My hope is that this post may do for someone else, what so many of you have done for me. Provide me with some great feedback and information. Over the years, I’ve found the forums to be super helpful in many ways. I hope this isn’t too verbose or boring, I just have a lot to share.
Thanks to a Camaro6 Forum member, the one and only Mr. Wyndham (Thanks Joe!), I was able to purchase a new 2018 ZL1 1LE at the end of June from (another form member) Tom Henry Chevrolet in Bakerstown PA. Tom’s dealership is a good 8 hour drive from me but in order to be one of the first people on the planet to get one of these unicorns, I was willing to make the trip. I had a 2014 ZL1 which I traded in for the ZL1 1LE. I brought a friend with me out to Tom’s dealership so I had someone totally impartial who was able to experience the ride of the old car and that of the new beast. I’ve wanted to share my thoughts and feelings on the new car very badly but I refused to post much until I had taken the new car out for at least one track day. Everyone knows this is a track car, to write up a review without actually using this car in it’s element would be not only incomplete but totally unfair. Well, this week I had not one but two open track days and I’m finally ready to share my thoughts. Here goes:
When I bought my 5th Gen Camaro ZL1, I really wanted a Z/28 but I couldn't justify the expense. So I settled. Make no mistake, the 5th Gen ZL1 exceeded my expectations and (spoiler alert) it is a way better “all around” car than the 2018 ZL1 1LE. However it was an “all things to all people” vehicle. The ZL1 1LE is more focused - it's a track car. Sure it has all the modern niceties - and I wanted them, but it ain't a grocery getter. Can you use it for that? Sure, but it's meant to be on track. Upon getting in the ZL1 1LE it was immediately apparent the car was more “weaponized.” It just felt angry, like it was on a mission to destroy all that comes in it’s path. The power difference was substantial. On the street, it was hard to exploit either the increased power or grip, but you knew they were both there - in spades. The 8 hour trip home from the dealer showcased the ZL1 1LE’s shortcomings. I never realized the difference between the poured concrete sections of highway and the traditional blacktop sections. I came to really hate the concrete sections. Bridges and the transition from road to bridge were also annoying. I (somewhat jokingly) think I could actually feel the painted lines in the road, that’s how communicative the suspension was. As a daily driver or touring car, that’s bad however on track that would be amazing. In my case, this isn’t a daily driver and since my wife will rarely be in the car, I was more than happy to tolerate the poor highway ride for something which can really attack the track.
It took me a month of ownership to find the time to get to an open track day as well as properly prep the car. I changed the oil to the supplement recommended Mobile 1 15W-50, I also replaced the stock brake fluid with Motul 600 and I was very excited to do the camber adjustment. I cheated a bit, I had my mechanic do the oil and brake fluid but I asked that he call me when he was ready to do the camber so we could do it together. There are these little pegs that get removed. I’m not sure why they are needed in the “street” config but the manual recommends reinstalling them when going back to street. The tires were off so it was super easy to do but I think with tires on, it would be a bit tricky to access the pegs. Unless there is a very compelling reason to put them back, I may just leave them out because without them, changing from street to track is child’s play. I can’t believe how easy it was and how many tires this is going to save me. On the 5th Gen I would wear the outer edge of the fronts before anything else. Down to the cords…I don’t think that’s going to happen with a quick change to -2.7 degrees. Whoever designed this system gets a big gold star…I just want confirmation that I can get rid of that peg… Now I know some of you purists will cringe when I tell you that I was only up to about 800 miles at this point but hey, the track day was upon us.
Some context, I’ve only been a “car guy” for about the last 5 years. I started with a used 09 SRT Challenger, then I bought the 2014 ZL1 new and now I’ve got the 2018 ZL1 1LE. I’ve gone from a total novice to a signed off solo advanced group driver - however I take a coach whenever possible. These guys are the best resource out there. I run with just about whatever club will have me (SCDA, HOD, SCCA, BMW, Porsche, etc.), oddly my favorite club is the BMW Club, they have incredible instructors and coaches but I’ve had good one’s from other clubs too. I generally do about 10 track days per year so I’ve got about 40 days under my belt. I’ve also done a few car control clinics because I feel that knowing the limits are very important and controlling a slide can make all the difference, plus when your tires are shot anyway it’s a great send off! My “home” track is Lime Rock Park and I know it well. In my 5th Gen ZL1 I made only one major modification. I purchased new OEM Z/28 wheels and take-off Trofeo R’s. These wheels and tires really helped the old ZL1 feel better on track and, in the beginning of this track season I did turn my personal best lap with the Gen 5 ZL1, a 1:04.5. This was with me driving at the edge of my comfort with the car under ideal track conditions (warm, dry, etc…) I know that a more capable driver and turn a faster lap with that car. When I took the new ZL1 1LE out for it’s first day I didn’t know if I’d be able to get comfortable with the car quickly so I could start approaching my personal limit. Thankfully, even without pushing it, I was able to beat my previous best with the new car in my very first session out.
The ZL1 1LE on track is like letting a caged animal out in the wild. It’s in it’s natural setting, it’s a beautiful thing to see and experience. The first words that come to mind are “confidence inspiring” because the car feels planted and sorted. You just drive and it does whatever you ask. Not backtalk, no resistance, just compliance. And because it feels so planted and comfortable, you can push it harder without feeling like you are actually pushing. I had two track days almost back to back so I’m going to talk about them if they were one extended experience. In my very first session out with the car I turned a 1:03.4, that’s 1.1 seconds better than my previous best. And in that session, I had multiple laps in the ’03’s. With the old car, the previous best was a hero lap, my next closest was in the ’05’s. And I was out in a packed run group. It was with the BMW club and there had to be 25+ cars in my group, which was a combined “Experienced and Advanced” group because of a shared day with another club. Now I’m a firm believer in track etiquette, I don’t have an ego which won’t allow me to give a point bye - matter of fact, I love giving them because I use it as an opportunity to see how a faster driver takes the track. I study their line, I see where they are faster so I can improve in those sections. Well, something happened on this first track day which has never happened to me before…I ran the entire day, four 20 minute sessions, in Advanced, and not a single driver required a point bye! I’m not being boastful here, I know there are SO many more talented drivers than I am, but on this day, there wasn’t a car which could touch the ZL1 1LE. And, there was a lot of decent hardware out there. Being BMW, there were loads of M3’s and M4’s as well as a few Porsche’s, another Camaro and a Corvette. There was a guy running a Porsche GT3, I don’t know if he was having an off day but he just let me by each time I came up on him. Matter of fact, (again, not being boastful, this really happened…) after the very first session, I pulled over in the pits to drop off my coach and a car pulled up along side of me, I was totally expecting this guy to complain about some pass I took or something - instead he yelled out “You lapped me.” He was actually a very nice guy and was happy to share that somehow I managed not to pass him once but twice inside the same session. I will say, this car rocks on the track. Of that there is no doubt.
In the pits, the car was very popular, and I’m not used to that. It seemed like many people came up to ask about it. Many knew what it was from all the ‘Ring publicity it has been given. The people who didn’t know what it was were still taken aback by the sinister appearance. I had a second track day inside of a week from the first. This was just two days ago as I write this and, unfortunately it poured - twice - during my time there. I had an exceptional coach, famous racer actually, he tweaked the heck out of my line. Then it poured, I did about 50 minutes of running in the wet, albeit running 1/2 speed or so - just looking to nail the new line I was given. I ran low on gas, headed pack to the pits and put my last 5 gallons in. It was about 10 mins before the track closed and a mostly dry line had opened up. I went back out and put down my fastest lap ever, 1:02.99. At Lime Rock, that's a quick lap! But there is a LOT more left on the table, with wet still out there I wasn't anywhere near my own limit. I've had some incredible coaches right seat and now with the ZL1 1LE I’ve got a car which can really take things to the next level. I’m going to attach the video of that fast lap but as I said, there is a lot that can be improved. I’m still learning the car and I’m driving a lot like I did with the old car, another three or four track days and I’m sure I’ll be putting up even better numbers. What is impressive however is how quickly I was able to trounce my previous best times and at relatively little effort. Doing a 1:05 in the 5th Gen felt much faster because I was way more on edge. With the ZL1 1LE, even at the new speeds, I’m well inside the comfort envelope of the car’s potential. It’s that good. There is more left and I’ll get there.
Highlights:
Power - obviously…
Grip for days - loving the new Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar R3’s.
Comfort - I’m overweight (working on that…) but still I fit in the seats and they hold much better than I expected.
Features - When I do drive on the road, I gotta have my Apple CarPlay and it’s there. Feels much more advanced than the 5th Gen.
Looks - Not sure I like the stanchions for the wing but overall the car is just sinister. The most common comment people make is “Batmobile.”
PDR - Love/Hate this, what it does well is very easy recording and great telemetry.
Brakes - Next level stopping power.
Camber Adjustability - fast, easy, and effective. Brilliant way to let non-mechanics affect real change in a car’s track performance and reduce tire wear.
Rev Match - OMG, this is incredible! I know it’s possible to retrofit a 5th Gen and I will say, if you have a 5th Gen that you track do this today! It’s a game changer. I know I need to shift more, and I will now that I've got Rev Match. With the Gen 5 I tried to shift as little as possible. Now I'll dip down into 3rd after big bend to non name so I'm in the meat of the power band. That alone will shave another 1/2 second or so.
Lowlights (there is not much but I’ve got some minor issues):
PDR - It’s 2017, give this thing some resolution please! And, it needs to have a screen after a session where you can see all your lap-times without watching the footage.
Infotainment Screen Angle - I know it’s been talked about in like every 6th Gen review but whoever set the negative angle on the infotainment screen should be moved to another department.
Street-ability - Do not buy the ZL1 1LE if your not a track guy…simple.
The “X” Sticker - Why is there a sticker on the wing? I’m taking it off…
I’ll close with some photos and video (at the very bottom). I hope to have the time this weekend to post another video of the car in traffic. My video here is my fast lap after the rain. It’s quick but not as interesting as seeing the ZL1 1LE navigate traffic. Stay tuned for that. And thank you to all of you who have helped me in the past. I’ve got a number of new questions that I’ll be posting in new threads soon.
See you at the track…
David Maffucci
