Photo: Chevrolet
It’s no secret the big bad Aussie sedan’s days are numbered. General Motors-owned Holden is the last bastion of this endangered species, with the VF-gen Commodore slated to bite the dust by the end of the year. And arguably the worst thing about this course of action is that the 2018 NG Commodore is actually an Opel Insignia in disguise that rides on a front-wheel-drive platform.
Those who would rather something more serious than that, I’m afraid there’s not much you can get for a reasonable amount of money. The Ford Mustang, which was designed from the get-go with right-hand drive in mind, is one such car. But customers in the market for something more special than a naturally aspirated Coyote V8 need look no further than the Camaro ZL1.
Sure it doesn’t have four doors. Sure it’s not a full-sized car. But for what it is, it’s really special. “Wait a minute. Chevrolet doesn’t make RHD Camaros!” It doesn’t, indeed, but Victoria-based Crossover Car Conversions can help you with that. And as per Motor Mag, the ZL1 in Australian attire will set one back, wait for it, AUD 150,000. And that’s a ginormous lot of money.
The costs add up, though. At today’s exchange rates, a Camaro ZL1 costs in the vicinity of AUD 79,000. Shipping is AUD 5,000, there’s a five percent tax for importing the pumped-up pony into The Oz, then there’s the AUD 6,200 luxury car tax. Australia’s goods and services tax nabs another AUD 8,200.
It all works out at AUD 101,409 up to this point, with the remaining dollars going on the conversion. CCC estimates that a Camaro ZL1 conversion to right-hand drive takes eight to ten weeks to complete, but it’s damn worth it. After all, don’t forget what sort of monster bellows under the hood and what sort of chassis technology the GM Alpha-based ZL1 offers from the get-go.
There’s also the exclusivity factor worth weighing in. Make no mistake about the fact that not many people will wake up one morning and think, “You know what? I’ll have myself a ZL1!” But those wonderful maniacs who do, well, they will be driving a more exclusive car than the hyper-exclusive HSV GTSR W1.
Sure it doesn’t have four doors. Sure it’s not a full-sized car. But for what it is, it’s really special. “Wait a minute. Chevrolet doesn’t make RHD Camaros!” It doesn’t, indeed, but Victoria-based Crossover Car Conversions can help you with that. And as per Motor Mag, the ZL1 in Australian attire will set one back, wait for it, AUD 150,000. And that’s a ginormous lot of money.
The costs add up, though. At today’s exchange rates, a Camaro ZL1 costs in the vicinity of AUD 79,000. Shipping is AUD 5,000, there’s a five percent tax for importing the pumped-up pony into The Oz, then there’s the AUD 6,200 luxury car tax. Australia’s goods and services tax nabs another AUD 8,200.
It all works out at AUD 101,409 up to this point, with the remaining dollars going on the conversion. CCC estimates that a Camaro ZL1 conversion to right-hand drive takes eight to ten weeks to complete, but it’s damn worth it. After all, don’t forget what sort of monster bellows under the hood and what sort of chassis technology the GM Alpha-based ZL1 offers from the get-go.
There’s also the exclusivity factor worth weighing in. Make no mistake about the fact that not many people will wake up one morning and think, “You know what? I’ll have myself a ZL1!” But those wonderful maniacs who do, well, they will be driving a more exclusive car than the hyper-exclusive HSV GTSR W1.
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