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2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Revealed, Is a Race Car With Plates

Chevy has taken the Camaro to the next level of track performance by adding the 1LE package to the already impressive ZL1 monster. The body kit is way more extreme than on the V6 and SS models and the running gear gets its own transformation.
2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE 18 photos
Photo: Chevrolet
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At the front, the 1LE body kit extends the air splitter further than ever and adds enormous canards that somehow work really well with the existing design. The side skirts and rear diffuser are kind of cool, but they pale in comparison to the enormous rear wing.

This piece of the puzzle is one of the most exciting because it's made from carbon fiber and supported by lightweight hollow struts. It's not there just for show either, as at top speed, it can add 300 pounds of downforce. The hood is black like on the 1LE base models, but it's also got exposed carbon fiber in the middle.

The 19-inch black wheels are a little smaller to make room for extra rubber, which coincidently is an inch wider. At 325mm, the rear Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires are the widest ever fitted to the Camaro.

Do you like playing with the suspension before track days? Then you'll love the fact that the ZL1 1LE comes with the Z/28's Multimatic spool valve shocks and springs with adjustable perches for changing ride height. The rear stabilizer bar and front camber are also adjustable.

Without ever touching the 650 horsepower supercharged V8 engine, Chevrolet managed to improve its lap time of the 2.9-mile, 18-turn Milford Road Course track by 3 seconds. And it's not like the ZL1 was slow to begin with.

“The track-focused 1LE package offers progressive levels of performance across the Camaro lineup, from the V6 1LE to the SS 1LE,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “But with the new ZL1 1LE, the progression takes a quantum leap — this is the ultimate track-day Camaro.”

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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