2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - First Look

Serious supercharged power–124 bhp more than the Camaro SS, and looks to match.

Member's, who wants one ? Who can afford one ? I love it, but it's just a Dream at this price ...Post your thoughts & if you ever get a chance to drive one, please take pic's & make a thread about it...."EnJoy your Dreams"

Go below 2 see & read Road Test on above ^

By Shaun Bailey / Photos by Marc Urbano


Slideshow >>
Video >>

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<!-- /Main photo wrapper --><!-- test output end: --><!-- the article, at a glance, downloads, top competitors, from buying guide --><!-- left column -->We’ve referred to it as the Z28 for almost two years. Chevy, however, is calling its new high-performance Camaro the ZL1, and this 550-bhp pony car will be the most potent Camaro ever. Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser and Program Engineering Manager Tony Roma have provided the details on the car, which will have stand­ard Magnetic Ride Control damping.
In 2006, when John Heinricy was head of Performance Vehicle Operations, he made sure the Camaro could someday house a larger differential and bigger rear tires. Slight changes to the floorpan created the space. As such, the ZL1 retains its stock chassis and bodywork. Only the hood and fascias are changed externally. The standard fenders house the 305-width rear tires, while the aluminum hood is modified with a black carbon-fiber vent for clearance over the supercharger and heat extraction.





The ZL1 is designed to shine on road courses and dragstrips, with the Shelby GT500 as its benchmark. Says Oppenheiser: “The ZL1 takes the SS to a new level. Roughly 30 percent of the car has been engineered to go out and dominate…our new leadership has told us we don’t just compete anymore, we win.”
From pistons to tires, the ZL1 has been built to take abuse. The word “beefy” was in every other sentence describing the drivetrain components. In back, the asymmetric halfshafts and clutch-type limited-slip differential are built to handle repeated drop-clutch launches.
New ZL1-specific forged wheels are shod with custom Goodyears. The wheels and tires are lighter than those on the SS, even though they are larger. There are still 10 months left in the ZL1’s development, so the tire has another round of changes before being finalized. Rather than focus on a square tire setup (same size rubber front and rear) to aid cornering performance, GM says it will do this via tweaks to the rear suspension, anti-roll bar and tire compounds.





A 6-speed manual from the CTS-V will be standard, with shorter throws than in the current SS. A smaller steering wheel with improved ergonomics will be welcomed by performance drivers, and the smaller shift **** is said to offer a more natural feel. The seats are basically unchanged, but they will have vibrant stitching and suede inserts. Updated gauges will feature a shift light or indicator, plus a standard head-up display.
Other neat ZL1 technology includes electric-assist power steering and exhaust flapper valves. As for launch control, we can expect the ZL1 to have it, and maybe the Performance Traction Management from the Corvette ZR1. This might alter bracket racing forever, with repeated sub-12-second quarter mile passes a real possibility. Look for the ZL1 early next year, priced at about $50,000.





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Chevy Camaro ZL1





2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - 2011 Chicago Auto Show




Camaro ZL1 Video >>



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Super Pic's & Updates from Chevrolet
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2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Official Photos and Info: Chevy Camaro News
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<TABLE style="WIDTH: auto" class=ts><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>All new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 2012

<BUTTON class=vspib type=submit></BUTTON> <TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 8px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" vAlign=top width="1%">

<TD style="PADDING-TOP: 2px" vAlign=top>2 min - , 2011 - Uploaded by autotuningnews
All new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 2012
<CITE>www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAoorauVL0w</CITE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

Space: Love it ! Awesome Car - but price is up there! Thanks for the great pic's above!
Best part is it's a Mustang Killer!

-Mark.

 

it's a damn sexy car, with a damn ugly price...

 

I don't know about our member's, but I don't know many in my life that could afford a ZL1, but I'm happy that GM Chevy is making them....Maybe in about 20 yrs I will be able to afford one Maybe ?

With the high Price + New rear tires every week + a new clutch every Month + a new rear gear in about 3month+ high insurance cost + the high price of PremFuel + + + +,
but it's great dream material : )

Thanks everyone for your posts & thoughts.....
"I shall continue to purchase a Lotto ticket & pray to the Lotto Gods for winning #'s It only take one 2 Win
<~> Lotto is presently $31 Million, & with Xtra it's $62 Million : ) "2 dare 2 dream in SpaceVision" : )

 

me want!!!

 

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<TABLE width=300 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD>
ENGINE: 6.2-liter overhead valve V8
HORSEPOWER: 426
TORQUE: 420 lb feet
0-60 mph: 5.0 seconds
1/4 mile: 13.4 seconds @ 109 mph
EPA: 16 mpg city/ 24 mpg highway
MIXED LOOP: 20.0 mpg

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- END IMAGE AND STATS --><!-- -->2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
Program #3037

We're well documented fans of Chevrolet's new era Camaro. Since it arrived for 2010, we've tested and enjoyed V6's, V8's, and even a supertuned ZL1. They all got our heartbeats racing. But when it comes to appealing to all our senses, the new Camaro Convertible wins hands down. So let's take the top down for a closer look.
Chopping the top off an existing hardtop is always a sketchy proposition, as most car roofs greatly contribute to the stiffness and integrity of the vehicle's structure. Oftentimes what you're left with is a great car for cruise night or trolling the beach, but one that twists like a wet noodle in corners and over pot holes.
The problem can be really bad when you start with a high performance pony car, but this 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible seems to have handled the transition very nicely.
Designed with a convertible in mind from the start, body reinforcements include V braces both front and rear to keep the body stiff, though minor cowl shake is still evident over rough roads.
Our SS's optional 20-inch wheels didn't help matters.
The aggressive look has certainly carried over, thanks to the wide blacked out grille with chopped headlights.
But thanks to a compact top stack, the top-down profile is very smooth, more like a European drop-top than Detroit-iron.
From the rear it looks even wider and flatter than before. The trunk lid spoiler blends in nicely and hides the radio antenna, while the XM and OnStar shark fin moves to the deck-lid.
The back end result is very clean, with dual polished exhaust tips and simulated diffuser as finishing touches.
The power-operated cloth top has a Corvette-style single latch and folds in less than 20-seconds. The semi-rigid Tonneau cover makes everything nice and neat.
Now the top is not as quiet as some we've experienced, which is bad for highway and traffic noise, but good for hearing the exhaust rumble. And here's a bonus! Visibility with the top up is not much worse, as it isn't that great in the coupe to begin with.
That rumbly exhaust note on our SS comes from the same all aluminum 6.2-liter overhead valve V8 found in the coupe. It puts out tons of power, 426-horsepower to be exact, along with 420 lb-ft. of torque. The 312-horsepower V6 is also available.
Transmission choices are 6-speed automatic or our car's Tremec 6-speed manual.
That combination was good for 0-60 blasts of 5-seconds, and quarter-mile times of 13.4 seconds at 109 miles-per-hour, just a few ticks slower than our last SS coupe test car.
Despite all that power, launching is fairly easy, and the short throw, 6-speed shifter feels sturdy and manages shifts well.
When it comes to handling, the convertible still turns in willingly and handles fine, but has a bit more of an awkward feel to it as you never forget how big the car is, and the fact that it weighs well over 2-tons. The fully independent front and rear suspension is unchanged from the coupe and does do a good job of keeping roll to a minimum.
Inside, not much has changed. There's the same retro-inspired dash we liked so much in the coupe. However, too much grainy plastics also remain.
But we still love the SS's Auxiliary gauge 4-pack that sits in front of the shifter. And the available Head-Up display is a nice touch.
Tunes come courtesy of a 9-speaker Boston Acoustics system with a 10-inch subwoofer and includes full iPod integration.
Rear seat room is hardly compromised at all, but the same can't be said about the trunk. Capacity drops to just 7.9 cubic feet when the top is stored, and access is very tight.
Government fuel economy ratings for our SS manual are 16-City and 24-Highway. We managed a nice even 20 miles-per-gallon of regular with a somewhat restrained right foot.
Pricing for the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible begins with the LT V6 coming at $30,000. That's about $2,000 more than a base Ford Mustang convertible. The V8 SS starts at $37,500 and can easily be optioned to over $40,000. That is a lot of money, but fortunately you do get a lot of car for it. You'll also turn a lot of heads and put a few smiles on your own face, as well. The 2011 Camaro Convertible is a great addition to the Camaro line-up, one that many people have been waiting for and one that we'll hit the road in anytime.

 

World's First 2012 Chevy Camaro Z28 ZL1 Video!
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2.92 min. | 4.2180095 user rating
More Z28 info at 2011 2012 Camaro ZL1 SS LT Camaro forums, news, blog, reviews, wallpapers, pricing - Camaro5.com Camaro5 brings you the world's first video of the upcoming 2012 Camaro ZL1 in testing, from the Nurbrugring test track. Photos of this car are at www.camaro5.com
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