Review: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

[TonyGXP]

I love the car. Have seen them up close first hand. I have ridden in new CTS-v and Zr1 as well as the new convertible 427 with the magnetorheological shocks and they are amazing. My only real disappointment in the new ZL1 is that they didn't stick with what made the original so awesome. They should have massaged the LS7 into it. I am not a fan of that LSA engine. I understand it in the ZR1 as Chevy needed to make that car forced induction as to "save face" with the high tech performance world (GTR, 911, Mustang Shelby etc etc). The ZL1 should've been naturally aspirated. The Z28 should be lightened up and have head work and a bigger cam, gears over the SS. There you have it.. Other than that? i love what Chevy's up to... I just wish my G8 was a Chevy and not a Pontiac lol..

[63GrandSport001]

I love the car. Have seen them up close first hand. I have ridden in new CTS-v and Zr1 as well as the new convertible 427 with the magnetorheological shocks and they are amazing. My only real disappointment in the new ZL1 is that they didn't stick with what made the original so awesome. They should have massaged the LS7 into it. I am not a fan of that LSA engine. I understand it in the ZR1 as Chevy needed to make that car forced induction as to "save face" with the high tech performance world (GTR, 911, Mustang Shelby etc etc). The ZL1 should've been naturally aspirated. The Z28 should be lightened up and have head work and a bigger cam, gears over the SS. There you have it.. Other than that? i love what Chevy's up to... I just wish my G8 was a Chevy and not a Pontiac lol..

Some of your points are off a bit....

When the term message is used in regards to putting an engine into a car it refers to fitting a larger engine into a smaller engine bay. The LS7 is physically smaller then the LSA (due to not having a supercharger and intercooler on top).

Also, the high tech route would have been to go with a twin turbo engine setup and not supercharged setup. The reason for going with the supercharger is its cheap horsepower/torque and its competitor the GT500 (not the GTR or 911) at the time packed 550BHP and now packs 662BHP.

Its pretty obvious what the choices were with the ZL1 Camaro, do they produce an all new engine variant for the ZL1 Camaro. A low cost 7.0L version, that doesn't use titanium parts.... Or do they go with an already existing engine variant with some tweaks to it in order to make more horsepower.

If you really want a Chevy then I will take that G8 off your hands for you, as a favor I won't even charge you a penny.

[miken123]

Grammar mistake in the title. Shouldn't it be "With Great Power Come Great Times" ?? Think of what is coming with great power: Great Times (plural). So Great Times come (not comes) with great power.

[Gm786]

Nice pony car all around but I would have it in either midnight blue, silver, or pearl white. One thing GM needs to put more emphasis on on the 6th gen Camaro is the interior materials. The fit and finish is definitely better than the Mustang's but I think the interior could use richer materials. Not to worry about weight because the Alpha platform is going to give the Camaro the weight advantage it's always needed but it can definitely benefit from a turbo power plant.

[Beau Tie]

This car needs a complete redesign and GM knows it.

Not sure if serious? Probably one of the best cars on the road today.

Great review btw!

[TonyGXP]

Some of your points are off a bit....

When the term message is used in regards to putting an engine into a car it refers to fitting a larger engine into a smaller engine bay. The LS7 is physically smaller then the LSA (due to not having a supercharger and intercooler on top).

Also, the high tech route would have been to go with a twin turbo engine setup and not supercharged setup. The reason for going with the supercharger is its cheap horsepower/torque and its competitor the GT500 (not the GTR or 911) at the time packed 550BHP and now packs 662BHP.

Its pretty obvious what the choices were with the ZL1 Camaro, do they produce an all new engine variant for the ZL1 Camaro. A low cost 7.0L version, that doesn't use titanium parts.... Or do they go with an already existing engine variant with some tweaks to it in order to make more horsepower.

If you really want a Chevy then I will take that G8 off your hands for you, as a favor I won't even charge you a penny.

"Massaged" the LS7's dry sump powerplant along with all of the hardware was my point. It should have been NA with a 7k+ redline, short gearing with 335's out back on retro style 18's, preferably lightweight forged, wheels. Stripped of sound insulation, like porsche does with it's GT series. No leather, lightweight racing style buckets. Car would be as fast as the LSA car and more consistent if you haven't realized they suffer badly from heat soak and run horrible mph when not cooled significantly. Things the LS7 doesn't have to deal with.

My LS is an ultra lightweight forged rotating assembly. Once you run one it's hard to imagine not building the same setup again (more consistent, reliable, less costly to maintain and best of all...revs like street bike.) if you haven't driven or ridden in an LS ultra-lightweight stroker, try to, you'll come away with the same feelings i have about what the ZL1 should've been. I was going to build my car with a procharger and was talked out of it by my builder and the end result is absolutely no regrets.. just my $.02 To each his own.

As for taking my G8? when you pry it from my cold dead fingers thanks anyway lol

[JBsZ06]

Awesome review as always Alex! Cool photos too. I love the new ZL1 yet one car keeps me from buying one and it's dam close yet the corvette just fits my personal preference ever so closely...

Thanks for the cool video and cluing us in on how you used launch control...I bet you had a blast examining that feature...next time head to atco or englishtown...the car is awesome...the technology is awesome and can help everyone of us to learn to better drivers. Interesting how little spin actually occurs at the tires for the quickest times. I always find that fact interesting and with this technology it proves it even further. Without launch control it's also fun to burn the rears up even more. Too bad that even though it's more dramatic it's less consistent and often times not as fast. Ptm 5 rocks!

Both great performance vehicles the ZL1 and the corvette and if you want 4 seats the camaro zl1 wins.

[BigAls87Z28]

Great review, Al! This is your best write up so far!

But I have to ask: How long ago did you drive the car and write this review? My cousin has had a 2013 ZL1 parked in his garage for the past 4 or 5 weeks...

Oh, and the quote from Ferris Bueller is (I believe):"It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." Sorry, I was a teenager in the 80's who also had a teenage sister who watched those John Hughes films religiously. Sadly, I can probably quote anything from Pretty In Pink too... (But admittedly, I do like most of the other Hughes films besides PIP)

Ahh, about 2 months ago. I have been back logged with reviews (I'm catching up though). I actually has the XTS after the ZL1, and the 1LE is being written some time this week, so that will be more recent as well as more talk of the MyLink system.

First off, why didnt you guys wash the car before taking pics. I hate seeing windshield wiper blade tracks on windshields. With that said, the only thing that could make this car even better would be a LS7 option. im still hopping for that since we arent looking at a new model for some time still. Why buy a M3 or RS5 when you have the ZL1 available.

I wanted to get the grittyness and....well I had a time crunch and had to snap shots as well as video. Sadly, due to my promotion, my time for taking pictures and having time to write up the reviews are running thin.

Awesome review as always Alex! Cool photos too. I love the new ZL1 yet one car keeps me from buying one and it's dam close yet the corvette just fits my personal preference ever so closely...

Thanks for the cool video and cluing us in on how you used launch control...I bet you had a blast examining that feature...next time head to atco or englishtown...the car is awesome...the technology is awesome and can help everyone of us to learn to better drivers. Interesting how little spin actually occurs at the tires for the quickest times. I always find that fact interesting and with this technology it proves it even further. Without launch control it's also fun to burn the rears up even more. Too bad that even though it's more dramatic it's less consistent and often times not as fast. Ptm 5 rocks!

Both great performance vehicles the ZL1 and the corvette and if you want 4 seats the camaro zl1 wins.

Thanks man! Glad to see everyone liked the vid. I think we did about 7 launch control shots at different angles to try and get it all to work. I also tried a bit harder to piece together a better video with cut shots and b-roll. I will be improving our video game from here on out, but you have no idea how much time is needed just to put about 5 mins of video together. Ugh...

Anyway, thanks for the good words guys. Sorry for the delay on this

[b4z]

While I do think that the LS7 is by far the best generation 4 chevy small block and probably the best production small block chevy ever made. The weight savings would not be enough to make up for the power difference between the 580BHP LSA and itself. You are talking about giving up 75BHP and probably dropping some 50 pounds in engine weight. GM would really have to tune the LS7 up to 580-600BHP to make it worth while IMHO which isn't impossible. Considering that you have tuners that are pushing the LS7 to 660+BHP the factory should have no problem doing this. However that would mean that GM has changed a long standing policy in which they use very conservative tunes and setups for their engines.

Honestly, I think the LS7 would find a better home in the cheap 1LE Camaro.... just make it a $5,000 engine option which would take the $37,000 1LE Camaro up to $42,000. Then upgrade the brakes on the 1LE and you would have yourself a really nice package.

It's about a 120 lbs of extra weight.

[BBDOS CV8]

A 'non-exotic' LS7 would be a truck motor. Getting 650hp out of a warrantiable, emissions-certified, drivable n/a motor even of 427 c.i would be nigh on impossible. Those 'tuner' motors may not be any of the above - or even pull the power claimed.

That's the reason for the LSA is it provides the hp out of a line-built engine without hand-massaged ports,super-exotic bits and the like, but also has spades of torque at low rpm. And it isn't a $15,000-list hand-assembled motor like the LS7. Even if GM did it for cost, you'd end up with a marginally lighter car minus probably 50hp with 50-states legality and short a fair bit of low-end/midrange torque by comparison.

Pull the titanium rods, exotic valve train out of the LS7, it won't be anything special except large displacement, ditto the hand-built status. Conventional internals may slow it down for acceleration a lot, and it won't pull 7,000+ rpm - not with warranty reliability. Any more than a stock LS3 will.

LS7 is an awesome, great motor for a lightweight Corvette, not necessarily superior over the LSA for something as heavy as the ZL1.

[z/28orss]

Great car!
Alpha will do a great improvement!

please stop saying that because the ats is ugly....

[63GrandSport001]

"Massaged" the LS7's dry sump powerplant along with all of the hardware was my point. It should have been NA with a 7k+ redline, short gearing with 335's out back on retro style 18's, preferably lightweight forged, wheels. Stripped of sound insulation, like porsche does with it's GT series. No leather, lightweight racing style buckets. Car would be as fast as the LSA car and more consistent if you haven't realized they suffer badly from heat soak and run horrible mph when not cooled significantly. Things the LS7 doesn't have to deal with.

My LS is an ultra lightweight forged rotating assembly. Once you run one it's hard to imagine not building the same setup again (more consistent, reliable, less costly to maintain and best of all...revs like street bike.) if you haven't driven or ridden in an LS ultra-lightweight stroker, try to, you'll come away with the same feelings i have about what the ZL1 should've been. I was going to build my car with a procharger and was talked out of it by my builder and the end result is absolutely no regrets.. just my $.02 To each his own.

As for taking my G8? when you pry it from my cold dead fingers thanks anyway lol

How much horsepower, it probably will not need 335s with 505BHP however if they bumped the power up a bit then I can see the need.

How much power do you want from the LS7 powered ZL1 Camaro?

[red_rider]

I don't care what people say, everything's better with an LS7. And 335's.

[63GrandSport001]

It's about a 120 lbs of extra weight.

Even at 120 pounds that will not make up for a loss of 75BHP, 4,100 pounds and 580BHP has a power to weight ratio of 7.0 pounds per horsepower while 3,980 pounds and 505BHP has a power to weight ratio of
7.9 pounds per horsepower. So you end up with a vehicle that cost more to make and is slower at the same time, though it might give it more track credit. However I feel that taking a 1LE Camaro and dropping a LS7 in it would be a much smarter way to go while still maintaining the ZL1 Camaro at the top.

[63GrandSport001]

It's about a 120 lbs of extra weight.

Even at 120 pounds that will not make up for a loss of 75BHP, 4,100 pounds and 580BHP has a power to weight ratio of 7.0 pounds per horsepower while 3,980 pounds and 505BHP has a power to weight ratio of
7.9 pounds per horsepower. So you end up with a vehicle that cost more to make and is slower at the same time, though it might give it more track credit. However I feel that taking a 1LE Camaro and dropping a LS7 in it would be a much smarter way to go while still maintaining the ZL1 Camaro at the top.

Your talking about a LS7 powered vehicle that gets from 0-60 in 4.3 seconds at best, now the current ZL1 has run that in 3.8 seconds and some people complain about the thing. Now imagine paying an extra $5,000 for the ZL1 Camaro and doing 4.3 seconds.