Question about the 2014 ZL1 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

bpmurr · 08-13-2013, 03:23 PM

My girlfriend is looking at getting a ZL1 because they offer an auto and the GT500 does not. I noticed that the 2014 ZL1 still has the older front but new rear. What was the reasoning from GM as to why they kept it the same but the rest of the line is using the new front?

I know the GT500 has had the same front since 2010 but for 2013-14 it did get a new grille. (or basically no grille) Just curious about the lack of any change to the front of the car.

Sven59 · 08-13-2013, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpmurr

My girlfriend is looking at getting a ZL1 because they offer an auto and the GT500 does not. I noticed that the 2014 ZL1 still has the older front but new rear. What was the reasoning from GM as to why they kept it the same but the rest of the line is using the new front?

I know the GT500 has had the same front since 2010 but for 2013-14 it did get a new grille. (or basically no grille) Just curious about the lack of any change to the front of the car.

Aerodynamics! The design of the ZL1 front is completely functional.

2012-1822 · 08-13-2013, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven59

Aerodynamics! The design of the ZL1 front is completely functional.

Nuff Said

silverds · 08-13-2013, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sven59

Aerodynamics! The design of the ZL1 front is completely functional.

I agree the reason is likely functional but the logic of leaving the ZL1 front unchanged for the sake of aerodynamics yet the "Ultimate Road Racer" Z/28 has the revised front end just screams "BULLSHIT". I have heard this reasoning quoted before and it makes no sense.

My guess is that there is a much greater requirement for airflow through the grill for cooling rather than speed or downforce. The same is true for the lack of a grill in the GT500. That overblown monster needs to be cooled....a lot.

"AERODYNAMICS?"

Bigtime53 · 08-13-2013, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverds

I agree the reason is likely functional but the logic of leaving the ZL1 front unchanged for the sake of aerodynamics yet the "Ultimate Road Racer" Z/28 has the revised front end just screams "BULLSHIT". I have heard this reasoning quoted before and it makes no sense.

My guess is that there is a much greater requirement for airflow through the grill for cooling rather than speed or downforce. The same is true for the lack of a grill in the GT500. That overblown monster needs to be cooled....a lot.

"AERODYNAMICS?"

I guess if any of us have any questions about the ZL1 from now on we should ask you!

silverds · 08-13-2013, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime53

I guess if any of us have any questions about the ZL1 from now on we should ask you!

If you have a tendency to believe everything you read in the forums, maybe you're right.

2014CamaroZL1 · 08-13-2013, 05:57 PM

I read that reason for retaining the front end design is the cooling requirement.

Brownster · 08-13-2013, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverds

I agree the reason is likely functional but the logic of leaving the ZL1 front unchanged for the sake of aerodynamics yet the "Ultimate Road Racer" Z/28 has the revised front end just screams "BULLSHIT". I have heard this reasoning quoted before and it makes no sense.

My guess is that there is a much greater requirement for airflow through the grill for cooling rather than speed or downforce. The same is true for the lack of a grill in the GT500. That overblown monster needs to be cooled....a lot.

"AERODYNAMICS?"

Perhaps the cost/benefit ratio was not favorable,(GM is in business to make money).
Perhaps they didn't want to upstage the C7 or ZL1.
Perhaps its none of the above.
If you do not like it,don't buy it, it's just a car.

mkorgan · 08-13-2013, 06:24 PM

Al himself said the reason the front end was left unchanged was the required down forces the ZL1 needs for the top end performance AND the cooling aspect of the LSA. This was not forums or marketing. It was from the Chief Engineer for Camaro.

Whos_Drivin · 08-13-2013, 06:28 PM

Or maybe that new extractor can't fit over the supercharger, and the current extractor was designed to function with the current grill/splitter/etc....

Brownster · 08-13-2013, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkorgan

Al himself said the reason the front end was left unchanged was the required down forces the ZL1 needs for the top end performance AND the cooling aspect of the LSA. This was not forums or marketing. It was from the Chief Engineer for Camaro.

Sorry,money is the driving force of every consumer product.
They could have redesigned the front end and still achieved the downforce they sought.
Do you think that would have been cost effective?

Brownster · 08-13-2013, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brownster

Perhaps the cost/benefit ratio was not favorable,(GM is in business to make money).
Perhaps they didn't want to upstage the C7 or ZL1.
Perhaps its none of the above.
If you do not like it,don't buy it, it's just a car.

Sorry meant Z/28.

*mlee* · 08-13-2013, 07:19 PM

The Zl1 was a new front end change and is distinctive to that model. In addition to it has heat exchanger and diff coolers up front.

yellow69z28rs · 08-13-2013, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlee

The Zl1 was a new front end change and is distinctive to that model. In addition to it has heat exchanger and diff coolers up front.

what he said

08-13-2013, 03:23 PM	#1
bpmurr The Enemy ;) Drives: 2017 Shelby GT350 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 489	Question about the 2014 ZL1 My girlfriend is looking at getting a ZL1 because they offer an auto and the GT500 does not. I noticed that the 2014 ZL1 still has the older front but new rear. What was the reasoning from GM as to why they kept it the same but the rest of the line is using the new front? I know the GT500 has had the same front since 2010 but for 2013-14 it did get a new grille. (or basically no grille) Just curious about the lack of any change to the front of the car. __________________ 2017 Shelby GT350 Former Stangs: 2016 Shelby GT350 2015 GT PP 2014 GT500 SVTPP/Track Pack 2013 Boss 302 2011 GT500 SVTPP 2010 GT500 2005 GT

08-13-2013, 06:28 PM	#10
Whos_Drivin Drives: '12 Camaro ZL1, '16 Silverado Z71 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Blaine, MN Posts: 846	Or maybe that new extractor can't fit over the supercharger, and the current extractor was designed to function with the current grill/splitter/etc.... __________________ 2012 ZL1: M6, Rotofab CAI, ATI balancer w/8.66 overdrive, PFADT long tube headers w/cats 2016 Silverado LTZ-Z71 Midnight Edition: 6.2L, 8 speed auto, Borla exhaust

08-13-2013, 07:19 PM	#13
mlee CamaroFans.com Drives: ZLE & ZR2 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 37,507 View My Garage	The Zl1 was a new front end change and is distinctive to that model. In addition to it has heat exchanger and diff coolers up front. __________________

08-13-2013, 05:57 PM	#7
2014CamaroZL1 Drives: 2014 CRT ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Central NJ Posts: 712	I read that reason for retaining the front end design is the cooling requirement.

08-13-2013, 06:24 PM	#9
mkorgan Drives: 1970-1/2 Z-28, 2017 ZL1 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Sanford, Fl Posts: 973	Al himself said the reason the front end was left unchanged was the required down forces the ZL1 needs for the top end performance AND the cooling aspect of the LSA. This was not forums or marketing. It was from the Chief Engineer for Camaro.