Getting your player ready...
580 horsepower – in a Chevy Camaro. No, not a Corvette, a Camaro.
“Who is driving that Camaro?” hollered Keith Willis, rushing through the door at Starbucks on Centerplace Drive in Greeley. “It’s not a ZL1, is it?” he asked after I stepped up as driver. Indeed it is a ZL1, I confirmed. “Oh, wow, I just read about it last night,” he said, then hustled out into the parking lot, used his phone to photograph it several times, crawled in his Jeep and hurried off to work at Home Depot.
I don’t recall driving a production car with that much horsepower. The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG performance sedan I drove to Georgetown a year ago was empowered by a 550-horse twin-turbo V-8, and before that was the Jaguar XKR convertible with 510-hp.
The horsepower race won’t end with the ZL1, which is based on the Cadillac CTS-V and the Corvette ZR1. The ZR1 boasts 638 hp; the return of the Dodge Viper SRT10 this fall will bring an estimated 640 horsepower from its mid-engine 8.4-liter V-10, and topping that is the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with up to 662 hp from its 5.8-liter V-8.
To go with its high power reading, the Camaro’s 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 (with 6-speed manual transmission) puts out 556 lbs.-ft. of torque. Even with its relatively heavy weight of 4,100 pounds, the ZL1 will clock fairly close to 4 seconds for 0 to 60, and is rated capable of 184 miles per hour.
I was impressed, more so after turning loose those 580 horses out east on some fairly wide-open highways. Tromp it, it will quickly approach three-digit speed while still in 3rd gear. Shifts and throttle response from a revised short-throw shifter were smoother than most performance models with manual trannies, the notchiness has been overcome. Back off on acceleration and the roar of the exhaust turns to a crackle. We wound up at fire-blackened Last Chance at the crossroads of U.S. 36 and Colo. 71 in Washington County. Several structures in the little town burned in the June 25 prairie fire, which covered 45,000 acres. The 250-mile round-trip, including an evening stop at the Old Neighborhood restaurant in Arvada, boosted overall fuel mileage average to 17.8 miles per gallon. Take away the miles of cruise and the average would have been in the 15 mpg range. The ZL1, which, of course, requires premium fuel, carries an EPA rating of 14/19. The rear-wheel-drive Camaro offers five “performance traction management” modes, set for dry or wet conditions, and all-out acceleration, tied to magnetic ride suspension with instant damper adjustment.
The high-speed performance capability of the ZL1 comes with a high-end tag – a sticker of $58,680. Fifteen months ago, I drove a 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible, victory red in color, at a sticker price of $36,185.
Finished in rally yellow, the ’12 Camaro ZL1 features a carbon fiber hood air extractor and 20-inch bright forged aluminum wheels with Goodyear Eagle 285/35ZR20 tires. The sunroof is a $900 option.
Inside, suede inserts are a nice touch to the dashboard and the seats. A four-pack of gauges in front of the short shifter indicates oil pressure, oil temperature, volts and vacuum boost. Audio system is Boston Acoustics. Speed and rpm info are out front of the driver in a head-up display. Images from a rearview camera in the rearview mirror are placed conveniently, though are much smaller than those used in the nav/audio screen in the dash.
Little legroom or headroom in the rear seat removes its use by adults. The coupe’s chopped look creates blind spots for the driver. Trunk space of only 11 cubic feet is limited, too, by a small, narrow opening. The ZL1 is the most powerful Camaro ever. The 6.2 V-8 features a Roots-style blower with four-lobe rotor set and compact intercooler.
“The power and acceleration of the Camaro ZL1 rivals many supercars,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “And, horsepower is only half the story, as the most significant measurement of the ZL1’s potential is lapping the Nürburgring in 7:41.27. That is a great testament to the power, braking (Brembo), grip and balance of the ZL1, and to the well-rounded performance that sets the bar for the sports-car segment.
“With magnetic ride control, we offer customers a comfortable ride that makes the ZL1 appropriate as a daily driver and the incredible body control that makes it so enjoyable at the track.”
2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
$58,660
(price as tested)
MPG City 14 Highway 19
Vehicle type: Supercharged sport coupe
Wheelbase: 112.3 inches
Length/Width/Height: 190.4/75.5/54.2
Weight: 4,120 pounds
Engine: 6.2-liter supercharged V-8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel mileage: 17.8 mpg
Fuel tank: 19 gallons
Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles basic; 5/100,000 powertrain
Competitors: Ford Mustang GT500, Dodge Challenger SRT8, Nissan GT-R
Built at: Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Parts content: U.S./Canadian 75 percent
THE STICKER
$54,095 base
$900 Power sunroof
$600 Exposed carbon fiber weave hood insert
$500 Interior suede microfiber package
$470 20-inch bright forged aluminum wheels
$325 Rally yellow exterior finish
$900 Destination
PLUSES
Performance
Suspension
Exterior finish
MINUSES
Rear-seat space
Blind spots
Fuel mileage
I was impressed, more so after turning loose those 580 horses out east on some fairly wide-open highways. Tromp it, it will quickly approach three-digit speed while still in 3rd gear. Shifts and throttle response from a revised short-throw shifter were smoother than most performance models with manual trannies, the notchiness has been overcome. Back off on acceleration and the roar of the exhaust turns to a crackle. We wound up at fire-blackened Last Chance at the crossroads of U.S. 36 and Colo. 71 in Washington County. Several structures in the little town burned in the June 25 prairie fire, which covered 45,000 acres. The 250-mile round-trip, including an evening stop at the Old Neighborhood restaurant in Arvada, boosted overall fuel mileage average to 17.8 miles per gallon. Take away the miles of cruise and the average would have been in the 15 mpg range. The ZL1, which, of course, requires premium fuel, carries an EPA rating of 14/19. The rear-wheel-drive Camaro offers five “performance traction management” modes, set for dry or wet conditions, and all-out acceleration, tied to magnetic ride suspension with instant damper adjustment.
Little legroom or headroom in the rear seat removes its use by adults. The coupe’s chopped look creates blind spots for the driver. Trunk space of only 11 cubic feet is limited, too, by a small, narrow opening. The ZL1 is the most powerful Camaro ever. The 6.2 V-8 features a Roots-style blower with four-lobe rotor set and compact intercooler.
