Camaro ZL1 Reviews Are Coming Out, and They’re Great!
Camaro ZL1 Reviews
Major automotive publications begin rolling out their Camaro ZL1 Reviews, and they're very very good!
So, by today most of the major automotive publications have had a chance to get behind the wheel of the Camaro ZL1, and over the last week we've seen some great reviews from them hitting the web. There's a lot of them, and I haven't had a chance yet to get behind the wheel of one, so I'll just give you some of my favorite snippets from them and include the links to the original reviews(as well as a few parenthetical remarks from yours truly). Before we get in to them, let me just say, these are incredibly exciting. The ZL1 looks to be such an amazing and exciting vehicle.
From AutomobileMag.com where they decided to compare the ZL1 to the Grand Sport Corvette for the basis of their review:
"During development, one ZL1 endured 600 clutch-dumping launches as part of the most demanding driveline durability testing program in the history of General Motors." (Sounds like a monster of a driveline in this new Camaro!)
"Third-generation Magnetic Ride dampers charge and discharge faster than earlier examples, allowing for more precise control of damping rates. Their flexibility and bandwidth also allow the ZL1 to use the same springs as the Camaro SS. Sport and tour buttons just ahead of the shifter adjust the dampers accordingly, and a third mode -- track -- is available when Performance Traction Management is active. Unlike most cars, in which sport mode alters throttle calibration for quicker acceleration with less pedal travel, the ZL1 makes the throttle-pedal mapping less aggressive to allow for finer modulation."
"Rather than focus on reducing drag to, say, hit 200 mph, the ZL1 team aimed to maximize high-speed stability with downforce. The hood extractor, front splitter, and rear spoiler create enough downforce to eliminate lift as the ZL1 nears its top speed of 184 mph."
"On a 2.75-mile road course at Inde Motorsports Ranch, twenty-one turns make the case for the ZL1. We expected the intoxicating effect of more power and assumed there would be significantly improved body control, but we were skeptical that the ZL1 would revolutionize the way the Camaro handles. In fact, it does. "
"The fast, balanced steering of the ZL1 is much more confidence-inspiring than the Camaro SS's hydraulic power steering. The effort, the damping, and the return are tuned for a perfectly natural weight, but the electric rack does filter out most of the front-end feel. That's even more true when compared with the Corvette, which boasts an equally quick rack with a robust hydraulic assist. While both cars deliver satisfying shifts, the Camaro's shorter, snappier throws are more inviting than the Corvette's longer shifts."
From Autoweek.com:
"Packaging in the Camaro allows better intake and exhaust flow, with a 30 percent reduction in flow restriction compared with the CTS-V."
"Its shifter was developed by Chevrolet, using slightly longer throws than the Hurst package in the Camaro SS, and was optimized for a road course rather than drag racing."
"The ultimate Camaro also offers something you can't get in a Mustang GT500 or Boss 302: an automatic transmission... There's another technology in the ZL1 that you can't get in a Mustang, and it's significant. GM's Magnetic Ride Suspension (MRS), now applied in supercars such as the Audi R8 and the Ferrari FF, has been upgraded for the ZL1. The Gen III MRS gets a faster processor and four smaller magnets in each shock, rather than two larger ones. The objective is quicker reaction time."
"The ZL1 comes standard with track stuff you don't get on a GT500, including a transmission cooler, differential cooler and brake-cooling ducts, and its aerodynamics have been optimized for high speed."
"Chevy says development included a 24-hour, high-speed flog at GM's proving ground in Milford, Mich., with a 150-mph-plus top speed each lap and an average of 88 mph, stopping only to change tires and brakes."
Here's Car and Driver's review. It's my favorite one of the bunch:
"It features GM’s second-most-powerful engine: With 580 horsepower, it’s behind only the truly absurd, 638-hp Corvette ZR1. No surprise that during its development it was known simply as the “HP.” And it carries the most sophisticated adjustable dampers and stability-control system any amount of money can buy. For this, GM asks a base price of $56,295, which includes a $1300 gas-guzzler tax; all the go-fast parts are standard issue."
"The ZL1 is not your old-school, all-ate-up-with-motor muscle car, although its name derives from such a vehicle. It is built with the GM Performance Division mantra of “go, stop, and turn” in mind. Track ability was always part of the HP program from back when everyone assumed the car would be called the Z28."
"Get everything right, and the ZL1 hits 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and passes 1320 feet in 12.3 seconds at 119 mph—or better, as the cold and dusty track at Inde was less than ideal for acceleration runs. Few cars costing less than $60,000 can claim such feats. And the ZL1 sounds angry, with a throaty bass-boat rumble backed by a faint supercharger whine. The V-8 fires up with a roar, and the exhaust crackles when you back out of full throttle."
"Starker is the transformation of the ZL1’s handling characteristics from those of a stock SS. In the latter, the driver is always fighting the car—it understeers on turn-in and oversteers on corner exit, all served up with a healthy dollop of body roll. The ZL1 does exactly what you want all the time, with no surprises. Front grip is tenacious enough that you actually get a sense of the tires biting in as you turn the wheel. Power comes in so creamily and with such linearity that it’s easy to forget you’re driving a 580-hp car. The brake pedal feels solid but still offers enough travel for smooth application, and it shows no fade. The ZL1 goes around the track with a composure that would shock many BMW M3 fans." (Comparisons to an M3 are huge praise from C/D who are famous for their love of the BMW M-Series vehicles)
"We saw 0.98 g on a dusty skidpad (did we mention Tucson is in the desert?). This is supercar territory."
"Each body alteration either improves cooling or reduces lift. Or, in the case of the bulging center section of the hood, which is made of carbon fiber (and covered in clear-coat paint for an additional $600), both."
"Should you wish to save some fuel, or suffer a fit of social responsibility, you can comfortably drive the ZL1 gently, but that seems contradictory to the car’s whole mission. Isn’t 580 horsepower supposed to be—and feel—ludicrous?"
"What’s crazy is that the ZL1 is not crazy; it’s comfortable and easy to drive. With the ZL1, General Motors has made the Camaro into a true GT car—daily driver, long-range missile, and track-day special all in one. "
For the purposes of their review, MotorTrend ran the Camaro up against the fastest production Mustang available right now, the Boss 302:
"For 2012, Chevy aims to redefine the ponycar completely in one electronically optimized fell swoop. The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 takes the once-simple formula for all-American performance and reworks it into a recipe for a modern cyborg warhorse. Literally leaning on suspension technology originally developed for Cadillacs and Corvettes, the Camaro achieves better-than-Boss levels of handling with the highway ride quality of a CTS-V."
"With professional racer Randy Pobst behind the wheel, the ZL1 laps the 2.2-mile Inde Motorsports Ranch circuit 2.45 seconds faster than the Boss. That's huge."
"The Camaro felt far more composed on the track than the Mustang. "I can put this thing right where I want it!" barked Randy as he slid the car around with one hand. Although heavier than the Mustang, the ZL1 still changes direction easily and is capable of pulling higher g-forces mid-corner. The constantly variable damping rates make the Camaro feel as though its tires sink into the track. Bumps that shook the Boss simply disappeared and never upset the ZL1. More important, more of the track became usable since curbing wouldn't throw the Camaro into a tailspin."
"The Camaro clearly came out on top of this fight. Although the Boss 302 is probably the best Mustang ever built, it just feels and performs like it's a generation behind. Randy summed it up: "The Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca was my favorite American musclecar -- until today." It isn't the lack of power; it isn't the lack of amenities. It's simply a lack of technology."
Popular Mechanics did what they do best in their review (which is to say offer solid information in an annoying slideshow format whose embedding stopped functioning for me on slide 4 of 7 and required reloading and starting over at slide 1. We should be past this slideshow format in web journalism, guys!):
"The ZL1's headline-grabbing figure is 580 hp, which, admittedly, is an addictive amount of giddyup to have under your right foot. But focusing solely on the power overlooks the fact the ZL1 is probably the first Camaro in history that turns better than it sprints."
"Depending on the driver's skill, PTM can make the ludicrously quick ZL1 feel somewhat safe when pushing the car to its limits." (Never underestimate how important driver confidence is to performance and lap times.)
"Approaching a gentle but very fast right-hand kink at Arizona's Inde Motorsports Ranch, we cut the corner just a touch too tightly, dropping the right-side wheels into a hole next to the track surface. Running at 100 mph, that's the sort of mistake that can turn ugly in an instant. The ZL1, however, bounced out of the hole, immediately regained composure, and carried on as if we'd driven perfectly. That's the kind of forgiving nature that's rare in a car as fast as the ZL1. "
"We'd be just as happy to pilot the ZL1 on a mountain road or road course as we would on a drag strip."
"Many onlookers will focus on this horsepower war, but that misses the point of the ZL1. While we've always appreciated the style and, of course, the power of previous Camaros, the ZL1 is the first one that we actually want to drive. And for all it delivers, the asking price is a bargain."
Jalopnik's review begin feeling almost bitter and grumpy, but it quickly got very positive in favor of the Camaro ZL1:
"The ZL1 itself gives me my first scare a couple of laps in as I come around the 180-degree turn that empties onto the straight. I've decided the tires—and my abilities—are as warmed up as they're going to get. Gunning it on the straight to catch up to the Bondurant race instructor playing leader in a Camaro SS, the ZL1's tremendous torque pitches the back end of the car back and forth over the width of the drag racing road surface. The sensors that send information to the PTM system are doing a full reading roughly about every inch, so within a quarter-of-a-second the relatively timid Mode 2 has set the ZL1's fishtail back on a straight line and I'm at 100 MPH with no tail flash in sight.
I'd modulated the throttle when the back end started getting squirmy because that's what one does when getting a lot of unwanted wheel slip. But according to the Camaro's engineers, I didn't have to. In fact, had I kept the throttle smashed to the floor, the car would have still done what was necessary to keep the ZL1 from spinning out into a wall."
"You'd have to really hate cars not to enjoy throwing a ZL1 around a track."
"That is the ZL1 in a nutshell: an incredible, frighting behemoth of a car, entirely too powerful for its own good, but reined in by clever engineer-wranglers who have worked very hard to allow even terrible drivers to keep themselves safe."
"You can't ever grade over the rough disappointments of youth, but you can leave them behind. And with cars as mad and indignant as the Camaro ZL1, you can sure as hell make an adulthood worth remembering."
The reviewer for MotorAuthority absolutely loved the Camaro ZL1 and gave it my favorite comparison of all the reviews--a 2012 Porsche 911:
"I realized, while mentally re-visualizing the last set of laps, that from turn-in to apex, under fast entry speeds with a fair amount of trail brake, the ZL1 felt, acted, and moved almost exactly like the 2012 911 did under similar circumstances."
"Wait for the lights, step off the clutch, and WHAM! it's off, scrabbling and chirping down the 60-foot, making the most of the tsunami of torque-producing atmosphere being crammed down the gullet of the V-8 engine by the supercharger."
"It's not that the ZL1 isn't really, really good on a road course. Its 7:41 Nurburgring time says it is, as does my own first-hand experience. It's even outfitted from the factory with transmission and differential coolers--bits the ZL1's main rival, the Ford Shelby GT500, makes optional add-ons."
"The ZL1 is a true driver's car, and regardless of its ultimate pace in comparison with sports cars or supercars in its price, power, or performance categories, it delivers an experience that, at times, is on par with the very best of them."
So, there you have it. Six of the world's biggest automotive publications have great great things to say about the Camaro ZL1. Anyone else as excited as I am to get behind the wheel of one and see for themselves?
GM to Focus on Chevrolet, and the Camaro, for Superbowl Marketing
Typically GM buys a few Superbowl ad spots and distributes them amongst their various vehicle lines(even though they took a 2-year hiatus during the economic recession while they rebuilt their company's economic standings), but this year the Chevrolet will be their only focus. Chevrolet has purchased five 30-second commercial spots during the big game (and an additional 30 second post-game spot), and will use that time to advertise their Cruze, Volt, Silverado HD pick-up truck, and their new Camaro Convertible. As for what these commercials will be is still a mystery, as Chevrolet has not followed the suit of some competitors who have begun sharing their Super Bowl ads on websites like Youtube. Being the biggest marketing stage in the country (and, arguably, the globe), you can be certain that new advertisements are being made for each of the vehicles to highlight their most desirable aspects. In addition to these commercials, Chevrolet has also put together a deal with the Super Bowl itself, and will be handing over the keys to a brand new Camaro Convertible to the MVP of the big game.
This specific advertisement spot, the Super Bowl MVP gift, may be an even bigger deal than the commercials, honestly. The commercials have to be fantastic to really stand out from the Super Bowl crowd--which will be littered with other vehicles, as well snack foods, paper products, website services, and other items--but by giving the keys to the Super Bowl MVP, Chevrolet is allowing the Camaro Convertible to stand alone, separate from the crowd, and be judged less on the commercial and more on the beauty of the vehicle. Also, knowing that the Super Bowl MVP will be driving a Camaro will certainly raise interest towards it among that team's fanbase, who will undoubtedly view either that Steeler or Packer as a bit of a hero.
Of course, the decision to advertise Chevy products only (and ignore Cadillac, Buick, and GM) is the most interesting aspect of this entire deal. It makes business sense, as Chevrolet makes up over 70% of GM sales, but also leaves some of the company's most desirable vehicles (most notably, for me at least, the Cadillac CTS-V) out of the lurch. While the majority of the Cadillac, Buick, and GM line-up lacks the press and popularity that really necessitate a Super Bowl ad spot, a few of their vehicles could really benefit from such, especially again the CTS-V which has gotten lots of press for its style, luxury, and incredible performance. Whatever the case, GM is approaching the Super Bowl with a renewed excitement after their hiatus away from it (a hiatus that broke up a 15-year run of Super Bowl advertisement), and you should expect the Camaro Convertible to compete against the Budweiser Clydesdales, Doritos snack explosions, Hyundai sheep, GoDaddy's half naked women, and others for being amongst the big events most memorable commercials.
Camaro Officially Outsells The Mustang in 2010- Ends Ford’s 24 Year Reign Atop the Pony Car Market
For close to a quarter-century Ford has maintained a stronghold on the American Pony Car market with its Mustang, but 2010 was the year that all changed. In the first full year of sales for the Camaro revival, the Mustang was unseated from its throne.
In 2010, the Camaro sold 81,299 to the Mustang's 73,716. That, ladies and gentlemen, is not only a victory, but a solid one at that. Of course, neither vehicle was ultimately hurting, as each saw their sales increase from the year prior. The Camaro by an impressive 32%, and the Mustang by 11%. This should not come as any news, however, as the Pony Car race has bolstered, and even been a large part of the revitalization of the American automotive industry. This is surprising, as it comes at a time when lawmakers are trying to push the American public towards the antithesis of the Pony Car-smaller, more fuel efficient, less powerful vehicles, like the Chevy Volt.
Of course, Ford contributes their loss in the sales race to the fact that this was the first full year of sales for the Camaro. This accreditation lacks the foresight of the fact that the Camaro performed this impressive feat with basically only two models on sale. The Mustang, however, had 7 vehicle models in its line-up. With the release of the Camaro and Camaro SS Convertibles this year, as well as the Z28 in the near future, one might speculate (with relative safety) that the Camaro will begin a new reign atop the vehicles sales race in their class. Further proof towards this are the numerous accolades and awards that have been bestowed upon the Camaro since its release. Whatever the case may be, 2010 was a great year not just for the Camaro, but for American Pony Cars in general, and the future only looks like it will be even brighter.
Stevenson Camaros Take 1st and 2nd at Final Grand-Am GT Race of Year
The Stevenson Camaro racing team had slowly improved all season. Race by race their performances improved, including a couple top 3 finishes and a pole in early races. All season though, a victory had eluded the premiere Camaro racing team. All season, until Saturday that is. On Saturday, 9/11, Stevenson Camaro showed just how much promise the 5th Generation Camaro has a racing-performance car by taking both 1st and 2nd place at the Grand-Am Rolex Utah Race.
Taking first is always impressive and taking second is never something to scoff at, but for a team to take both first and second with two of the same car, that's simply incredible. A great high-note to end the Grand-Am GT season, and a huge boost for the Stevenson Camaro team looking forward to next year's race season. Congrats Stevenson and congrats Camaro, this is a great sign of things to come.
SpeedTV even posted the last lap of the race online, so you can watch these two Stevenson Camaros in all of their glory:
Eric Berry Camaro and More Z28 Test Photos
The first bit of news concerns the twin-supercharged 1200 HP Camaro that Eric Berry, the new Kansas City safety out of Tennessee, had built for himself. When originally selected by the Chiefs, Berry was ushered to a press conference. There he was asked what he wanted to do. His response was, very coolly, "I really just want to get the 2010 Camaro. I love Chevy." Now, I imagine Eric was probably paid a little something to say this, but he later rang true on this promise. Eric recently received his own custom, $139,000 Camaro, to add him to the growing list of celebrities driving around in America's favorite muscle car. And now, you too can have an Eric Berry Camaro for just $139,000. At his newly created website, www.eb29.com, Eric Berry goes in to great detail about what it took to create his custom Camaro from start to finish, and the process is pretty impressive. At the end of the Camaro page, he is asked why he loves Camaros, and writes:
"On the field, I like for my game to speak for itself. I think Camaros and I share similar qualities...they are fast, powerful, stylish and tough without trying too hard. That's my style. I've always loved Camaros and I'm excited to be a part of this project with National Speed, Inc. I'm especially proud that proceeds from the sale of the NZ-1200EB will benefit my foundation so that kids can have safe places to play and compete. Check back for progress on the NZ1200-EB, I'm excited to show you the finished product."
So see, you can put some $$ in Eric's pockets and help the kids at the same time! In all honesty, Eric's Camaro is pretty awesome and worth a look.
Moving past that, a Camaro5 Forum member recently found himself the beneficiary of a "right place, right time" situation when, driving through the streets of Coronado, he came across a pack of Camaro test mules. Leading the pack were two Z28 mules with camo hoods that appear to be hiding some sort of massive hood cowl. The vehicles look great (as is to be expected) and definitely do a good job of showing off how great the Camaro can look. I just can't wait until the Z28 is out and available to the public.
Camaro Gets Sales Revenge on the Mustang
Well, the Mustang sales incentives for the 2010 models are dwindling, and the Camaro not only reclaimed it's spot at the top of the sales heap, and it did so with bravado. Last month Mustang outpaced the Camaro in sales by a grand total of 3 units. That was the third month in a row (and, only the third month period since the Camaro release) that the Mustang had outsold the Chevroley monster. A total of 3 units is a small small victory. A total of 751 units is a large victory though, and that's the margin by which the Camaro outsold the Mustang in August.
Chevrolet had official sales numbers of 6,321 Camaros. Of course, they produced 10,252 units in August, which means they're preparing for the more busy months ahead with the 2011 gaining reputation quickly as an improvement on the unanimous best new car on the road. Ford did move an impressive 5,570 units in August though. This number was a 26% drop off from the month prior, but was still solid for the generally slow month of August. In all, this is great news for both Ford and Chevrolet and speaks highly of the product being built and sold by these American Automotive companies right now. Hopefully, they'll continue to innovate and excite with their work in to the near future.
Ultimate Factories Camaro Episode
If you get the National Geographic channel, you may have seen this already. If you don't get it, or don't watch it, this is definitely worth a watch. Their show "Ultimate Factories", which highlights advanced and impressive factories around the world, recently did an episode on the Chevy factory where the Camaro is produced. It's incredibly informational, and a great and interesting watch, to see how the Camaro is built. I actually learned a lot about my Camaro by watching this, and enjoyed it the entire way. It's a long watch, but totally worth it. Enjoy!
More GM Marketing News
In business it is typically understood that when profits drop, marketing allotments are one of the first things to follow. So, the recent news that GM is ramping their marketing budget back up to pre-deficit numbers must be a good thing! This year GM will see a rise in their marketing budget of 5%. That number is also, surely, a testament to the faith that the company has in their new head of marketing, Joel Ewanick. Ewanick has been with GM right around 3 months now, and in that time has begun to make large strides forward. The first major sign of his progress was the recent Corvette ZR1 national ad campaign which began, but that is just the beginning. This year will also mark the beginning of a new, full-scale, Camaro marketing campaign. This campaign presents faith in both Ewanick and the Camaro, and is a positive sign for GM moving forward. Ewanick has also announced that GM, and specifically the Chevrolet brand, will be returning to the Super Bowl. Last year, during their financial troubles, GM sat out the Super Bowl marketing blitz completely. The return this year presents more positive news for the company's economic outlook. Rounding out Ewanick's big moves is his new Cadillac marketing scheme which will begin this year. Cadillac is being given a new brand slogan, and with this new slogan will come a national marketing campaign as well. The slogan, "The new standard for the world" is catchy, but a little long-winded. I am no marketing genius, mind you, but I can't help but wonder if simply "The new standard" isn't a catchier slogan. It seems to me that adding the "for the world" at the end of it creates a little redundancy. Of course, the second part may be included to highlight Cadillac's high-end performance battle with companies like BMW and Mercedes. Their CTS-V, which puts of 556 HP stock and provides an incredible combination of luxury and performance, and definitely put a little fear in the eyes of BMW and MB as it outperforms equivalent priced vehicles from those competitors line-ups (see BMW M3, 5 Series, and MB S-Class). All in all, this set of news coming from GM and their new head of marketing is incredibly positive and points towards fairer pastures ahead. Here's to you, Mr. Ewanick, and the bright future you bring.
Maybe this Z28 Thing is Real this time…
Well, according to the usually reliable MotorTrend, when interviewing the GM VP of Global Engineering he recently divulged that the Camaro Z28 would be a real thing. It seems that Karl Stracke is filling in the shoes of the old Bob Lutz and giving up GM's secrets to the media. Stracke's a pretty interesting character himself, as he drives a Corvette Grand Sport as his daily driver and rides a Harley, and is by no means afraid to speak his mind. He recently spoke out against the Cobalt, calling it "horrible" and questioning how it ever passed multiple departments and was considered a good idea.
Well, Stracke also spoke his mind in a number of other ways recently. He claimed that the Camaro Z28, and Next-Gen Camaro as well, would be utilizing the new GM Alpha-Platform. Having his confirmation of the definitive nature of the Z28's future is definitely a good thing for all of us Camaro fans, as anything less than that up to now could reasonably be considered ridiculous postulating from less than informed sources (I've been very very skeptical of all the various Z28 reports up to now, as they tend to be various forum members from one website or another claiming they know a guy who knows a guy who saw a tester, or something similar). Going beyond this, Stracke also talked about how Cadillac is gunning directly for BMW, saying that they don't want to settle for being anything less than the top-dog. He said that in reaching for this, they're making moves across the entirety of GM to improve their interior style and design, and to take cues from the Audi line of vehicles in that department. Stracke also stated that engineers were currently discussing a potential Hybrid Diesel or Rotary for the next-generation Chevy Volt.
All in all, pretty interesting information from an interesting character, and a seemingly solid admission of proof to the future of the Camaro and the Z28.
GM and Google together?
This news is really exciting: Apparently, GM is attempting to create a partnership with Google to use their Android Mobile OS and create a vehicle sync system with new GMs. This move would be a direct attack on Ford's collaboration with Microsoft for their vehicle SYNC system. SYNC has had mixed reviews thus far when discussing its software, but the general consensus is that in theory it's a fantastic vehicle feature. Looking at Google's track record though, I'd be inclined to believe that they could create something much more useful and efficient than SYNC. Of course, by going to Google and creating a collaboration there, GM's OnStar would almost immediately be rendered obsolete (especially their GPS system as the Android OS does GPS very very well). Is this a good thing? OnStar has had its ups and downs, but in all is considered a pretty reliable service. I think Google could out-do it though, as they do seem to be right there with Apple in terms of usability and brilliance. Here's to hoping this comes to fruition and we see some fancy, high-tech, new features hitting the GM fleet some time soon. GM and Android: very cool.
