There is no feeling quite like that of seeing a gleaming sports car in your garage, with its streamlined design ready and waiting to burn some rubber. The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has been announced, and for $62,000 a pop, just what kind of performance can you expect from this monster?
First unveiled in March earlier this, there were no exact performance figures attached to the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 back then. Thankfully, the announcement today has remedied such a situation, where it will boast of a whopping 650 horsepower underneath the hood in order to match the Corvette Z06, and the heart of the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will allow it to complete the 0-60 mph mark in a matter of just 3.5 seconds. Those who are interested in the quarter-mile figure will see it make the mark in 11.4 seconds at 127 mph.
You will end up $62,135 poorer if you decide to settle for the coupe, and if a swankier convertible model is your cup of tea, then prepare to up the ante to touch the $69,135 mark. According to Chevrolet, the performance figures listed were based on the ZL1 coupe with its new 10-speed automatic transmission.
Now, what about road handling of the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1? Chevrolet will ensure that the Camaro ZL1 is well fitted for such a task apart from being a terror on the drag strips, boasting of General Motor's magnetic ride dampers that have garnered quite a fair bit of accolades to date, an electronic rear differential, and Goodyear tires that do their utmost best to let all four wheels stick to the asphalt no matter the corner or speed at which you attack those curves.
According to Chevrolet, the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be able to pull 1.02 g around a corner, taking 107 feet to come to a standstill if you are hurtling down at 60 mph. This is made possible since the new model is also significantly lighter than its predecessor, to the tune of a 220 pound weight loss.
For those who are curious to know just what kind of performance does the track-ready Camaro 1LE pack, your patience will be rewarded. The V6 as well as the V8 1LEs will not be on the receiving end of a power boost, although they will hit the 0 to 60 mph mark in a quoted 5.2 and 4.2 seconds, respectively. The V8-powered SS 1LE is able to go toe-to-toe with the Camaro ZL1's figures of 1.02 g when it comes to cornering grip and 60-0 mph braking in 107 feet.
The Dodge Challenger Hellcat would be the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1’s nearest rival on the road, with it making the 0 to 60 mark in a matter of 3.6 seconds, which means that Chevrolet has certainly managed to eke out every single ounce of performance from the Camaro ZL1's 650 horsepower. All eyes will now turn to see how Ford strikes back.
