Extreme Value: 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Priced
You can imagine the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1[1] 1LE in relation to the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 as being analogous to the Porsche 911 GT3[2] RS compared with the Porsche 911 GT3. That is, the ZL1 1LE is about as close as it gets to owning a race car for the street. Now we know that this special model—formally known as the 1LE Extreme Track package—will set consumers back $69,995, or only $7500 more than the regular Camaro ZL1 .That money gets Z L1 buyers a host of race-ready features including high-tech spool-valve dampers[3], adjustable camber plates, and a three-position adjustable rear anti-roll bar. Extra grip comes courtesy of a giant carbon-fiber fixed rear wing, air deflectors and dive planes fitted to the car's nose, and a set of sticky summer tires—a new breed of Goodyear rubber dubbed Eagle F1 Supercar 3R—mounted on lightweight, staggered-width 19-inch forged-aluminum wheels (11 inches wide up front, 12 inches wide in the rear).
While the ZL1 1LE is motivated by the same 650-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine found in the standard ZL1, the racier model forgoes the standard car's optional 10-speed automatic transmission and instead relies solely on a shift-it-yourself six-speed manual. Thinner rear-window glass, a fixed (rather than folding) rear seatback, and lighter wheels and dampers help the 1LE shed a claimed 60 pounds compared to its more street-oriented counterpart.
The ZL1 isn't the only Camaro[4] trim to benefit from the addition of a 1LE package for the 2018 model year, either, as Chevrolet is expanding the package to higher-end Camaro SS models. Already available on the lower-level 1SS trim, the 1LE package is now available on the 2SS, which adds features such as dual-zone automatic climate control, an upgraded stereo, and an available navigation system to the mix.
Although we've yet to take a turn behind the wheel of the ZL1 1LE, we can't imagine wanting to use this monster machine as a daily driver—that's what the more comfortable ZL1 is for. However, if we had the means to have an extra track car, the ZL1 1LE seems like a reasonably inexpensive way to own a car that you can race on Sunday and, if need be, drive on Monday.
References
- ^ the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (www.caranddriver.com)
- ^ the Porsche 911 GT3 (www.caranddriver.com)
- ^ high-tech spool-valve dampers (blog.caranddriver.com)
- ^ the only Camaro (www.caranddriver.com)
