Camaro's Most Powerful Muscle Car: The 2017 Camaro ZL1

Later this year, Camaro will be adding a new ZL1 performance package to their 2017 lineup. Being held out of the lineup for 2016, Camaro plans on making up for its absence with a 2017 Camaro ZL1 that can take care of business on every level - from power and performance to style and comfort.

The 2017 Camaro ZL1 will come equipped with the supercharged motor that the Corvette ZO6 is currently using. This will boost the horsepower from the 580 horses the 2016 Camaro ZL1 produced to 640 horses for 2017. The badass 6.2-liter motor will come connected to either a six-speed manual transmission or a ten-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifting abilities.

No need to worry about peeling out before fishtailing into a tree as the Camaro's power is converted back to an electronic limited-slip differential with an adjustable performance traction management system. Although if it is a burnout that you are out looking to do you can always turn that bad boy off and go crazy. But if you are just looking to sprint forward in a straight line with virtually no steering responsibilities, the Camaro ZL1 traction management system will help you do just that.

As with just about all of General Motors high-end vehicles, you will receive the Magnetic Ride Control active suspension. This will without a doubt let you carve corners effortlessly on your Good Year F1 Eagle tires while comfortably seated on the inside secured to deep leather and sued-upholstery racing Recaro seats. And comfortably is always an understatement when it comes to Camaro or any GM vehicle for that matter, as all the interior creature comforts that come with all other Camaro trim models are also standard here.


Outside of obvious power, the next biggest difference you will see between the 2017 Camaro ZL1 and the other Camaros in the lineup is the appearance package. A huge front grille lets in much-needed air as a vented hood helps release the air keeping the front-end of the Camaro down at high speeds. Wider side skirts and a bigger front spliter are easily noticed along with a rear spoiler that is definitely needed to help keep the vehicle planted when hitting corners at the road course.

No price tag has been yet announced for the 2017 Camaro ZL1, but one would have to imagine it will be a little bit more than the original price tag on the 2015 Camaro ZL1 which came in at $57,000.00.

Chevrolet Tries to Prevent New Camaro Z/28 Cloning By Restricting Specific Parts

So the word is out, with the successful completion of selling out the 2014 Z/28s so fast, rumors sparked that Chevrolet would up the ante for 2015 and produce 2,500 Z/28s. That is no longer a rumor, there will be a total of 2,500 Z/28s built for 2015 as opposed to the 500 built for the 2014 year.

But more interesting than the limited edition Z/28 selling out so fast, to help keep the rarity of the Z/28s exclusive to the owners who actually shelled out the $75,000.00 for the Camaro, Chevrolet has made a move to prevent the cloning of a Z/28 by restricting the sale of certain parts.

Raging from high-performance parts to cosmetic, Chevrolet sent a list of 35 different parts to dealers that make up the Z/28 package and are not to be sold on the market to individuals or companies that can't prove the ownership of a Camaro Z/28.

Some of those banned parts include: the Brembo brake system and carbon-ceramic rotors, 19-inch wheels, rear differential, and rear axle, front fascia, the "flowtie" grille badge,  Recaro seats, hood scoop, fender flares, rocker panels, and rear fascia and spoiler, and the list goes on.

Now if it's the power of the Z/28 you are looking for, you can buy the power-plant in the form of a crate motor. The 505-horsepower 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 has been available since it was placed in the C6 Corvette ZO6.

It's easy to see why Chevrolet would want to put this plan into motion, but the question is just how long will this plan prevent cloning of Z/28s. They want to clone prestigious cars has been around since hot rodding its self. So even if Chevrolet won't sell these specific parts, aftermarket companies will see an even bigger market to make money. Nevertheless, no matter how many clones are out there, they can't take away from the authenticity of a real one and numbers don't lie. If you have a true Z/28, 1-of-500 or 1-of-2,500, you still have a significant piece of "Hot Rod History." 

Choose The Right Used Sports Car: 2010 Corvette ZO6 vs. 2010 Ferrari F430

To decide which one of these sports cars you can picture yourself in. First, you need to know a little bit about them. One of the biggest differences between the 2010 Corvette ZO6 and the 2010 Ferrari F430, outside of the fact that the Corvette is American-made, and the Ferrari is made in Italy, lies right in the price tag. 

You can purchase a Corvette ZO6 for just a little over $70,000. If you are looking to purchase a Ferrari 430 expect to shell out anything from around $187,000 to $217,000, that's quite a difference. So I guess the ultimate question should be is the extra 100k plus worth it to stand out in the crowd by driving an Italian-made sports car.

Here are some of the specs.

 
Corvette ZO6 
 

Weight 3175lbs
MPG City 15/Hwy 24
HP 505@6300
Torque 470@4800
Wheelbase 105.7 (in)  
Length 175.6 (in)
Width 75.9 (in)
Height 48.7 (in)

                                                                                                            

Ferrari F430  

Weight 3197lbs                            

MPG City 11/Hwy 16
HP 490@8500
Torque 342@5250
Wheelbase 105.7(in)
Length 175.6 (in)
Width 75.9 (in)
Height 48.7 (in) 

          
                                                                                                                                                                    
So here are some of the specs for both cars, as you can see they are pretty well matched. The Corvette gets a little bit more horsepower and a lot more torque all while getting a little better gas mileage, and in this day and age who doesn't need that.


When it comes to styling, I would have to say it is a tie. Both cars have a very aggressive sports car look and both cars have the similar recognizable curves that have been used by their respective car designers for years. 

There is one styling advantage that the Corvette has over the Ferrari, and that is you will have more exterior colors to choose from when choosing your color. 

The reason is probably that when you buy a Ferrari, I don't know why anyone would want any other color than the famous bright red that Ferrari is best known for. Since its company’s existence, red has always been it, although the yellow is pretty flattering. 

The interior is also another toss-up as both cars have top-of-the-line everything and is said to make anyone feel like they’re in an extremely comfortable race car. One option that the Ferrari has that the Corvette does not offer is the manual paddle-shifting on the steering wheel. With it only taking 150 milliseconds for the Ferrari to change gears, I can imagine that someone could have a lot of fun in one of these cars.

In the end, with a price tag that is much more reasonable and with more horsepower, torque, and a top speed of 195 mph, I would have to say, I would rather own the American-made Corvette, especially when thinking about these important points. 

If you live in the U.S., you are probably never too far away from a dealership where you can order, purchase and pick up a ZO6. When it comes to Ferrari, it will not be that easy, in fact, you might even have to tack on a little more to the price tag for delivery. 

Also, like any car, cars need maintenance and even sometimes need replacement parts, but have fun finding an affordable qualified technician to work on your Ferrari. 

Even living overseas in a country known for building exotic cars, dealerships will still not be a dime a dozen. The point is, getting maintenance done on your Ferrari or any other exotic car will always be a little bit on the expensive side, and probably a bit of a hassle.