DETROIT – A few days ago the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was officially named a member of the exclusive “11-second” club. To conquer this feat Chevrolet engineers turned an 11.93-second/116-mph quarter-mile elapsed run time in a showroom-stock automatic Camaro ZL1 and an 11.96-second ET at 117 mph in a manual ZL1.
By joining the 11 second club the Camaro ZL1 distanced itself even further from competitors. Very few other production vehicles can run the quarter-mile as quickly as the ZL1 or reach 0-60 in 4 seconds, however the Camaro ZL1 can accomplish this and more with street-legal, factory-issued components.
For perspective on the amazing power of the Camaro ZL1, most NHRA-sanctioned racetracks require a five point roll bar for vehicles that run 11.49 or quicker. The 11.93-second ET in a stock ZL1 tested by the engineers was equipped with factory-issued Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 tires developed specifically for it, putting the car only 0.44-seconds away from that additional racing safety requirement. This means that drivers using special tires on their ZL1 for racing purposes should make sure they are ready to handle the monster that is the Camaro ZL1.
Ready for the Drag Strip
The original 1969 Camaro ZL1 is still renowned on the drag strip. For this reason, Chevrolet expected its fans to test the 21st century edition on the strip.
To make the ZL1 the Camaro team re-engineered 30 percent of a Camaro 2SS, adding special modifications just for the drag strip.
For example, the ZL1 features a 9.9-inch rear differential mounted in a cast iron center section to withstand the heavy loads of repeated hard launches. It also features a standard differential cooler that lowers the vehicles temperature up to 100 degrees F for improved performance and longevity.
Manual transmission ZL1’s are equipped with launch control, which automatically modulates engine torque for the best-possible acceleration without excessive wheel spin. Every time the driver pushes the throttle to the floor, the system holds a predetermined engine speed until the driver releases the clutch. Then, the system modulates engine torque 1,000 times per second to maximize the available traction. To top it off, mode 5 of launch control is uniquely calibrated for drag strips that use VHT or similar traction-enhancing compounds on the starting line.
The Camaro ZL1 is on sale now with a suggested retail price of $54,995 – which also includes a $900 destination charge. It offers an optional 6L90 six-speed automatic transmission that includes TapShift control for $1,185. The Camaro ZL1 convertible goes on sale this summer.
For more information on the ZL1’s entrance into the 11 second club go to: http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/May/0504_camaro_zl1
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