Camaro ZL1 revealed in Chicago

The 2012 Camaro ZL1. Photo credit auto123.com. 

As you may know, my stance on the muscle cars of today is that they simply can't compare to the muscle cars of the past, at least from a coolness perspective. Even so, I am perfectly willing to give credit where credit is due and in this case Chevrolet may deserve some praise.

Even though they have recently decided to be finicky about whether or not their employees are allowed to call them chevy or not, they have also managed to find some time while dealing with such trivial matters to build the new Camaro ZL1.



Now you may remember the old ZL1, of which only 69 were ever made. It was a drag racing machine, built with a 500 horsepower engine. And that was back in 1969! 500 hp is still a lot of power now!

So how powerful is this: the most powerful Camaro to date? With its 6.2 L supercharged V8 engine it produces 550 horsepower and 550lb ft of torque (see full info here). Those are extremely similar numbers to those of the new Shelby GT500 (550 hp, 510lb ft ford.ca).

Let the Camaro/Mustang races of old recommence.

The ZL1 has a 6-speed manual transmission with a short-shifter for quicker shift times, an aluminium hood to save weight, Brembo brakes, and magnetic ride suspension, which means each damper can adjust more precisely to the road in an effort to give a smooth, but sporty ride.

It also has some nice gadgetry inside with a Boston Acoustics sound system, USB ports and bluetooth.

And all of this is set to go on sale sometime in early 2012.

So, give them credit. It may not be the same as the old ZL1, but it also isn't a waste of space and materials, and for muscle cars nowadays, that is a victory.

*specs found on Chevrolet website.