ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp
09-09-2011, 12:49 AM
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ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp, IT'S OFFICIAL
Embargo is over...Motor Trend, AutoWeek and Jalopnik just released more details on 2012 Camaro ZL1, and it will come with Michelin Cup tires just like the Corvettes.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...NEWS/110909865
Chevrolet reveals more details of Camaro ZL1
The supercharged V8 in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is rated at 580 hp.
By: Mac Morrison on 9/09/2011
The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will not be anywhere near as rare as its 1969 namesake when it arrives during the first quarter of next year, but the most powerful production Camaro to date should deliver performance more than worthy of its model designation.
Camaro engineers on Thursday offered media members a preview of the upcoming Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-fighter, and the tale of the tape is impressive, especially in terms of grunt: The 6.2-liter, supercharged LSA V8 will make 580 hp at 6,000 rpm, and 556 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm, besting Chevrolet's original targets for the engine's output and bettering its efficiency in Cadillac's CTS-V by 24 hp and 5 lb-ft.
For those keeping score against the GT500, the ZL1 trumps the top-of-the-range Mustang's ratings by 30 hp and 46 lb-ft.
As the Camaro team explained, the engine's improved numbers come thanks to “a unique induction system, with a lower-restriction air filter, dual ‘bell mouth' inlet paths, and improved airflow through the supercharger housing. Other changes include a higher-efficiency supercharger intercooler and electric power steering system, which consumes less engine power than hydraulic-steering systems.”
However, Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser and his colleagues made it clear that they intend the ZL1 to be far more than a drag-racer right out of the box.
“[This car] is track-ready from the showroom,” Oppenheiser said, then pointed to the list of standard equipment to make his point: A liquid-to-liquid oil cooler lifted straight from the Corvette ZR1, deep-sump oil pan, rear-differential cooler and, according the Oppenheiser, a fuel system with additional pickups that should feed the engine during hard cornering even when the gas tank is low on fuel.
The ZL1 also comes with the third-generation of Magnetic Ride Control, which reacts faster than before and now adjusts the suspension up to 1,000 times per second. Chevy said the new design “uses new twin-wire/dual-coil dampers at all four corners. The smaller dual-coil system--with one coil at either end of the damper--replaces the larger single-coil design of the previous generation.
“The new design allows even more precise control of the electrical current and magnetic flux, allowing greater range than before between the softest setting for ride comfort and the firmest setting for track driving.”
Meanwhile, the latest version of Performance Traction Management is also present, with five settings spanning conditions from “wet” to “race.”
From a driver-interface standpoint, the decision to adopt electronic power steering might appear an odd choice for an overpowering, rear-drive performance car, but team Camaro insisted that the system is the best solution for controlling such a powerful automobile at speed while also making it comfortable for drivers at relatively low speeds in “real-world” scenarios. “Hydraulic steering wasn't going to get it done,” Oppenheiser said.
Likewise, he stressed that the optional, six-speed Hydra-Matic 6L90 automatic gearbox is “not for poseurs who don't know how to shift.” We'll almost always choose the six-speed Tremec manual transmission, but at least the auto box has been built for performance, with three different driving modes including a “manual” setting that only shifts when a driver commands it; automatic upshifts will not occur even at the engine's redline, and we were promised that it will select and hold the appropriate low gear into corners in order to match the manual-equipped ZL1's performance.
“Contrary to what we could have done [by taking the easy way out with a simple, off-the-shelf transmission], the automatic is not a compromise,” Oppenheiser said. “We spent a lot of time working on it for the track.”
Other ZL1 items of note include Brembo brakes (six-piston front, four-piston rear), an active exhaust system like the one featured on the Corvette, and aerodynamic elements including a “belly pan” beneath the car (Chevy would not reveal final downforce numbers). Variable stiffness halfshafts, and strengthened joints and suspension parts are intended to help reduce wheel hop under acceleration. As for rubber, Goodyear designed ZL1-specific Eagle F1 tires (285/35 ZR20 front, 305/35 ZR20 rear).
Chevy still will not confirm final details such as price (expected to fall in the low $50,000-range) or production numbers--figure on about 5,000 ZL1s built per year in General Motors' Oshawa, Ontario, assembly plant. But from what we've seen at this point, the Camaro ZL1 has plenty to look forward to when first drives occur in about two months--test drives timed to coincide with dealerships opening their books for orders. The preliminary spec sheet, like the Corvette's, promises top-notch speed, ride and handling at the limit, while also enough comfort for daily driving and road trips.
Speaking of which, we have reason to expect that fans who make the trip to Florida's Homestead-Miami Speedway for NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series season finale in November might well find themselves on hand for the definitive ZL1 production car's official public debut.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...#ixzz1XR9UEDbw
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...80_horsepower/
MILFORD, MICHIGAN Chevrolet is staging one of those long, bit-by-bit rollouts of its new King of the Hill Camaro ZL1, and the latest tidbits are power and torque ratings. The 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1 will make 580 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 556 lb-ft of torque at 4200 rpm. That trumps Ford Shelby GT500, rated 550 horsepower and 510 foot-pound of torque.
Other Mustangs enjoy serious weight advantages over their Camaro counterparts, though 30 horses and 46 foot-pound could make the ZL1 likely extra weight easy to overcome. Chevy hasn't released weight figures yet. First drives are planned for late this year. The ZL1 goes on sale in early 2012 as a 2012 model.
The new musclecar also will benefit from Chevrolets newfound interest in chassis refinement, its desire to make the car turn fast as well as go straight fast. GM latest version of Magnetic Ride Control, with 1,000 damping adjustments every second, also found in the Corvette ZR1 and Cadillac CTS-v, is standard. It features twin wire/dual coil dampers at each corner. Performance Traction Management (PTM) -- designed for both the race course and the drag strip -- also comes standard.
PTM HAS FIVE SETTINGS:
Mode 1 Traction control for wet conditions, with stability control on and Magnetic Ride Control set on Tour.
Mode 2 Traction control on Sport 1, with stability control on, Magnetic Ride Control on Tour.
Mode 3 Traction Control on Sport 1, stability control on, Magnetic Ride Control on Sport.
Mode 4 Traction Control on Sport 2, stability control off, Magnetic Control on Sport.
Mode 5 Traction control on Race, stability control off, Magnetic Ride Control on Track. Launch control for drag strips (six-speed manual, only).
Chevrolet isn't talking pricing yet, either, though it's likely to be competitive with the Shelby GT500, while coming standard with track-ready components that are optional in the Ford, or available through its racing catalogue. The ZL1 will come with an engine oil cooler off the C6 ZR1, a rear differential cooler and a high-performance fuel system. Chevy says about one third of the ZL1's components are upgraded from the Camaro SS, or are exclusive.
The engine is not. It's a specially tuned version of the 6.2-liter supercharged LSA small block V-8 also used in the CTS-v. Here, the extra 34 horses come from its unique induction system with a lower-restriction air filter, dual inlet paths and improved supercharger housing airflow. The supercharger intercooler is of a higher efficiency. Transmission options are a six-speed automatic with manumatic control and a Tremec six-speed manual. The ZL1 also becomes the first Camaro to get electric power assisted steering.
Don't panic. Chevy says the EPAS is a belt-driven system from TRW that will have the feel, feedback and precision you'd expect from such a car. Eliminating this particular parasitic loss can help save power as well as efficiency.
The ZL1 isn't ready for EPA fuel economy testing yet, and Chevy wont commit to whether or not its new musclecar will escape the gas-guzzler tax. There's still more to learn about the ZL1 (and you can be sure we'll be bringing it all to you), but what we do know for sure is even in the new decade, the Chevy vs. Ford rivalry won't be relegated to Volt vs. C-Max Energi. With the Camaro ZL1 nearly ready to take on the Shelby GT500, the horsepower race is still on.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz1XR1dsIk4
http://jalopnik.com/5838600/the-chev...u-need-to-know
The Chevy Camaro ZL1 Gets 580 HP And 9 Other Things You Need to Know
Jalopnik
September 9, 2011
by Mike Spinelli
Chevrolet took us to GM's Milford proving grounds for a look-don't-touch session with the company's new high-horsepower track animal, the 2012 Camaro ZL1. We didn't get to drive the prototypes on hand, but we did poke them with a stick and query engineers on their beastly spawn. Here's what we found out.
10.) POWAH! The ZL1's SAE-certified horsepower is indeed north of 570 hp. It is in fact 580 @ 6,000 rpm.
9.) TORRRRQUE! The ZL1's torque figure is 556 lb-ft @4200 rpm, 47 more than the Lamborghini Aventador.
8.) POWAH TO WEIGHT! Its got a power-to-weight of 7.24 pounds per horsepower less than the Nissan GT-R's and Porsche 911 GTS's figures.
7.) NEW TECH! It's the first car to get Delphi's next-generation adaptive damping system.
6.) TRACK READY FOR REAL! Unlike the Mustang GT500, the ZL1 will be track-ready right from the dealership.
5.) ELECTRIC POWER STEERING, WAIT WHAT? The ZL1 will have electric power steering.
4.) MANUAL DEXTERITY! The Tremec TR6060 manual transmission's been shored up to handle the extra torque, with a stronger output shaft.
3.) AUTOTRAGICAL DEXTERITY! Engineers insist the ZL1's build of GM's standard-issue Hydramatic CL90 automatic is just as track-worthy as the manual.
2.) SO TIRE-SOME! Michelin devised for the ZL1 (and the Corvette line) a new, street legal, driveway-to-track tire the Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure (ZP).
1.) NACA DUCTS! It has NACA ducts in the undertray to help cool the transmission.
Full article at link.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...NEWS/110909865
Chevrolet reveals more details of Camaro ZL1
The supercharged V8 in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is rated at 580 hp.
By: Mac Morrison on 9/09/2011
The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will not be anywhere near as rare as its 1969 namesake when it arrives during the first quarter of next year, but the most powerful production Camaro to date should deliver performance more than worthy of its model designation.
Camaro engineers on Thursday offered media members a preview of the upcoming Ford Mustang Shelby GT500-fighter, and the tale of the tape is impressive, especially in terms of grunt: The 6.2-liter, supercharged LSA V8 will make 580 hp at 6,000 rpm, and 556 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm, besting Chevrolet's original targets for the engine's output and bettering its efficiency in Cadillac's CTS-V by 24 hp and 5 lb-ft.
For those keeping score against the GT500, the ZL1 trumps the top-of-the-range Mustang's ratings by 30 hp and 46 lb-ft.
As the Camaro team explained, the engine's improved numbers come thanks to “a unique induction system, with a lower-restriction air filter, dual ‘bell mouth' inlet paths, and improved airflow through the supercharger housing. Other changes include a higher-efficiency supercharger intercooler and electric power steering system, which consumes less engine power than hydraulic-steering systems.”
However, Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser and his colleagues made it clear that they intend the ZL1 to be far more than a drag-racer right out of the box.
“[This car] is track-ready from the showroom,” Oppenheiser said, then pointed to the list of standard equipment to make his point: A liquid-to-liquid oil cooler lifted straight from the Corvette ZR1, deep-sump oil pan, rear-differential cooler and, according the Oppenheiser, a fuel system with additional pickups that should feed the engine during hard cornering even when the gas tank is low on fuel.
The ZL1 also comes with the third-generation of Magnetic Ride Control, which reacts faster than before and now adjusts the suspension up to 1,000 times per second. Chevy said the new design “uses new twin-wire/dual-coil dampers at all four corners. The smaller dual-coil system--with one coil at either end of the damper--replaces the larger single-coil design of the previous generation.
“The new design allows even more precise control of the electrical current and magnetic flux, allowing greater range than before between the softest setting for ride comfort and the firmest setting for track driving.”
Meanwhile, the latest version of Performance Traction Management is also present, with five settings spanning conditions from “wet” to “race.”
From a driver-interface standpoint, the decision to adopt electronic power steering might appear an odd choice for an overpowering, rear-drive performance car, but team Camaro insisted that the system is the best solution for controlling such a powerful automobile at speed while also making it comfortable for drivers at relatively low speeds in “real-world” scenarios. “Hydraulic steering wasn't going to get it done,” Oppenheiser said.
Likewise, he stressed that the optional, six-speed Hydra-Matic 6L90 automatic gearbox is “not for poseurs who don't know how to shift.” We'll almost always choose the six-speed Tremec manual transmission, but at least the auto box has been built for performance, with three different driving modes including a “manual” setting that only shifts when a driver commands it; automatic upshifts will not occur even at the engine's redline, and we were promised that it will select and hold the appropriate low gear into corners in order to match the manual-equipped ZL1's performance.
“Contrary to what we could have done [by taking the easy way out with a simple, off-the-shelf transmission], the automatic is not a compromise,” Oppenheiser said. “We spent a lot of time working on it for the track.”
Other ZL1 items of note include Brembo brakes (six-piston front, four-piston rear), an active exhaust system like the one featured on the Corvette, and aerodynamic elements including a “belly pan” beneath the car (Chevy would not reveal final downforce numbers). Variable stiffness halfshafts, and strengthened joints and suspension parts are intended to help reduce wheel hop under acceleration. As for rubber, Goodyear designed ZL1-specific Eagle F1 tires (285/35 ZR20 front, 305/35 ZR20 rear).
Chevy still will not confirm final details such as price (expected to fall in the low $50,000-range) or production numbers--figure on about 5,000 ZL1s built per year in General Motors' Oshawa, Ontario, assembly plant. But from what we've seen at this point, the Camaro ZL1 has plenty to look forward to when first drives occur in about two months--test drives timed to coincide with dealerships opening their books for orders. The preliminary spec sheet, like the Corvette's, promises top-notch speed, ride and handling at the limit, while also enough comfort for daily driving and road trips.
Speaking of which, we have reason to expect that fans who make the trip to Florida's Homestead-Miami Speedway for NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series season finale in November might well find themselves on hand for the definitive ZL1 production car's official public debut.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011...#ixzz1XR9UEDbw
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...80_horsepower/
MILFORD, MICHIGAN Chevrolet is staging one of those long, bit-by-bit rollouts of its new King of the Hill Camaro ZL1, and the latest tidbits are power and torque ratings. The 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1 will make 580 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 556 lb-ft of torque at 4200 rpm. That trumps Ford Shelby GT500, rated 550 horsepower and 510 foot-pound of torque.
Other Mustangs enjoy serious weight advantages over their Camaro counterparts, though 30 horses and 46 foot-pound could make the ZL1 likely extra weight easy to overcome. Chevy hasn't released weight figures yet. First drives are planned for late this year. The ZL1 goes on sale in early 2012 as a 2012 model.
The new musclecar also will benefit from Chevrolets newfound interest in chassis refinement, its desire to make the car turn fast as well as go straight fast. GM latest version of Magnetic Ride Control, with 1,000 damping adjustments every second, also found in the Corvette ZR1 and Cadillac CTS-v, is standard. It features twin wire/dual coil dampers at each corner. Performance Traction Management (PTM) -- designed for both the race course and the drag strip -- also comes standard.
PTM HAS FIVE SETTINGS:
Mode 1 Traction control for wet conditions, with stability control on and Magnetic Ride Control set on Tour.
Mode 2 Traction control on Sport 1, with stability control on, Magnetic Ride Control on Tour.
Mode 3 Traction Control on Sport 1, stability control on, Magnetic Ride Control on Sport.
Mode 4 Traction Control on Sport 2, stability control off, Magnetic Control on Sport.
Mode 5 Traction control on Race, stability control off, Magnetic Ride Control on Track. Launch control for drag strips (six-speed manual, only).
Chevrolet isn't talking pricing yet, either, though it's likely to be competitive with the Shelby GT500, while coming standard with track-ready components that are optional in the Ford, or available through its racing catalogue. The ZL1 will come with an engine oil cooler off the C6 ZR1, a rear differential cooler and a high-performance fuel system. Chevy says about one third of the ZL1's components are upgraded from the Camaro SS, or are exclusive.
The engine is not. It's a specially tuned version of the 6.2-liter supercharged LSA small block V-8 also used in the CTS-v. Here, the extra 34 horses come from its unique induction system with a lower-restriction air filter, dual inlet paths and improved supercharger housing airflow. The supercharger intercooler is of a higher efficiency. Transmission options are a six-speed automatic with manumatic control and a Tremec six-speed manual. The ZL1 also becomes the first Camaro to get electric power assisted steering.
Don't panic. Chevy says the EPAS is a belt-driven system from TRW that will have the feel, feedback and precision you'd expect from such a car. Eliminating this particular parasitic loss can help save power as well as efficiency.
The ZL1 isn't ready for EPA fuel economy testing yet, and Chevy wont commit to whether or not its new musclecar will escape the gas-guzzler tax. There's still more to learn about the ZL1 (and you can be sure we'll be bringing it all to you), but what we do know for sure is even in the new decade, the Chevy vs. Ford rivalry won't be relegated to Volt vs. C-Max Energi. With the Camaro ZL1 nearly ready to take on the Shelby GT500, the horsepower race is still on.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz1XR1dsIk4
http://jalopnik.com/5838600/the-chev...u-need-to-know
The Chevy Camaro ZL1 Gets 580 HP And 9 Other Things You Need to Know
Jalopnik
September 9, 2011
by Mike Spinelli
Chevrolet took us to GM's Milford proving grounds for a look-don't-touch session with the company's new high-horsepower track animal, the 2012 Camaro ZL1. We didn't get to drive the prototypes on hand, but we did poke them with a stick and query engineers on their beastly spawn. Here's what we found out.
10.) POWAH! The ZL1's SAE-certified horsepower is indeed north of 570 hp. It is in fact 580 @ 6,000 rpm.
9.) TORRRRQUE! The ZL1's torque figure is 556 lb-ft @4200 rpm, 47 more than the Lamborghini Aventador.
8.) POWAH TO WEIGHT! Its got a power-to-weight of 7.24 pounds per horsepower less than the Nissan GT-R's and Porsche 911 GTS's figures.
7.) NEW TECH! It's the first car to get Delphi's next-generation adaptive damping system.
6.) TRACK READY FOR REAL! Unlike the Mustang GT500, the ZL1 will be track-ready right from the dealership.
5.) ELECTRIC POWER STEERING, WAIT WHAT? The ZL1 will have electric power steering.
4.) MANUAL DEXTERITY! The Tremec TR6060 manual transmission's been shored up to handle the extra torque, with a stronger output shaft.
3.) AUTOTRAGICAL DEXTERITY! Engineers insist the ZL1's build of GM's standard-issue Hydramatic CL90 automatic is just as track-worthy as the manual.
2.) SO TIRE-SOME! Michelin devised for the ZL1 (and the Corvette line) a new, street legal, driveway-to-track tire the Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure (ZP).
1.) NACA DUCTS! It has NACA ducts in the undertray to help cool the transmission.
Full article at link.
Last edited by RLHMARINES; 09-09-2011 at 02:16 AM.
09-09-2011, 07:24 AM
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09-09-2011, 09:16 AM
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Georgia
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Re: ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp
The tires will likely be optional like on corvettes.
It has been proven to be an excellent tire, but very costly.
Have to remember that you are not just paying extra for high performance...you are paying extra for the maintenance of that performance. It adds up quickly.
It has been proven to be an excellent tire, but very costly.
Have to remember that you are not just paying extra for high performance...you are paying extra for the maintenance of that performance. It adds up quickly.
Last edited by Chevycobb; 09-09-2011 at 09:26 AM.
09-09-2011, 09:29 AM
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Location: ohio
Posts: 4,482
Re: ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp
yup. those are some nice tires though. i actually looked for them on line wheni got my new wheels and they dont even sell 1 of the sizes yet. i think they sell the 285 front but not the 305 rears. just like any performance car, the tires will be soft and sticky....so expect to put new ones on every 6-10K
09-09-2011, 10:25 AM
#9
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: CEDARBURG, WI
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Re: ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp
HEARD IT HERE BEFORE THE OTHER FORUMS 
2012 Camaro ZL1 Key Dates
Date Event
2011
October 24 %u2022 Dealer Webcast to answer your ZL1 questions live
%u2022 Release of updated ZL1 Salesperson Reference Guide
%u2022 Release of Updated 2012 Camaro Dealer Order Guide with ZL1 information
%u2022 Release of Individual Dealer%u2019s Estimated Production Guide Number for ZL1
October 29 Ordering open through Order Workbench%u2019s Quick Order Application (ZL1 ordering information will be available in Order Workbench%u2019s traditional Order Configurator on Thursday, November 3, 2011)
Early November ZL1 First Consensus
Mid-November (tentative) ZL1 Pricing Announced
2012
First Quarter ZL1 Start of Production
Late First Quarter ZL1 vehicles arrive at dealerships
2012 Camaro ZL1 Key Dates
Date Event
2011
October 24 %u2022 Dealer Webcast to answer your ZL1 questions live
%u2022 Release of updated ZL1 Salesperson Reference Guide
%u2022 Release of Updated 2012 Camaro Dealer Order Guide with ZL1 information
%u2022 Release of Individual Dealer%u2019s Estimated Production Guide Number for ZL1
October 29 Ordering open through Order Workbench%u2019s Quick Order Application (ZL1 ordering information will be available in Order Workbench%u2019s traditional Order Configurator on Thursday, November 3, 2011)
Early November ZL1 First Consensus
Mid-November (tentative) ZL1 Pricing Announced
2012
First Quarter ZL1 Start of Production
Late First Quarter ZL1 vehicles arrive at dealerships
09-09-2011, 11:47 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
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Re: ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp
slow? how quick is the cts-v coupe? thats about the closest thing we have right now to judge its ability. id assume better traction with the camaro having 305 in the rear instead of the cts-v 275.
09-09-2011, 12:10 PM
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NEWS: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to pack 580 hp
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM
General Motors has finally let one of its biggest cats out of its bag: The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be officially rated at 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque.
Al Oppenheiser, chief engineer of the Camaro, is justifiably proud of his creation, saying, "The Camaro ZL1 delivers supercar performance and technology in the sports-car segment. 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."
The supercharged engine is the most powerful mill ever put in the engine bay of a Camaro - besting the rated output of the 1969 Camaro ZL1's 427-cubic-inch V8 by 150 horses - and it can be mated up with either a six-speed manual gearbox or, importantly for mass appeal, a six-speed automatic fitted with Drive, Sport and Manual modes for increased driver involvement.
You may be wondering how Chevrolet expects all that power to reach the ground in any meaningful fashion that doesn't involve incinerating a fresh pair of tires. And the answer would be with Performance Traction Management and third-generation Magnetic Ride Control. Magnetic Ride control uses Magneto-Rheological fluid in the shocks and is computer controlled with readings that adjust damping a staggering 1,000 times per second, and has Tour, Sport and Track settings.
Performance Traction Management, not surprisingly, is a traction control system with five distinct modes appropriate for everything from rain to race, which is calibrated for use at drag strips conditioned with VHT (a traction compound sprayed on asphalt).
Inquiring minds want to know: How will Ford and Dodge respond to the 2012 ZL1? We'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, click past the break for the complete press release.Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to pack 580 hp
2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to pack 580 hp originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
More...
General Motors has finally let one of its biggest cats out of its bag: The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be officially rated at 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque.
Al Oppenheiser, chief engineer of the Camaro, is justifiably proud of his creation, saying, "The Camaro ZL1 delivers supercar performance and technology in the sports-car segment. 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."
The supercharged engine is the most powerful mill ever put in the engine bay of a Camaro - besting the rated output of the 1969 Camaro ZL1's 427-cubic-inch V8 by 150 horses - and it can be mated up with either a six-speed manual gearbox or, importantly for mass appeal, a six-speed automatic fitted with Drive, Sport and Manual modes for increased driver involvement.
You may be wondering how Chevrolet expects all that power to reach the ground in any meaningful fashion that doesn't involve incinerating a fresh pair of tires. And the answer would be with Performance Traction Management and third-generation Magnetic Ride Control. Magnetic Ride control uses Magneto-Rheological fluid in the shocks and is computer controlled with readings that adjust damping a staggering 1,000 times per second, and has Tour, Sport and Track settings.
Performance Traction Management, not surprisingly, is a traction control system with five distinct modes appropriate for everything from rain to race, which is calibrated for use at drag strips conditioned with VHT (a traction compound sprayed on asphalt).
Inquiring minds want to know: How will Ford and Dodge respond to the 2012 ZL1? We'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, click past the break for the complete press release.Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to pack 580 hp
2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to pack 580 hp originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
More...
09-09-2011, 02:13 PM
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Re: ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp
09-09-2011, 03:00 PM
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Re: ZL1 SAE RATED @ 580 hp
I'm impressed with all the technology they are showcasing in the ZL1. I have no doubt this car will be a serious performer. I'm just a bit worried about how GM will sell all of this for GT500 prices. Especially if it deilvers a good bit better performance as I think it will.