• 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible
  
  

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  2013 Chevrolet Camaro
  
  
  January 14, 2013 / By: Eric Tingwall
  

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It's a bold man who wades into the impassioned war between Camaro and Mustang fans, but I'm feeling brave enough to take a stand. The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 convertible is much more fun than the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 convertible I drove two weeks earlier. The difference is clear: the drop-top GT500 feels wild and untamed, whereas the ZL1 is a complete and well-sorted package.
The difference is immediate as soon as you turn the Camaro's key. The big V-8 and supercharger take a few seconds to crank, but as soon as the engine has settled into a loping idle and you're ready to drive, the ZL1 proves more tractable and user-friendly than the over-engineered Shelby GT500. The ZL1 clutch and transmission are as easy to finesse than those in any other Camaro, and the ride is relatively gentle unless you put the adaptive dampers in Sport mode. The biggest difference comes with regard to structural rigidity: while the stiffly sprung Ford's body flops and wanders over broken roads, the ZL1 convertible barely shakes any more than a coupe.
When you do have the opportunity to open the taps and hear the supercharger whine, the Camaro feels much more exhilarating than the Mustang. There's a huge surge of torque, a furious bellow from the exhaust, and acceleration that pins you in your seat. The Shelby GT500 is just as quick, of course, but it feels so wild and unruly that you're terrified of being flung into the nearest solid object. The Camaro ZL1 convertible, by contrast, is surprisingly composed when you drive quickly.
Jake Holmes, Associate Web Editor







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Few cars are as awesomely burly as the Camaro ZL1, but I'm having a hard time falling in love with it. I felt more or less the same way about the raucous Shelby GT500. I'd just as soon enjoy the normal aspiration, lighter weight, and (slightly) slower speeds of something like the Mustang Boss 302 or, as my colleagues have reported, the Camaro SS with the 1LE package.
Like the standard Camaro, the ZL1 convertible just feels too big and heavy from behind the wheel to really give one the impression that it's a sports car. Not that it's supposed to be a sports car per se, but even a 580-hp track-focused muscle car should feel more nimble on public roads.
Looking at the 305-section-width rear tires, one might imagine that wheelspin would be impossible. Quite the contrary, this monster loves to spin the back tires, even going into third gear, and the speedometer lunges toward triple digits like few cars' can. Unfortunately, much of that time you possibly saved by driving like Dario Franchitti is lost while you wait for the slow-moving convertible top to complete its cycle. It takes about twenty seconds, but it seems like a lot longer.
The ZL1's "no-lift shift" function is pretty awesome, as flat-footed shifts yield some crazy supercharger shrieks and huge leaps in vehicle speed. If you're loafing around, there's surprising pep available if you floor it in sixth gear at 55 mph, which is less than 2000 rpm.
Two final notes: I love the Alcantara steering wheel and shift lever. I hate how it's so easy to hit "seek" if you reach for the volume **** instead of using the steering-wheel thumb control.
Rusty Blackwell, Copy Editor







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Personally, I'm of the belief that performance cars should have a rigid metal roof -- the better to keep your head on your shoulders when you're driving like you don't have a head on your shoulders. Apparently Chevrolet agrees, because the ZL1 coupe's racy Performance Traction Management system is nowhere to be found in the droptop. In place of PTM's five settings (plus full on and full off stability control modes), the convertible makes do with full on, traction control off, competitive driving mode, and full off. Chevrolet is correct when it assumes that ZL1 convertible owners aren't likely to bomb around the track with reckless abandon and hence have limited need for the looser safety net of PTM. But Performance Traction Management is one of the cooler features on the ZL1 and something that sets it apart from its Blue Oval-badged rival.
I'm being petty, though. Whether the roof is made of steel or polyester doesn't change the fact that the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a fabulous sports car that delivers both big performance and big fun. If you simply think of the ZL1 as a Mustang competitor, you're missing the point. This particular Camaro is as entertaining as a Porsche 911 and a BMW M3. The Chevrolet isn't quite as balanced or refined as those luxury cars, but it's a bit like trading Monday Night Football for a WWE bout. Either one is a good time.
The ZL1 adds some sweet hardware to the Camaro baseline: a 580-hp, supercharged V-8, magnetic dampers, and 12-inch-wide rear tires. But I'm also a big fan of the new hardware that graces all 2013 Camaros. The frameless rearview mirror with beveled glass and touch-sensitive OnStar controls is easily the sexiest rearview mirror I've ever glanced into. I wish the hard buttons on either side of the radio head unit were actual buttons rather than touch-sensitive labels, but it's still a more functional and more attractive solution than the old radio. With both across-the-line updates and special models like the ZL1 and 1LE, Camaro engineers have issued a convincing mea culpa for the disappointing car that launched in 2010. If they can maintain their momentum and spread significant improvements to the lower trims, the Camaro could soon surpass the Mustang as my favorite muscle car.

 

<li class="rel-article-thumb-list-item-active"> 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 vs. 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 - On Road



<li class="rel-article-thumb-list-item-active"> First Drive: 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE



<li class="rel-article-thumb-list-item-active"> 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 vs 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 - At The Strip



<li class="rel-article-thumb-list-item-active"> First Look: 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible



<li class="rel-article-thumb-list-item-active"> 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 vs 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 - On Track




Read more: 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

 

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 price starts at $54,995


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While FoMoCo celebrates the day with a 650-hp 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, General Motors is attempting to take away some of the spotlight by releasing the pricing details on the new 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Prices for the Camaro ZL1 Coupe will start at $54,995, including Performance Traction Management and Magnetic Ride suspension, when it hits showrooms early next year.

“From the original Camaro to the current Corvette ZR1, Chevrolet has a long history of delivering world-class

cars

that outperformed competitors at several times the price,” said Chris Perry, vice president, Global Chevrolet Marketing. “The ZL1 is no exception. There are very few cars at any price that can match the power, features, and track-capability of the Camaro ZL1.”
Click here for more details the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Power for the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comes from a LSA 6.2L supercharged V8 making 580 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual or

6-speed automatic transmission

. With either transmission, the Camaro ZL1 delivers some strong performance figures:
<table style="margin: 0px 0px 1.2em; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; width: 637px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; background-color: transparent;" border="1" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="0"><tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="213"></td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="172">Manual</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="168">Automatic</td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="213">0 – 60 mph (from rolling start)</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="172">4.0 seconds</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="168">3.9 seconds</td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="213">1/4-mile (from a rolling start)</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="172">12.1 sec at 119 mph</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="168">12.0 sec at 119 mph</td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="213">Top speed</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="172">180 mph</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="168">184 mph</td></tr><tr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="213">Max lateral grip</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="172">1.0 g</td><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 6px 0px 3px 10px; outline: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;" width="168">1.0 g</td></tr></tbody></table>I was surprised to see the Auto Trans is faster then the manual
The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comes standard with a bunch features including heated, powered-adjustable front seats, a 9-speaker Boston Acoustics audio system; USB and

Bluetooth

connectivity; and rear-park assist with a rear-view camera (integrated in the center rear-view mirror). Only 6 options are available and they include:

• Six-speed
  automatic transmission
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  with TapShift controls: $1,185
• 20-inch, bright aluminum wheel package: $470
• Power sunroof: $900
• Stripe package: $470
• Exposed-weave carbon fiber hood insert: $600
• The suede package, including suede microfiber accents on the steering wheel, shift ****, and shift boot: $500

 

The mrs has expressed to me that shed like a new camaro...with all the bells and whistles....


But its pricey price tag has put the halts on her haveing one...

So, I told her if we hit the lottery...
She can have aCamaro!

 

Nice ride, too expensive for what it is though. You can get a 5.0 Coyote and make it faster for less than that. Sure looks good as a vert though.

Can someone please tell me how you measure 0-60mph from a rolling start? Aren't you not doing 0 if you're rolling? lol

 

That is a hot car!

 

Hi `Matt,
That's a great question on Rolling start for 0-60 times..
I thought the same thing the first time I seen that used in auto testing by many companies & sites like Motor Trend, Road & Track, Car & Driver etc...


Below is what I had in my files from the Edmunds site. I will search more 2morrow when I get `off work for other articles I've read before on this subject...