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Old 01-23-2012, 12:31 PM   #1
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Post Jalopnik's 2012 Camaro ZL1 Review

Full review @ http://jalopnik.com/5878422/2012-che...l1-first-drive

Some of my favorite quotes:

Quote:
You'd have to really hate cars not to enjoy throwing a ZL1 around a track. I could point out how it's not exactly nimble compared to lighter sports cars (including the Corvette), but that would be like belaboring the ways that bull-riding isn't like ballet.

What is important is that the ZL1 feels predictable, poised, and—get your checkbooks ready—safe. That's not an insult. You could still hurt yourself plenty in a ZL1. But it's got an even temper that was missing from older American muscle cars, which is all the more impressive when you remember that the supercharged ZL1 is the most powerful Camaro ever built.
Quote:
That is the ZL1 in a nutshell: an incredible, frighting behemoth of a car, entirely too powerful for its own good, but reined in by clever engineer-wranglers who have worked very hard to allow even terrible drivers to keep themselves safe.
Quote:
But I suspect for the generation who can afford $55,000 muscle cars, Camaro has just as much pedigree as Corvette. And the ZL1 is the best Camaro ever made; I was bummed I didn't get to take one on the road, because I wanted to lean out over the high belt line and give some laconic nods to teenagers when they gawped.
Quote:
One of the pitfalls of age, I'm discovering, is greater access to experience—more money (if you're lucky) with which to buy the things you lusted after in your youth. But it's dangerous to live in nostalgia, boyhoods revisited, when the world around is merrily obviating the fulcrums of your old desires. You have the ability to pretend to be an outlaw in safety, all leather jacket and no scuff; all performance and no art.

You can't ever grade over the rough disappointments of youth, but you can leave them behind. And with cars as mad and indignant as the Camaro ZL1, you can sure as hell make an adulthood worth remembering.
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Old 01-23-2012, 01:20 PM   #2
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There are some good comments, but a lot of excessive fluff comments and content I could have done with out. I'm more interested in the driving dynamics of the car as opposed to all the other unnecessary stuff. Good read, but I would have preferred a bit more meat and potatoes.
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Old 01-23-2012, 01:21 PM   #3
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really good read
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Old 01-23-2012, 02:09 PM   #4
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Nice read
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Old 01-23-2012, 02:13 PM   #5
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Whoever this writer is, summed it all up very well. I felt like I was living as I read it. Wow...... very good. I want this on a poster. Somehow.

"One of the pitfalls of age, I'm discovering, is greater access to experience—more money (if you're lucky) with which to buy the things you lusted after in your youth. But it's dangerous to live in nostalgia, boyhoods revisited, when the world around is merrily obviating the fulcrums of your old desires. You have the ability to pretend to be an outlaw in safety, all leather jacket and no scuff; all performance and no art.

You can't ever grade over the rough disappointments of youth, but you can leave them behind. And with cars as mad and indignant as the Camaro ZL1, you can sure as hell make an adulthood worth remembering."
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Old 01-23-2012, 02:57 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shurenuff View Post
There are some good comments, but a lot of excessive fluff comments and content I could have done with out. I'm more interested in the driving dynamics of the car as opposed to all the other unnecessary stuff. Good read, but I would have preferred a bit more meat and potatoes.
I understand where you're coming from. However, don't the hard facts of numbers get thrown around enough around here? I found the tone of the article refreshing, as it honestly points to the purely subjective experience of thrill and joy that we're all shooting for anyway.
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Old 01-23-2012, 03:12 PM   #7
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I found it refreshing to read, I like where he brings the story. It's good to have a lot of reviews so they can complete each other. For once the Mustang is out of his review instead his talking about comparing to a Porsche 911, wow...
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Old 01-23-2012, 03:35 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Blue Menace View Post
I understand where you're coming from. However, don't the hard facts of numbers get thrown around enough around here? I found the tone of the article refreshing, as it honestly points to the purely subjective experience of thrill and joy that we're all shooting for anyway.
This
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Old 01-23-2012, 03:49 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Menace View Post
I understand where you're coming from. However, don't the hard facts of numbers get thrown around enough around here? I found the tone of the article refreshing, as it honestly points to the purely subjective experience of thrill and joy that we're all shooting for anyway.
I'm not talking about hard facts of numbers, because while they are nice they are not what I focus or obsess on when reading these reviews. My "meat and potatoes" comment refers more to the reviewers lack of describing the driving dynamics and tendencies of the car. About 90% of the review was about the history of the Camaro, the Transformers movies, how he was nervous driving it around the track, etc.

To me, he was telling a story as a writer, not giving his impressions as a driver. It was a good read, but I didn't get much out of it.
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Old 01-23-2012, 03:51 PM   #10
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I liked the article a lot! It talked more about the driving experience than many others (since I am not a professional driver). This makes me want me ZL1 even more (and I didn't think that was possible)!
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Old 01-23-2012, 03:59 PM   #11
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The usual Jalopnik droning. Don't get me wrong, the site is entertaining but the comments are where the real fun is. I suspect most are posted by 40-50 y/o divorced accountants whose mom let them drive her MG Midget on weekends in high school. They despise American cars which are OMG freakin' bloated, heavy boat anchors, shotty craftsmanship POS. When an American car outperforms a more expensive import, they respond by bashing the build quality, ergonomics, fit and finish, and my favorite "OMG they took bailout money to make that".

They cream their pants over boxer engines and high hp/L efficiency. They laugh and point fingers whenever an exotic crashes or catches on fire. They feel their 2006 Mazda Miata is the real drivers car and everyone else are punk posers for spending too much on his/her choice of car. Did I leave anything out
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Old 01-23-2012, 04:45 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shurenuff View Post
I'm not talking about hard facts of numbers, because while they are nice they are not what I focus or obsess on when reading these reviews. My "meat and potatoes" comment refers more to the reviewers lack of describing the driving dynamics and tendencies of the car. About 90% of the review was about the history of the Camaro, the Transformers movies, how he was nervous driving it around the track, etc.

To me, he was telling a story as a writer, not giving his impressions as a driver. It was a good read, but I didn't get much out of it.
Fair enough. regardless, I always enjoy your comments, as you supply what you ask for; namely, something substantial.
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Old 01-23-2012, 04:48 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MEDISIN View Post
The usual Jalopnik droning. Don't get me wrong, the site is entertaining but the comments are where the real fun is. I suspect most are posted by 40-50 y/o divorced accountants whose mom let them drive her MG Midget on weekends in high school. They despise American cars which are OMG freakin' bloated, heavy boat anchors, shotty craftsmanship POS. When an American car outperforms a more expensive import, they respond by bashing the build quality, ergonomics, fit and finish, and my favorite "OMG they took bailout money to make that".

They cream their pants over boxer engines and high hp/L efficiency. They laugh and point fingers whenever an exotic crashes or catches on fire. They feel their 2006 Mazda Miata is the real drivers car and everyone else are punk posers for spending too much on his/her choice of car. Did I leave anything out
So true
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Old 01-23-2012, 05:43 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shurenuff View Post
I'm not talking about hard facts of numbers, because while they are nice they are not what I focus or obsess on when reading these reviews. My "meat and potatoes" comment refers more to the reviewers lack of describing the driving dynamics and tendencies of the car. About 90% of the review was about the history of the Camaro, the Transformers movies, how he was nervous driving it around the track, etc.

To me, he was telling a story as a writer, not giving his impressions as a driver. It was a good read, but I didn't get much out of it.
Iagree. This review sounded more like a story my grandfather would tell. Too much nastolgic babble and not enough actual observations about the car that is supposed to be the main focus
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