Back in February when Chevrolet introduced the 1LE track package for the sixth-gen Camaro, we expected this to offer a superb melange of track and daily driving assets. However, we didn't expect it to take the Camaro V8 from muscle-cars-can-now-go-round-corners to let's-trash-supercars.
Well, such surprises are always sweet, so let's get into the details: Car and Driver has just published the results of its 2016 Annual Lightning Lap, a challenge taking place on the Virginia International Raceway, with the 1LE delivering stunning results, especially when the track package is applied to the V8-animated Camaro - the V6-powered 1LE, a model built following customer request, didn't perform too badly, either.
As car journalism would have it, the the latest episode of Motor Trend On Demand (the pay-for video service), sees the Camaro V8 1LE, the BMW M4 GTS and the Mustang Shelby GT350R being flogged around Laguna Seca. Once again, the Chevy's time was jaw-dropping.
So, let's get to the numbers that back up the title above
We'll start with the C&D feature, which saw the V8 1LE posting a time of 2:54.8. This puts the Chevy not-that-close to the M4 GTS' 2:52.9, but it also places it ahead of the 2:56.1 2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus. Oh, and you'll also notice a riot being started by the fact that the M4 GTS was beaten by the 2:51.8 Mustang Shelby GT350R.
Since we also mentioned the V6 1LE, it's 3:04 time slots it in between the 3:03.9 2016 Ford Focus RS and the 3:05.9 Lexus GS-F.
As for the Motor Trend adventure, things here get more controversial. That's because the track pack Camaro managed to tie the track edition Bimmer, while the M4 GTS was left behind by the GT350R, with the 'Stang proving 1.6 seconds quicker around Laguna Seca (the Blue Oval machine delivered a lap time of 1:36.06).
The M4 GTS is said to have been one of the early models and thus certain voices claim it wasn't delivering 100 percent of its performance. And this is just one of the controversy claims regarding the episode that saw Randy Pobst getting down and dirty with the cars.
Even so, let's drop some pricing numbers, so we can put things into perspective. You see, since the 2017 Camaro 1LE costs about $60,000 $44,400 in V8 trim, so you can define it as less than the difference between the $134,200 MSRP of the BMW M4 GTS and the $191,150 starting price of the 2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus.
In defense of the uber-limited M4 GTS, none of the US tracks mentioned above are as technical as the Nurburgring, where its 7:27.88 is far from the Shelby GT350R's 7:32.19 - we don't have a time for the 1LE yet.
Controversy or no controversy, the 1LE is downright amazing and only makes us wonder what the next incarnation of the Gen 6 Camaro to start deliveries, the 650 hp 2017 ZL1, can do on the track.
Update:Car and Driver's Lightning Lap 2016 videos have now been release, so you can see the stick-only SS 1LE doing its thing on VIR. Those of you who wish to see how the 1LE V6 did should also check out the second clip below.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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