive and constantly makes the driver feel like Superman. The Mustang is rewarding to drive, but it's constant work. After a few laps, a Mustang pilot is drenched with sweat and breathing hard. Even a pro driver like Randy appreciates the value of consistency. Lap data shows a tendency to brake later, and a few instances of "test-stabs" in braking zones. The same holds true to committing to high-speed sweepers. More speed can be carried in with the Camaro, with the most obvious instance in Turn 2 with a constant radius held at speed in the Camaro while the Mustang required a brush of the brakes. It was Turn 3 leading on to the back straight that would be the downfall of the Boss in a daylong race.
The Camaro clearly came out on top of this fight. Although the Boss 302 is probably the best Mustang ever built, it just feels and performs like it's a generation behind. Randy summed it up: "The Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca was my favorite American musclecar -- until today." It isn't the lack of power; it isn't the lack of amenities. It's simply a lack of technology. The Camaro is the benchmark for a new class of vehicle. Call it the Power Pony, the Warhorse -- the name isn't important. What is important is ZL1's on-demand attitude. Supercar levels of performance, with the daily driving comfort of a GT, wrapped in a nostalgic package. I bet Lee saw this one coming, too.


Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests...ss_302_laguna_seca/viewall.html#ixzz1kDDCxAXB
 
Can I get a ZL1 with that front fascia and side skirts in body color? Don't dig the black. But everything else about the car rocks, I love the rear end treatments. All those Ford guys forget one important thing that the ZL1 has - F55 Magnetic Ride Control. I'd take that over the GT500's 70 extra HP any day.
 
I'd take a white one w/the orange stripe package. There's a local SS with that scheme, bad ass look.

Thing about the ZL1 is that it's pretty much a CTS-V but $20K cheaper. Get all of the go fast goodies without all of the Caddy complexity. The ZL1 already has a huge aftermarket thanks to the Caddy guys though, LSA has tons of proven mods. Won't take much to get the ZL1 to oh, 650HP? :D
 
ever drove a new camaro? I have. I could care less if it had 1,000hp. It was not comfortable for a short guy to drive.


OTOH, I feel very comfortable in a mustang.....
 
I don't like this current iteration of the Camaro because I can't see out of it.

I feel as if that is a valid reason to dislike it.
 
Your dislike is perfectly understandable. We ran into much the same thing when Buick replaced the 2009 LaCrosse with the all-new 2010 version. Damn fine car...drove like a dream...but sales fell off a cliff for us when the typical LaCrosse owner took one for a test drive..."can't see out of the damn thing...I'll keep mine!"

But that Camaro DOES go like a scalded dog, though.:)
 
You forget to mention that the ZL1 took all but one of the subjective categories, and took an overall, price dependant win over the nearly twice as expensive GTR, and was only 10 points behind out of almost 400 pts overall.

Awesome work, Chevy!
 
Seems like a good match up, both being 4000+ pound grand touring cars. The GT-R easily out ran the ZL1 on the track, guess the magic suspension isn't all it's cracked up to be.


Bigerik said:
Awesome work, Chevy!
Click to expand...

Or maybe "a bit more work to do" :yes:
 
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