Chevrolet’s mighty new Camaro ZL1

As affordable convertibles go, the Chevrolet Camaro does pretty well,  who gave the car a thorough going-over at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week. Mays points out that the ZL1 convertible is The ZL1 convertible has all the expression of its hardtop sibling: vertical fog light channels, a front air splitter, a vented hood.

Inside, the show car's suede steering wheel and manual shift knob should keep your hands glued down, and the Tremec shifter's short throws feel closer to the Camaro V-6's Aisin unit than the Camaro SS' bulkier Tremec. Ford dumped a stupefying 650 horsepower in the archrival Mustang Shelby GT500, making the ZL1's 580 horses seem, well, still a ton. Chevolet’s mighty new Camaro ZL1 could almost be a symbol of the confidence coursing through the resurgent American auto industry.

Its very name honors the near-legendary racing-engined 1969 Camaro ZL-1 (of which only 69 were ever built) from the heyday of American muscle cars. Today’s ZL1 looks the part as well, its aggressive fifth-generation Camaro silhouette enhanced by a domed aluminum hood, an outsize decklid spoiler and ominous quad exhaust finishers. With all the hoopla surrounding the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 and its staggering 650 horsepower output, Al Oppenheiser, the chief engineer on the Camaro ZL1, claims Ford fans should thank Chevy and the Camaro for keeping Ford on its toes.

In a post on the Camaro enthusiast forum Camaro5, Oppenheiser says “The days of ‘no replacement for displacement’ are over, and it’s not enough to be fast in a straight line.” He claims the objective for the ZL1 was balanced performance, not simply headline-grabbing 0-60 or quarter-mile times. Camaro Nation Even with the 100-hp increase, the 2013 GT500 will still not match the technology and sophistication of the 2012 Camaro ZL1. With the Camaro ZL1, we set out to deliver integrated performance, and be equally good at acceleration, braking, grip, and turning. As you will soon see, that’s why the Camaro ZL1 will set the performance benchmark for the segment.

Our approach was to make every Camaro ZL1 fully track-capable, from the factory. As we announced today, the ZL1 Coupe will start at $54,995 with standard Magnetic Ride Control, standard Performance Traction Management, and standard track-capable equipment such as a rear-differential cooler, brake cooling ducts, and an engine and transmission cooler. For Mustang fans, you’re welcome. For Camaro fans, trust me, we are always listening to your feedback, and working hard to keep the Camaro in the lead.