Thread: GT 500 vs ZL1
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Old 03-23-2020, 04:10 PM   #5
BlaqWhole
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Drives: 2017 Camaro ZL1 A10
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NJ
Posts: 7,692
Here are the cliff notes. The GT500's "10.6" was an individual owner time. The ZL1's 11.4 was a magazine time. You cannot compare those two fairly. Over here we typically compare owner times to owner times and magazine times to magazine times. In which case the ZL1 in individual owner hands has gone 10.9 which puts it within 3 tenths of a second of the GT500. In magazine times when tested together the GT500 went 11.4 and the ZL1 went 11.5 so that is only a 1 tenth of a second difference. So the GT500 is not much faster despite all that extra HP and being $20K to $30K more expensive depending on trim.

I would say that with only an extra 50 HP the ZL1 will toast the GT500 if not completely match it. This is because the ZL1 is a much better engineered car than the GT500 is. GM typically underpowers their cars and still manages to keep up with the competition's mega HP gorillas. However when GM's cars have the HP advantage or matches the HP or comes even within 20-30 HP it typically is unfair because the competition would have no chance. Which is why Ford and Dodge won't come at the 755 HP ZR1. They'll get murdered. They won't even come at the Z06. And that is in a straight line. Throw them on a track and it's lights out. So GM has to keep the power lower to make it fair for Ford and Dodge and so it would actually be a challenge instead of just completely obliterating the competition. This will be demonstrated soon when the C8 Z06 arrives. It will still be underpowered but it is gonna take the GT500's lunch.

Last edited by BlaqWhole; 03-23-2020 at 07:45 PM.
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