2012 Camaro ZL1

For years the Camaro has had to compete against the Mustang. The Shelby GT500 is power packed with 550 horses which will be topped by the 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1. The ZL1 will have a 6.2 supercharged V8 that will produce above the 426 horse SS model. Most people assumed that it would wear the legendary Z28 badge; instead it will be wearing the reclaimed ZL1 badge. The 1969 Camaro ZL1 was one of the best machines produced in Detroit. It looked like a base Camaro including hubcaps which made it look like a wimpy six cylinder because it had no engine-designation badge. The only giveaway was the factory-installed cowl-induction hood plus when you started the 427 big block. The car was only available through the Central Office Production Order (COPO) which installed the 427 big block in it. ZL1 officials figured the output to be 430 horses which was underrated mostly due to insurance purposes. It was among one of the quickest factory built and street legal car that was the king of the quarter mile. The 2012 ZL1 is planning on growing the legend by using a supercharged LSA 6.2 V8 that was borrowed from the Cadillac CTS-V. Chevy estimates that it will produce 550 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque. The Camaro ZL1 is built more for tearing up the drag strips instead of road courses. The only transmission that will be offered with the ZL1 is a six-speed Tremec manual. The driveshaft and differential have both been beefed up to hand all the torque. It will sport 20-inch forged wheels that are wider but 22 pounds lighter than the narrow 20-inch setup on the Camaro SS. The ZL1 is estimated to do zero to sixty in four seconds flat and go zero to one hundred in 9.9 seconds with a quarter mile of 12.5. They put large rotors on it to stop it quicker which includes slightly larger rotors in the front. The shocks are a new design that offers the choice between Tour and Sport settings. It will sport a new electric power-steering system. The ZL1 will be about the same weight as the Camaro SS, roughly 3900 pounds, but the ZL1 has stronger driveline that adds weight. The ZL1 will have four fog lights, a large splitter, and a wide-mouth intake. The hood is made of aluminum that has a carbon-fiber center section that is supposed to help with down force and the rear end has a larger deck lid spoiler and quad exhaust finishers. The exhaust system has a actuated flap, like a Corvette, that will open when the engine reaches higher engine speeds to both reduce back pressure and deliver an aggressive growl. The interior of the ZL1 will get a few upgrades such as alloy pedal covers, head-up display, new flat bottomed steering wheel and front seat inserts. The head up display shows how fast you are going on the windshield so you don't have to look down at the speedometer. The auxiliary console gauges are a standard option on a ZL1 and boost readout will also be standard on the ZL1. The Camaro ZL1 will have a starting price of around $47,000. Back in the day, the Camaro ZL1 was hard to beat and was king of the road so Chevy shouldn’t have a problem dominating the Ford Shelby GT500.The Chevy Camaro ZL1 is a great competitor to the Shelby GT500 but most believes that the Shelby GT500 would have to try to keep up with the Camaro ZL1. Eventually Chevy will come back out with the Z28 model, which won't be able to keep up with the ZL1 but will compete with Ford's Mustang Boss 302.