[Trak-Toy]

GM wanted to make the 6th Gen as capable as possible on a racetrack, and were very successful at doing just that. All things considered, the gap in on track performance between the ZL1 and ZL1 1LE, with just a few suspension tweeks, is stark! There is a cost for this kind of performance, and harshness is one of them. Still not as bad as some have stated.

Official Nürburgring lap times:

7:16.04 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE (2018) Driver: Bill Wise
2017 General Motors conducted test, OEM Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R.


7:29.60 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (2017) Driver: Drew Cattell
October 24, 2016 OEM Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3

[Zl1+911]

To the regular ZL1s credit - wish there was a ring time for it with 3rs. I thin the gap would be much less.

[arichards46]

I'm going to opine that age has something to do with it. I hardly ever drive my ZLE on the street and am too focused to have a problem with the ride on the track. For street I have NT555's and the ride is still punishing. A road trip will hurt me but, as my son admonished me, "Dad, you're not 65 anymore!"

[CW3SF]

Originally Posted by Trak-Toy

GM wanted to make the 6th Gen as capable as possible on a racetrack, and were very successful at doing just that. All things considered, the gap in on track performance between the ZL1 and ZL1 1LE, with just a few suspension tweeks, is stark! There is a cost for this kind of performance, and harshness is one of them. Still not as bad as some have stated.

Official Nürburgring lap times:

7:16.04 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE (2018) Driver: Bill Wise
2017 General Motors conducted test, OEM Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R.


7:29.60 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (2017) Driver: Drew Cattell
October 24, 2016 OEM Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3

I’d guess that the tires alone account for most of that gap. The aero and suspension are definitely part of it but the difference in tires is huge.

[shogun37]

Originally Posted by Zl1+911

To the regular ZL1s credit - wish there was a ring time for it with 3rs. I thin the gap would be much less.

If memory serves at VIR, same day, same car testing tires were worth ~2 seconds between 3 vs 3R. I don't recall if it was grand course or full.

So tires alone is worth about 8-10 seconds.

[Zl1+911]

To the ZLEs credit - it’s way easier and confidence inspiring to drive it in corners - the time difference does not show the confidence it inspires....

[gtfoxy]

Originally Posted by CW3SF

I’d guess that the tires alone account for most of that gap. The aero and suspension are definitely part of it but the difference in tires is huge.

Watched the vids, really fun to watch the car work that track. The regular Z was an auto & 1LE was a 6spd. Not sure how either one compares on such a course if they were in the same trim.

What was obvious was how the guy in the auto looked like he was making a quick grocery run.

It’s still awesome contemplating my regular ZL1 has the potential to do that.

The fact a 1LE is in the top 25 fastest times & a standard ZL1 is 57’th is quite an accomplishment. That places them both at the upper echelon of performance vehicles.

Another interesting thing I noted was the standard ZL1 posted a higher top speed (according to the readout anyway) of 3mph even though it appeared the 1LE carried a tad more speed through the final corner.

[JSH]

I stopped noticing the stiff ride after a month or so. It's now just feels like a very responsive and nimble race car.

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by Zl1+911

To the ZLEs credit - it’s way easier and confidence inspiring to drive it in corners - the time difference does not show the confidence it inspires....

You make a very good point, and that confidence a car gives you, there is no way to convey on a spreadsheet or spitting out numbers.

Just like the ZL1 1LE solid rear cradle bushings I added to mine. While it probably won't add any additional time from the cars perspective, it would have a better time because the driver feels more confident in it.

It's the same logic as to why Porsche is so good. My next car will be a GT4, and while not super fast on paper, the confidence it gives you to push it to 10/10ths is what they do very well.

[LSA]

Originally Posted by JSH

I stopped noticing the stiff ride after a month or so. It's now just feels like a very responsive and nimble race car.

Exactly.

[LSA]

Didn’t the ZLE do a 7:12?

I’m sure you guys have heard the story.

[NEZL1]

Originally Posted by CW3SF

I’d guess that the tires alone account for most of that gap. The aero and suspension are definitely part of it but the difference in tires is huge.

At the local shorter tracks, the SS 1LEs are just as quick as the ZL1s / 1LEs on the same tires.

Nurburgring times are good but they really really favor higher horsepower cars. If the aero works on the 1LE, it seems effectively useless at corners under 100mph which is most tracks.

I still enjoy having the power of the supercharger and the looks of the 1LE.


BTW the suspension is genuinely race car hard, but I like it. The standard ZL1 on stock tires has a front end that felt mushy to me, even if it can turn a good lap I don't think I'd enjoy it as much.

[Trak-Toy]

Originally Posted by LSA

Didn’t the ZLE do a 7:12?

I’m sure you guys have heard the story.

It did a 7:15 from a standing start. It wasn’t on the official Timed run , which utilizes a rolling start. They estimated that run would have been around 7:12-13 if it was done like the recorded runs. This is 911 GT3 territory.. remarkable we are still talking about a ‘stock’ Camaro running this kind of lap time.

[hammerdahn]

Originally Posted by LSA

Didn’t the ZLE do a 7:12?

I’m sure you guys have heard the story.

7:13 but they didnt have any recording equipment

"A Camaro engineer who I'm gonna name (Bill Wise) knocked off a 7:16.03 lap of the legendary Nordschleife circuit at the Nürburgring. For some perspective, a Ferrari Enzo did a 7:25.21, a Ferrari 488 GTB did a 7:21.63, and a Porsche 911 GT2 RS did a 7:18.00. Bill was driving a Camaro. Crazy, no? Want to hear crazier? That 7:16.03 is quicker than any other General Motors (cough, Corvette, cough) product has gone around the 'Ring. His time is also more than 13 seconds quicker than what the standard ZL1 has done, 7:29.60. Al's story, however, was one of tragedy. A little window of time had suddenly opened up one afternoon in Germany, and Bill jumped into the red ZL1 1LE and managed to run a lap in the 7:13 neighborhood. A Lexus LFA Nürburgring package ran a 7:14.64. But because everything happened so fast, Team Camaro didn't document it. No GoPro, no one thought to hit record on the PDR, no onboard data capture equipment—nothing. These things happen, though mostly it seems to Camaros."

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/chev...t-test-review/