2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - Chevy High Performance Magazine

Working for a car mag has its perks; one of them is getting to drive the “latest and greatest” out of Motor City. This time it was a call from the guys at Chevrolet Performance with an invitation to flog the new Camaro ZL1. We tried to wheel one around the fast piece of asphalt known as Virginia International Raceway (VIR), but that was a bust due to torrential rain. All the trip did was whet our appetite to get some actual ZL1 seat time.

Back in March, when our track day was cut early by Mother Nature, the ZL1 wasn’t yet cleared to be sold, which meant we couldn’t drive it on the streets, so this chance to experience the car in a real-world environment wasn’t about to get passed up. As an irresistible bonus, the guys at Chevrolet Performance booked us some track time at Lucas Oil Raceway (home of the NHRA U.S. Nationals), for a little drag racing action.

Now, given the handling prowess of the ZL1 some may not consider it a drag car, but Chevrolet Performance went out of their way to make sure the new super Camaro is up to whatever sort of performance driving the owner may get a hankering for. Monte Doran, Chevrolet Performance communications, says, “The ZL1 team had both drag racers and road racers on the development team and they all fought to make the car good at their respective sports. As a result, it’s good at both, and equally adept at tracks like Lucas Oil and Virginia International Raceway. To make sure the ZL1 was drag capable, we subjected the car to 1,000 ‘Woodward tests’, which is a hard launch and full acceleration up to 100 mph. We did this a thousand times, and we never had an issue.” The official quarter-mile time from Chevrolet Performance was 12.0, but recently they nailed down a new official time of 11.96 at 117 mph (manual). The ZL1 hasn’t been out long, but already some aftermarket tuners have taken them into the low 11-second range with a tune and sticky tires. Not too shabby for a ride developed to rule a much more curvaceous type of course.

For the drive, Chevrolet Performance had the challenge of giving us the right sort of road to really appreciate the ZL1, not an easy task in “straight and flat” Indiana. What we got was a nice mix of city, highway, and twisty road driving. We were tossed the keys to an Inferno Orange M6 ZL1 and given a preplanned route map. The only admonishment was that we had to pay for our own tickets if we got them, which seemed fair enough.

The only drama with driving the ZL1 around town was making sure that people trying to get a better look didn’t bump into us. The trip was smooth and comfortable, except when we wanted to induce a little more fun by throttling through a corner. Even then the computer kept things under control. The Heads Up Display (HUD) is a very nice addition and had several modes, including this one, which was our favorite for cruising around town. For track work, there’s a mode with a g-meter and shift lights.

The only drama with driving the ZL1 around town was making sure that people trying to get
The manual and automatic ZL1s are completely different animals. The manual cars get launch control (LC); in this mode the clutch is fully depressed and, with the trans in First gear, the gas pedal is mashed to the carpet. The driver simply has to step off the clutch and hold on. Now, common sense says that this is a bad idea, but fear not, the computer won’t let the engine scatter. LC works in two ways; first it predicts the right rpm for the situation (based on things like ambient temp and whether you’re in a “street” or “track setting in the PTM). It then adjusts the amount of torque to get the car moving with the right amount of slip. As Doran told us, “They actually found the best times were accomplished with less slip, while on the street they want a little more slip from the tires.” Traction Control works in modes 1-4, but mode 5 is tuned for launching on a well-prepped track.

The manual and automatic ZL1s are completely different animals. The manual cars get launch
OK, let’s just put it out there, at nearly 4,000 pounds, the ZL1 is polite and portly. Still the combination of extra power from the blown LSA engine, reworked suspension, and input from the Performance Traction Management (PTM) system (which controls everything from the electric power steering to the magnetic shocks), helped the Camaro feel much more nimble and “svelte” than what we’ve experienced driving in an SS.

OK, let’s just put it out there, at nearly 4,000 pounds, the ZL1 is polite and portly. Sti

We asked GM if running slicks would mess with the launch control settings. According to Monte Doran, Chevrolet Performance communications, “Slicks won’t affect the wheel-slip management, but they could make the launch rpm too aggressive for the available traction. To be clear, we don’t think serious drag racers are going to use launch control. Launch control is for someone who just got the car and is going for their first drag passes, or wants to be consistent every run. Once you get to know the car and the track, a good driver can beat launch control.”

We asked GM if running slicks would mess with the launch control settings. According to Mo
In the manual trans car, we staged up and engaged the traction control, which took some getting used to. Let’s just say the word awesome comes to mind when describing the system and using it made launching the ZL1 off the line a breeze. We also noticed that the 60-foot times were very consistent between the runs. Of course we still had to row the gears down the track, and that was made a bit more complicated since we had to go to Fourth gear right before the traps or the fuel cutoff rpm would be hit. We’re thinking that bumping up that threshold just a touch would have let us stay in Third through the lights. The trans was much easier to shift compared to a stock SS and the shift light–equipped HUD made hittin’ the gears a bit easier. Our best time was 12.976 at 109.97 mph with a 2.177 60-foot.

In the manual trans car, we staged up and engaged the traction control, which took some ge

To give us some drag racing tips, and point out how awful we really are at drag racing when compared to the pros, Chevrolet Performance invited legendary driver, and two-time world champion, Frank Hawley, to the party. Hawley also has a drag racing school where some of the top names in drag racing have learned to dance down the 1320. In the morning, before it got too hot, Hawley took one of the automatic-equipped ZL1s and knocked down a solid 12.1 at 116-mph run.

To give us some drag racing tips, and point out how awful we really are at drag racing whe

We learned that the Camaro is very civilized for a blown, 580hp car designed to hang with exotic fare around world-class road courses. Well, at least until the throttle was mashed. The adaptive mufflers gave just the right amount of engine growl at just the right moment with zero drone when cruising down the highway, and the twin-disc clutch was effortless to shift. The frustrating understeer we had experienced in a stock ’10 SS seemed to be only a frustrating memory as the ZL1 felt very balanced and far more neutral. The newfound agility, along with the extra power from the LSA engine, helped make the ZL1 seem much lighter than a 4,000-pound car should be expected to feel. As Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, told us, “We set out to make the Camaro ZL1 a performance car that is great at everything, including road racing, drag racing, and daily commuting. I cannot think of many cars that are capable of running 11-second quarter-mile runs, can set a 7-minute lap at the Nürburgring, and still be comfortable enough to drive to work every day.”

In regards to styling, the ZL1 is a slam dunk. The stance, the wheels, and the aero package give the ZL1 a very aggressive look that almost makes the SS seem pedestrian. Unlike many competitors’ offerings, the vents, splitters, and ducts on the ZL1 are actually functional and not just stuck on so the driver can pretend he’s piloting a track-ready ride.

As Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, told us, “We did extensive testing with Goodyear to optimize the tires for the road track, but through the use of sidewall stiffness changes, groove development, compound selection, and footprint shape, these tires perform nearly as good as drag radials. How do we know? Our development engineers ran drag radials over and over again to tune in the Chassis Controls for Performance Launch Control, and ran sub 12-second times during internal testing on the Goodyears. There may have even been a run that lifted the front tire off the ground, but you didn’t hear that from me ... OK, you did.” Recently, Chevrolet Performance engineers clocked off an official 11.93 at 116 mph in a bone-stock automatic ZL1.

As Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer, told us, “We did extensive testing with Goodyear

On the dragstrip we were presented with a mix of manual- and automatic-equipped cars. Now, launching a manual-equipped car can be a bit of a challenge, but thanks to the Launch Control, it was a snap. The only Launch Control for the automatic was the gray matter between our ears, but once launched, the shifts were quick, firm, and well timed. Of course, with 30 guys jockeying to drive only four ZL1s, the big problem was hot-lap induced heat soak. This was made even worse by the 94-degree temps and high humidity. Still, it was a great way to get a feel for how the ZL1 performed. Besides, complaining about the weather when given the chance to beat on The General’s newest super Camaro would be like complaining about a slightly overcooked steak on your dinner date with your favorite supermodel.

In the automatic-equipped ZL1, even with VHT, it was pretty easy to over throttle during the launch and blow the tires into wafting clouds of e.t. killing smoke. But, after a bit of practice, we got the hang of it, well mostly. With a best 60-foot of 2.322 seconds we only managed a 13.082 at 112.66 mph. Blame the heat, the back-to-back-to-back runs, or an over-zealous right foot. Personally, we can’t wait to head back to the track on a nice cool day and once again try out the baddest Camaro ever fielded by The General.

In the automatic-equipped ZL1, even with VHT, it was pretty easy to over throttle during t
Launching the automatic ZL1 is done the old-fashioned way through throttle manipulation. As Doran relayed, “The PTM mode doesn’t matter, because it doesn’t have launch control. But, the trans should be in ‘M’, which engages the Sport shift pattern; including First gear starts (with traction control turned all the way off). If you just leave it in ‘D’, the drive mode includes a Second gear start for fuel economy, good for public roadways, bad for e.t.’s.” Even though the trans is in “M” the car will automatically shift its way down the quarter-mile, unless you accidentally hit one of the paddles on the steering wheel, which would put the trans into a “true manual” mode.

Launching the automatic ZL1 is done the old-fashioned way through throttle manipulation. A

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2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - Seat Time

We drive and drag race the new ZL1 Camaro