Camaro ZL1 1LE Is Your Z/28 Successor
Instead of a New Z/28, Chevy Gives Us Its Most Track-Capable Camaro Ever: The ZL1 1LE
The ink is barely dry on Chevrolet’s new, incredibly well-rounded Camaro ZL1. And it’s done nothing but blow us away by topping 200 miles per hour and blazing around the Nürburgring in record time. But it turns out that Chevrolet has had an ace up its sleeve the entire time. An even more track capable Camaro, one that won’t wear the previous generation’s Z/28 nameplate. Meet the 2018 ZL1 1LE.
Much like the “regular” ZL1, the ZL1 1LE continues the trend away from Camaro’s that are simply straight line bruisers. The 1LE package will be available as an option on any ZL1 coupe this summer. And what you get for the as of now undetermined extra cost is a car that’s 3 seconds faster around GM’s Milford Road Course test track.
That vast improvement doesn’t come from an increase in power, as the 1LE uses the same 650 hp, supercharged, 6.2 liter LT4 as the regular ZL1. But you do get special aero bits, including a carbon fiber rear spoiler, air deflectors, and dive planes. Wheels are wider but shorter and lighter. Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R tires, developed especially for the car, are the widest ever fitted to a Camaro.
The 1LE adds special Multimatic DSSV dampers that are racing derived. The front dampers are adjustable for ride height, and the rear stabilizer bar is adjustable as well. These additions allow owners to make quick changes for track use, which they can then dial back to drive the car home. All of these changes, along with thinner rear glass and a fixed back rear seat, contribute to a roughly 60 pound weight reduction.
Even though it has all the attributes of the Z/28, Chevy is reserving that moniker specifically for naturally aspired cars. So we may actually see another Z in the future. But for now, we’ll have to “settle” for the ZL1 1LE, which offers world beating performance at a bargain price. Consolation prizes don’t get much better than that.
