For 2012, Chevrolet brings back the legendary €ZL1€ nameplate for the Camaro. The new model will be the most powerful Camaro in the muscle car’s history.
Back in the late 1960’s Chevrolet designed a new 427 cubic inch V8 engine to be used specifically for racing in the Corvette. Whether it was a group of engineers or the management at GM, a few of the high powered 427 V8s found their way into a few 1969 Camaros. The muscle cars were never put into normal production but the all aluminum big block engine spun the rear Camaro wheels like no tomorrow.
During the 1960’s customers ordered custom Chevrolets from dealerships using a COPO (Central Office Production Order) system. The system as used to option cars with everything from different colors to forged wheels. A few dealerships figured out that the system could be used to order powerful drivetrains. So, in 1969 an Illinois based dealership ordered 50 Camaros with the ZL1 racing engine. The light engine was built and designed for racing and reduced the overall weight by 100 pounds, and sent approximately 500 horses to the rear Camaro wheels.
A total of 69 ZL1 powered Camaros were produced and were sold with a $4,200 engine upgrade package. Although the price of the muscle car was essentially doubled, it is one of the most sought after models today thanks to the low production numbers and racing engine.
For 2012, Chevrolet announced that it would bring back the ZL1 name with the new Camaro to build upon the sales success of the muscle car. The new model is set to be the most powerful Camaro ever. The ZL1 Camaro is expected to be powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 dubbed the €LSA.€ Each of the rear Camaro wheels will put down approximately 550 horsepower to the road and propel the muscle car to astonishing acceleration times.
But the ZL1 isn’t all about power. New exterior, suspension, and interior upgrades along with forged wheels are expected to be featured on the high powered sports car. The forged wheels and upgraded brakes will provide improved braking distances compared to the base model. Chevrolet will also use advanced Magnetic Ride Control to provide optimum stability and handling. A more aggressive body kit and exclusive interior refinements will ensure that the ZL1 is unmistakable.
The new 2012 Chevrolet ZL1 has not been publically unveiled. The official specifications, equipment, and price have not been released.
