Chevy announced details of the 2012 Camaro ZL1 09/12/2011
Chevy and Ford have long been trying to outdo one another with the Camaro and the Mustang, and Chevy's latest Camaro may jump ahead of the Mustang Shebly GT500. The 2012 Camaro ZL1 is slated to be a high-performance beast of a sports car, and rumors have been circulating all year about the long-awaited return of the ZL1 model.
"This car is track-ready from the showroom," said chief engineer for the Camaro, Al Oppenheiser. "For sheer power, the ZL1 delivers more horsepower than a Ferrari 458, more torque than an Aston Martin DB9 V12, and a better power-to-weight ratio than a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS."
With a 6.2-liter supercharged LSA V8 engine, the new car gets an impressive 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque, and the engine still meets emission standards. It also surpasses the 2012 Mustang Shelby GT500 by a hair. The Mustang has a 5.4-liter V8 DHOC engine that generates 550 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque.
Chevy is also including the latest variation of Magnetic Ride Control, which essentially adjusts the suspension to match the road and driving conditions. The MRC offers three different driving modes - sport, tour and track. It also features Performance Traction Management, which gives the driver five different combinations for wet and dry conditions, drag strips and sport mode.
"Like the Magnetic Ride Control, the Performance Traction Management system improves the ZL1 experience as a daily driver and on the track," said Oppenheiser. "By offering five distinct modes of traction management, the driver can select what's best for them based on their experience and the driving conditions."