[Provoste]

Ok guys, so I’m from a family of car nuts… and my dad, the car nut patriarch sold his ’16 Porsche GT4 last month and purchased a ZL1 1LE this past week. His experience driving my SS 1LE on both street and track prompted his decision. We drove out to Southeast Iowa last Friday and took delivery of his ZL1. We took turns driving the Zl1 on the way home to Southern Indiana from Iowa 460 miles in all.
A few quick impressions:
• I’ve been around a number of ZL1 1LE’s, I saw the development cars at NCM early in the summer and saw a few production cars at Camarofest as well. Seeing one for the first time in a few months though, the aero is just insane as are the wheel/tires. How GM is able to get such crazy offsets through to production is astonishing. The Zl1 1LE attracts attention on the road unlike any car I’ve driven, granted- it does look like an IMSA racer going down the interstate.
• Yes, the ride is firm and busy. However, I feel like the ride has been blown out of proportion by ZL1-1LE owners who didn’t fully understand what they were getting themselves into. When a manufacturer hard mounts suspension to the body… don’t expect there to not be tradeoffs. While the ride is busy (as a result of hard mounted suspension, not damper tuning) - in that you feel every expansion joint, seam, change in pavement…. It isn’t harsh. And like a good race damper, big impacts are surprisingly plush. Again, I’m not saying the ride isn’t rough, but Multimatic did a good job of tuning out harshness. Big impacts are felt, but the dampers do a great job of smoothing out brittle rough impacts. While not nearly as daily driver friendly as the SS 1LE, it is still is just fine for around town use (for us fairly hardcore sports car guys). Yes, I hit my head on the ceiling 1x on the trip home over a big dip in the road (not a bump).
• That engine and transmission. WOAH. We still haven’t ventured past 4k rpm (break-in), but just wow. The LT4 @ 2500rpm feels about as stout as my SS at full song. The gearing is also just insane. The ZL1-1LE at 80mph in 6th gear is turning 2500rpm…. Downshifting is NEVER required for any passing maneuvers. I can’t wait to experience this gearbox on track, it was the biggest surprise for me. Drops from shifts are like 500-700rpm. 1st and 2nd gear are longer than the SS, but 3-6 are just stacked on top of each other thereafter. Clutch/shifter feels exactly the same as my SS
• The tires do not like sub 50f temps, there is no rear grip in 1-3 gears at these temps (mid-low 40’s). They aren’t crazy noisy on the interstate, we did hit some rain and thankfully they didn’t hydroplane. The G3R’s look and feel a lot like Trofeo R’s, much more aggressive than any other 100 treadwear tire I’ve driven on the street. I’ll reserve judgement until next month when we have our first track outing.
• Interior is very familiar but great. The 2ss/ZL1 trim makes for a nicer cabin feel with the additional alcantara, and the heated/cooled seats work very well. The red stitching and belts are a cool touch. The Bose stereo is much better than our cars.
Overall, Dad and I are both completely blown away by the ZL1 and he is ecstatic with his purchase. It will see daily use for the next couple weeks as we try and put break-in mile on it prior to use at VIR later this month. I’ll post some additional thoughts after driving it at VIR next month back to back with my SS 1LE. Also, important to note… after driving from Iowa in the ZL1, I was worried my car might feel a bit soft and slow. My concern was quickly assuaged, the SS 1LE still feels like a monster…. Just not the biggest monster in the family now!
Here are some pics:

[Dave-ROR]

Great pics. Love the car, out of my price range

[ZL1 1LE]

Congrats to you both!

[waterman]

Awesome post! Great detail, appreciated.

I am so blessed in this life to have shared a "performance infatuation " with my Dad and my late Grandfather that I in turn, have shared with my sons.

Enjoy the cars, especially lovingly maintaining and prepping them together.

I'm chomping at the bit, can't wait!

[Cgocifer]

Wow! Bet that Mini felt like climing into a hole to hide... hahaha

[TrackClub]

Congrats Provoste and Family!
Can't wait to read your report from VIR and watch the vids. Almost makes me think of jumping on a plane for a visit to score a ride at the track. But fortunately, I am way too far West for the winter season lol Enjoy and have bags of fun!
PS So ZL1 1LE has its own gearing ratios, eh?

[glamcem]

Congrats, both cars look great! I would love to have that suspension setup on my 1LE Someday maybe.. that with some weight reduction in my to do list

[vicm251]

awesome!! I love the zl1 1le !!!!!!

[mjk3888]

NICE!!!! Very much looking forward to hearing your track reviews!

[Mr. Wyndham]

Awesome Review!!

[RXtacy]

Originally Posted by Provoste

Ok guys, so I’m from a family of car nuts… and my dad, the car nut patriarch sold his ’16 Porsche GT4 last month and purchased a ZL1 1LE this past week.

Congrats to your dad! I'm sure you weren't too sad about it either. Unless he starts laying down quicker lap times

Overall, Dad and I are both completely blown away by the ZL1 and he is ecstatic with his purchase. It will see daily use for the next couple weeks as we try and put break-in mile on it prior to use at VIR later this month. I’ll post some additional thoughts after driving it at VIR next month back to back with my SS 1LE. Also, important to note… after driving from Iowa in the ZL1, I was worried my car might feel a bit soft and slow. My concern was quickly assuaged, the SS 1LE still feels like a monster…. Just not the biggest monster in the family now!
Here are some pics:

When is this event? It might be worth the drive down just to hang out and maybe score a ride!

[Provoste]

Originally Posted by Cgocifer

Wow! Bet that Mini felt like climing into a hole to hide... hahaha

Ha! Good call.

Originally Posted by waterman

Awesome post! Great detail, appreciated.

I am so blessed in this life to have shared a "performance infatuation " with my Dad and my late Grandfather that I in turn, have shared with my sons.

Enjoy the cars, especially lovingly maintaining and prepping them together.

I'm chomping at the bit, can't wait!

Yeah its something special. My dad, my oldest brother and I are all car/track nuts. Its fun to have a passion we all share and experience together.

Originally Posted by TrackClub

Congrats Provoste and Family!
Can't wait to read your report from VIR and watch the vids. Almost makes me think of jumping on a plane for a visit to score a ride at the track. But fortunately, I am way too far West for the winter season lol Enjoy and have bags of fun!
PS So ZL1 1LE has its own gearing ratios, eh?

Thanks! VIR should be one of the more epic track events I've done in recent years. Hopefully the weather cooperates. 6th gear is unique to the ZL1-1LE, I think thats it. I'll let ZL1-1LE experts chime in, I've read up but am still learning.

Originally Posted by ZL1 1LE

Congrats to you both!

Originally Posted by RXtacy

Congrats to your dad! I'm sure you weren't too sad about it either. Unless he starts laying down quicker lap times



When is this event? It might be worth the drive down just to hang out and maybe score a ride!

Ha, dad had better be quicker in the ZL1 if I'm on RE71R's! It might be more of a fair(er) fight if I'm on P-Zero DH's. The event is 11/17-11/19 with Carolina's PCA. Dad, me, my older brother, and a close family friend are all attending. We'll have: the Zl1 1LE, my SS 1LE, and our Prepped Porsche 964 C2. It's my favorite track weekend of every year! Swing down if you're able.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Provoste

Thanks! VIR should be one of the more epic track events I've done in recent years. Hopefully the weather cooperates. 6th gear is unique to the ZL1-1LE, I think thats it. I'll let ZL1-1LE experts chime in, I've read up but am still learning.

6th gear is changed, like you said, and the overall diameter of the wheel/tire package is a bit smaller...so the effective ratio is changed. Otherwise, the rear end, and gears 1-5 are the same as ZL1 M6.

[RXtacy]

Originally Posted by Provoste

Ha, dad had better be quicker in the ZL1 if I'm on RE71R's! It might be more of a fair(er) fight if I'm on P-Zero DH's.

True, doesn't mean you have to be happy about it though

The event is 11/17-11/19 with Carolina's PCA. Dad, me, my older brother, and a close family friend are all attending. We'll have: the Zl1 1LE, my SS 1LE, and our Prepped Porsche 964 C2. It's my favorite track weekend of every year! Swing down if you're able.

Just looked it up. Damn that's a good price! I'm actually kinda glad the lower run groups are sold out. Saves me the heartache of trying to swing another day in this year!

If the calendar works out I'll definitely try and swing down to hang out though.