Road and Track: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - First Look

[Z4me]

Tic tock how many more years do we still have remaining
to enjoy the sheer power of a V8 muscle car with mpg
regulations going into affect in the not to distant future.
Personally I have nothing against the camaro's competition
and welcome the challenge this provides Chevy.
I"m kinda tired of the "Winers", who expect to receive a
competitive car ala "LZ1" at a price not consistent with
the costs of manufacturing involved. I'll be out passing some
nice cheese to go with all the Winers out there. Lets be
a little thankful to all those involved who have had the
dreams and passion to make all of this a reality for us to
enjoy!
to fbodfather and the camaro team thankyou for having
spirit, tenacity,drive, and passion to keep moving forward
with bringing us the best camaro's for us to enjoy!!

[tgdtown]

I would need to see the ZL1 in person & test drive it before I trade my SS for one... Fact is I love my SS and can't see my self getting rid of it for some "just cool pics".... I must see it!!!

[CAMARO-ECSTASY]

Originally Posted by Z4me

Tic tock how many more years do we still have remaining
to enjoy the sheer power of a V8 muscle car with mpg
regulations going into affect in the not to distant future.
Personally I have nothing against the camaro's competition
and welcome the challenge this provides Chevy.
I"m kinda tired of the "Winers", who expect to receive a
competitive car ala "LZ1" at a price not consistent with
the costs of manufacturing involved. I'll be out passing some
nice cheese to go with all the Winers out there. Lets be
a little thankful to all those involved who have had the
dreams and passion to make all of this a reality for us to
enjoy!
to fbodfather and the camaro team thankyou for having
spirit, tenacity,drive, and passion to keep moving forward
with bringing us the best camaro's for us to enjoy!!

[Z28RockStar]

Originally Posted by Z4me

Tic tock how many more years do we still have remaining
to enjoy the sheer power of a V8 muscle car with mpg
regulations going into affect in the not to distant future.
Personally I have nothing against the camaro's competition
and welcome the challenge this provides Chevy.
I"m kinda tired of the "Winers", who expect to receive a
competitive car ala "LZ1" at a price not consistent with
the costs of manufacturing involved. I'll be out passing some
nice cheese to go with all the Winers out there. Lets be
a little thankful to all those involved who have had the
dreams and passion to make all of this a reality for us to
enjoy!
to fbodfather and the camaro team thankyou for having
spirit, tenacity,drive, and passion to keep moving forward
with bringing us the best camaro's for us to enjoy!!

I do agree with the last part of your post and thank Fbodfather and the Camaro team as well as all of GM. Though I will wait to drive one for final judgment as we do not know the exact price point; I will say I am not whining about what I would consider price gouging should the numbers after delivery and tax loaded out pass 60K. Which I bet they will at least on first run. Sorry man if a Vette that outperforms it is cheaper then it's WAY out of the spirit of what a Camaro really is. In addition, I would rather 4link and coilover a 67, 68, or 69 with a huge aluminum big block and have something that will only rise in value. Sorry, overpriced for what it is is overpriced.

[Z28RockStar]

Originally Posted by Z28RockStar

I do agree with the last part of your post and thank Fbodfather and the Camaro team as well as all of GM. Though I will wait to drive one for final judgment as we do not know the exact price point; I will say I am not whining about what I would consider price gouging should the numbers after delivery and tax loaded out pass 60K. Which I bet they will at least on first run. Sorry man if a Vette that outperforms it is cheaper then it's WAY out of the spirit of what a Camaro really is. In addition, I would rather 4link and coilover a 67, 68, or 69 with a huge aluminum big block and have something that will only rise in value. Sorry, overpriced for what it is is overpriced.

OH. . . . . . and they didn't name it Z28! W A T ! ? lol

[Mark H]

I don't know why everyone is saying it is over priced when we don't even know what the price is.

[2ss-booya]

Originally Posted by Mark H

I don't know why everyone is saying it is over priced when we don't even know what the price is.

^ This ^

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Z28RockStar

I do agree with the last part of your post and thank Fbodfather and the Camaro team as well as all of GM. Though I will wait to drive one for final judgment as we do not know the exact price point; I will say I am not whining about what I would consider price gouging should the numbers after delivery and tax loaded out pass 60K. Which I bet they will at least on first run. Sorry man if a Vette that outperforms it is cheaper then it's WAY out of the spirit of what a Camaro really is. In addition, I would rather 4link and coilover a 67, 68, or 69 with a huge aluminum big block and have something that will only rise in value. Sorry, overpriced for what it is is overpriced.

You'd need to step up to a Z06 to easily outperform the ZL1...and those start at...oh, $74,000? But my question is what's this fascination with the loaded price guestimate? It'll likely start around $50k...I can option an SS pretty close to 50k if I tryed, but that doesn't make it any less of a bargain. Options aren't mandatory...

And on a side note...you can't build a comparable ZL1 for less...I spent some time trying, and it's not possible.

Originally Posted by Z28RockStar

OH. . . . . . and they didn't name it Z28! W A T ! ? lol

Would calling it Z28 have made the price you fear anymore reasonable?

Originally Posted by Mark H

I don't know why everyone is saying it is over priced when we don't even know what the price is.

Agreed...we have a rough idea, but agreed.

[Z4me]

That's my point they have not even disclosed the price on the ZL1 yet. In
my opinion and it just that an opinion the base price will be around $48,995.00 and with all the options like the suede to top at around 55k.

They are suppose to be making some anouncements at both the camaro
fest and at the open house factory get togather in Canada in June. My
guese is that they will be talking about the 2012 models at the camaro
fest. Then in June either more information about the ZL1 or an announcement about the new Z28. So hang tight I really believe were in for some cool times in the not to distant future. Just keep the faith.

[ShaunBailey]

Originally Posted by blufin

Has anyone noticed that the "red line" area seems to be different colors in different photos? In the early photos, the area just above 6100 rpm is red, but in the photos posted above by R&T, this area appears to be yellow. Is this possibly the integrated shift light I'm seeing, or is it just an optical illusion?

The R&T photos were done with the dash light on, and with a relatively long exposure. Thus the amber color for what is just the night-time driving lights. I was told by Al and Tony to expect some form of shift light, but they were unclear about it. I suspect it will be something integrated into the head-up display.

Ford has been using a shift light in the gauge cluster for a while. They light up the SVT logo. In the day it's a challenge to notice, but works at night. The Cadillac CTS-V has "tracers" on the tach and speedo. They flash brightly when approaching redline. Can't miss them day or night. There are no tracers on the ZL1 that we know of, and I asked if there would be. They said no because the gauge cluster is a slight modification to the stock unit, and can't support it. They'd have to redesign it if they wanted that feature.

The only place left to put in a good/working shift light would be in the HUD I think. We'll have to wait until summer to get confirmation on where it will be, and how it works though.

-Shaun

Shaun Bailey
Associate Engineering Editor
Road & Track
www.roadandtrack.com

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Z4me

So hang tight I really believe were in for some cool times in the not to distant future. Just keep the faith.

Originally Posted by ShaunBailey

The R&T photos were done with the dash light on, and with a relatively long exposure. Thus the amber color for what is just the night-time driving lights. I was told by Al and Tony to expect some form of shift light, but they were unclear about it. I suspect it will be something integrated into the head-up display.

Ford has been using a shift light in the gauge cluster for a while. They light up the SVT logo. In the day it's a challenge to notice, but works at night. The Cadillac CTS-V has "tracers" on the tach and speedo. They flash brightly when approaching redline. Can't miss them day or night. There are no tracers on the ZL1 that we know of, and I asked if there would be. They said no because the gauge cluster is a slight modification to the stock unit, and can't support it. They'd have to redesign it if they wanted that feature.

The only place left to put in a good/working shift light would be in the HUD I think. We'll have to wait until summer to get confirmation on where it will be, and how it works though.

-Shaun

Shaun Bailey
Associate Engineering Editor
Road & Track
www.roadandtrack.com

Thanks for your feedback, Shaun!

[OldJedi]

For those of you that think that they can put a S/C on their SS and be better than a ZL1, I found this response from CC Performance after a forum member blew his engine. To see photos and read more the thread was in the Forced Induction V8 section written by member Kubi. Blown LS3 Blew

"If you want to be boosted you either build the engine correctly for it or you take a chance of this happening. before he called me i was talking to my builder and he had another 2010 LS3 coming that was devastated in the same way. Tuned by one of the best.. it was just too much power for the stock engine to handle and it let go... he was making around 600 rwhp..

You don't put a roof up and then build the house under it... you build from the ground up.
I know thats a hard pill to swallow when you buy a new car but ... your engine was not built for boost in that new car... GM builds a whole new engine for boost . They don't just slap a blower on the LS3/L99 and call it good. There is a reason for it. I'm know I'm one of the few who advocate doing things the right way, there is a lot of money in selling boost. I make more selling a Maggy or E-force than selling a forged short block but if you ask me what I would do if it were my money i would not waste it and do things correctly. I've been doing it far to long to not know the outcome".

When you realize that the LSA engine was tested at WOT for a time period of almost two weeks straight, maybe just maybe, it is a pretty good engine. Just a thought...

[Blackdevil77]

Originally Posted by OldJedi

For those of you that think that they can put a S/C on their SS and be better than a ZL1, I found this response from CC Performance after a forum member blew his engine. To see photos and read more the thread was in the Forced Induction V8 section written by member Kubi. Blown LS3 Blew

"If you want to be boosted you either build the engine correctly for it or you take a chance of this happening. before he called me i was talking to my builder and he had another 2010 LS3 coming that was devastated in the same way. Tuned by one of the best.. it was just too much power for the stock engine to handle and it let go... he was making around 600 rwhp..

You don't put a roof up and then build the house under it... you build from the ground up.
I know thats a hard pill to swallow when you buy a new car but ... your engine was not built for boost in that new car... GM builds a whole new engine for boost . They don't just slap a blower on the LS3/L99 and call it good. There is a reason for it. I'm know I'm one of the few who advocate doing things the right way, there is a lot of money in selling boost. I make more selling a Maggy or E-force than selling a forged short block but if you ask me what I would do if it were my money i would not waste it and do things correctly. I've been doing it far to long to not know the outcome".

A Men reverend. I agree 100% that's part of the reason why I want a car as close to my E.T goals as possible from the factory. I don't want to do too much to it. Basic bolt-ons, and a nice pulley with the tune to match should be good for my goals, assuming the ZL1 isn't an enormous fat pig

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Blackdevil77

A Men reverend. I agree 100% that's part of the reason why I want a car as close to my E.T goals as possible from the factory. I don't want to do too much to it. Basic bolt-ons, and a nice pulley with the tune to match should be good for my goals, assuming the ZL1 isn't an enormous fat pig

Well...it's the same size as all other 5thgens so we've got size covered....now what do you consider a "fat pig"?

This?



Or this?