Sam, the host of the Sam CarLegion channel on YouTube, has prepared yet another drag-and-roll race skirmish with German and US DNA in abundance - at a windy location in Canada.
Known for his on-point reviews and the passion for drag races that take place in an unprepped location in Canada (a former airfield converted into a wind and corn farm), Sam, the host, is always keen on showing us some of the wackiest races on YouTube.
For example, he recently dragged and rolled a 2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 against the Genesis G70 with the 3.0-liter turbo V6, the 2022 Audi S4, the Infiniti Q50 RedSport, and even against its predecessor. And he likes to mix and match stuff, also – like the times when the 2023 GR Supra raced the Nissan Z but also a Chevy Camaro, or those many moments when there's a tuner battle going on.
Anyway, if you're new to this channel and you love unprepped drag and roll races, there's a treasure trove of videos from Sam to keep you occupied for weeks – just remember to spend some time with the missus and also go to work! Puns aside, the latest skirmish is quite interesting because it opposes two vastly different sports car philosophies on neutral, Canadian soil.
In one lane, sort of speak, is the 2023 BMW M2 premium compact sports coupe, traditionally powered by an inline-six-cylinder mill with twin-turbocharging and 453 horsepower hooked to a six-speed manual transmission. On the other side is a larger and a bit more menacing 2023 Chevy Camaro ZL1 featuring the massive 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that's good for 650 horsepower.
Sure, one might feel that this BMW is underpowered and an M4 was better suited, but do remember that BMW vastly underrates the power of its Bavarian mills. The M2 is also slightly lighter than the big American muscle car. On the other hand, both are on par with the transmissions – six-speed manuals are tucked inside each vehicle.
However, one thing to remember is that Chevy used a six-speed Tremec manual transmission, one of the best in the business, according to Sam – and also used in the Ford Mustang Mach 1 or Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, for example. Now, let us get on with the races.
Initially, after the customary exhaust note comparison (easily won by Chevy's V8 mill), they started with the roll races – first from 50 kph (32 mph) and then from 70 kph (44 mph). Both attempts yielded the exact same results as there's no replacement for displacement, and after a moment of thinking, the Camaro ZL1 took command of the race and never relinquished the lead.
Secondly, the drag races were divided into a warm-up lap and a final race to decide the battle's victor. Interestingly, after they switched drivers, the BMW M2 narrowly won the initial head-to-head skirmish! However, when it came down to the race that mattered, the brawny Chevy Camaro ZL1 was unbeatable, and the M2 had to settle for second place, yet again.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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