The fresh set of Nurburgring spyshots we’ve just received make us feel like its 2011 all over again. That was the last time Chevrolet engineers lapped the ‘Ring aboard a Camaro ZL1. The burden of the 5th generation Camaro is gone though, with the considerably lighter sixth-gen model now allowing Chevy to aim for a much sharper time.
The 2017 Camaro ZL1 prototype has reached the Nordschleife after being recently spotted testing on the road and we can confirm the machine is loud as hell (no Mopar pun intended).
That noise comes from what we expect to be General Motors’ LT4 V8, with the ZL1 expected to borrow the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 animating the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the Cadillac CTS-V.
As for the output level, don’t expect the ZL1 to offer the manic 650 hp figure of the ‘Vette. In fact, it might not go past 600 and that’s because this Camaro has another advantage besides muscle, when compared to its predecessor.
We are referring to the new Alpha platform underneath the car, which should bring a weight loss of around 200 lbs. This, of course, is a key asset in the Green Hell battle and we should expect a sweet time once the testing is completed.
After all, the old ZL1 wasn’t too shabby either, managing to get round the Nurburgring in 7:41:27. In fact, we’ve added the official video of the lap below, so you can see the blown muscle machine in action.
Now that so much effort it being put into the ZL1, which is supposed to be the most muscular model in the range, we can only imagine what the track-savvy Z/28 incarnation of the 6th-gen Camaro will bring in a few years from now.
Chevrolet is expected to introduce the 2017 Camaro ZL1 in January at the Detroit Auto Show, so just in case Santa forgets to deliver, you might ask for a late present. Check out the video below for a preview.
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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