Ahead of its official debut at the New York Auto Show, Chevrolet took the wraps off its newest high performance Camaro variant, the ZL1. While the sixth generation Camaro SS we drove last year offered impressive performance in its own right, the ZL1 model promises to ratchet up the pony car’s capabilities substantially.
Chevrolet Performance has announced its collection of performance parts for the fifth-generation (2010 model year and newer) Camaro. The factory-engineered parts for the Camaro V-6 and SS are borrowed from the ZL1 and SS 1LE. When installed by the dealer, many of the parts do not affect the car’s current warranty.
Not surprisingly, this was a truly quick vehicle, capable of alarming speed. Like the CTS-V, there was more than enough power at idle to send the rear tires the way of the dodo. This was an entirely optional activity, though, as the power delivery and throttle response were quite smooth. In fact, we might argue that a sharper (or adjustable) throttle response could be fitted to make the ZL1 feel just a hair quicker off the line.
Camaro5 user “showstopper” was installing the diffuser on a Camaro ZL1 when something particularly revealing was discovered on one of the mounting brackets.
Today, in the Windy City, Chevrolet debuted the 2012 Camaro ZL1, powered by a blown 6.2-liter LSA engine, and featuring some new technology for this beloved muscle car.