[vj123]

2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Likes:

• LT4 small block engine.
• Magnetic ride control.
• Old school design and technology.
• Active exhaust and Supercharger whine.
• Ride and handling change with driving modes.
• Driver engagement and road / steering feedback.
• Value for money, even after $4k MSRP increase for MY23.

Dislikes:

• Lack of DCT.
• Visibility.
• Rear seat usability.
• Storage within the cabin.

ZL1 specification:

• Horsepower: 650 hp @ 6400 rpm
• Torque: 650 lb.-ft. @ 3600 rpm
• Engine: 6.2L LT4 supercharged V8
• Bore and Stroke: 103.25 mm x 92.00 mm
• Compression Ratio: 10:1
• Redline: 6600 rpm
• Axle Ratio: 2.85:1
• 0 to 60 mph: 3.5 seconds
• Quarter Mile: 11.4 seconds @ 127 mph
• Skid Pad: 1.02 g
• Top Speed: 198 mph
• Braking Distance 60 to 0 mph: 107 ft.
• Estimated Fuel Economy: 13 city/21 highway/16 combined mpg
• Curb Weight: 3,938 lbs.
• Weight Distribution (F/R): 54/46

Part 1: Search

Part 2: Order

Part 3: Buying experience

Part 4: Initial impression

[vj123]

Part 1: Search

Criteria:

• V8 engine, but would look into V6 as well.
• RWD vehicle and overall driver engagement.
• Prefer a new one, but preowned would be fine.
• Having rear seats might be a plus but not required.

Most German options were considered before my M3 purchase, so i focused on the options from American OEMs this time. While vetting cars before my M3 purchase, i was only considering sedans but i also considered coupes this time as i will be the only one present in vehicle for most of the time. Corvette or Porsche might be the most obvious choice, but i wasn't ready for either of them.

Vehicle being replaced

I started the search last fall after selling my 2022 G80 M3. Ownership review - (2022 BMW M3 Competition | Factory order & Ownership review).

Eliminated after initial consideration

BMW M2cs (preowned):
I found a low mileage, well maintained, single owner F87 M2cs which was in a great condition. It had Akrapovič exhaust and full ppf which were a big plus as well. Since the used car market was cooling down, dealer had reduced the list price by $10k within a few months. They were selling it as a consignment and told me that the owner was motivated to sell the vehicle with more price reduction as well. Since i might used this vehicle as a DD, i wasnt sure if i would drive around without worrying about adding miles on an extremely limited production vehicle (2200 produced for the whole world). Also my wife was not really happy on spending this much on a preowned M2.

Dodge HellCat:
Charger and Challenger HellCats are an amazing piece of machinery and i like Charger HellCats especially the WideBody variants. With 707 hp, they have plenty of power but i was looking at the overall performance and not just straight line acceleration. MY23 was the last production year and most dealers had ADM for their in stock or in bound inventory. In 2022, i reached out to my dealer in the DC area for a quote before buying my M3 and he offered close to 10% discount on a factory order and the same dealer was charging $5k ADM now as the production was ending this year.

Ford Mustang GT500:
When i started looking for a replacement, S550 GT500 was already towards the end of production. Vehicles incoming to dealerships were either presold or had a hefty ADM. GT500 is equipped with DCT and i am a big fan of those transmissions. Had it had been a typical market without ADM, it would have been a really close call between the ultimate versions of Mustang and Camaro.

Final shortlist

Cadillac Blackwing:

Blackwings were created and developed solely with the driver in mind (LINK). 4BW and 5BW offers the ultimate driving experience which enthusiasts are missing big time in this age where technology is overtaking driver involvement. In terms of price and size, these vehicles are slotted in between traditional segments - 4BW sits in between RS3 and M3 whereas 5BW is in between M3 and M5.

4BW: Towards the end of last year, i was able to find a few 4BW in dealer inventory which were closer my build spec. I reached out to few dealers and some of them were willing to discount the MY22 leftovers as the market was cooling down with increasing interest rates. Since i was titling towards a vehicle with a V8, i did not move forward with the 4BW. Had i had been looking for a sedan which was comparable to the M3, i would have ended up with this one.

5BW: 5BW is the best sports sedan in this market, Period. It is the only sedan in the market which has a V8, rwd and manual combination.

Production was / is extremely limited and people were waiting for several months just for a build allocation. Total wait time from order to delivery can be anywhere between 6 and 18 months. Between MY22 and MY23, GM increased the base MSRP by $7k and that was the first bottleneck as i was already over my budget with my build specification. Since last fall, i have been tracking MY22 inventory almost everyday and came across a MY22 vehicle in stock with a local dealership when i was in India early this year. This vehicle had several additional options compared to my build and it was still available when i stopped by the dealership the following week once i was back in Michigan. It had a minor issue and dealership was working with GM on resolving it. After a long thought process, i decided not to move forward with this particular vehicle. Had i had placed a MY22 order with my exact build spec (before ordering my M3), i would have had a 5BW in my garage a while ago.

https://youtu.be/f2p8hcYiMGE

Chevrolet Camaro:

Camaro might be the most underrated American muscle car of this generation. Mustang has its own set of followers and Stellantis marketing team has been doing a great job with Challenger (current generation is even older than the Camaros) especially after the launch of Hellcat variants. Even though Camaro SS and ZL1 are great overall products and performs exceptionally well in the track, i feel GM has not marketed the product well to the target market.

Current generation: Camaro is into its 6th generation and current platform has been in production since MY16. There is no information on GM developing the next generation and its rumored that production might cease by MY24 as the current platform will already enter into ninth production year. Days after i bought mine, GM announced that they will be ceasing Camaro production in another 10 months (LINK).

V8 options: Camaros is offered in eight different variants and four of them comes with a V8. Even though the V8 variants look very similar on paper, they are very different in real life especially the overall driving character. If you compare them with Porsche's 911 lineup, it can be equated to Carrera T (LT1), GTS (SS 1LE), GT3 Touring (ZL1) and GT3RS (ZL1 1LE).

LT1: Base V8 trim with 455HP. All trims (expect ZL1) received a front fascia (mid cycle) update in 2019 and this one looks the worst. I did not consider this trim during my search.

SS 1LE: SS has the same engine as the LT1 but adds several performance, visual and feature upgrades. Mid cycle exterior upgrade on this variant isnt that bad as the LT1. 1LE Track package which cost $7k adds several performance goodies - Dual mode exhaust, Magnetic ride control, Brembo calipers in front & rear, Electronic limited slip differential, Performance tuned suspension, Recaro seats, to name a few. This variant offered the best value for money.

ZL1: It has the renowned LT4 small block engine (supercharged V8) developing 650HP. Its a real power house which offers a great balance between performance and everyday livability. This trim has the same powertrain as the 5BW.

ZL1 1LE: ZL1 with 1LE Extreme Track pack is a track monster which can put supercars twice its price into shame. $7.5k Extreme Track package adds Performance suspension with DSSV dampers (totally different suspension than a ZL1) and several visual upgrades. I have a friend who has one and the occupants can feel every road imperfection, even a minor one. I dont mind have a stiffer ride but this might be a little overboard for a DD. Also the big wing might being too much attention at work and other places.

After going over the pros and cons of all V8 trims for a while, i decided to move forward with the ZL1.

[vj123]

Part 2: Order

Allocation:

GM was not manufacturing enough ZL1s and it was extremely hard to get a build allocation as most dealers had a waitlist. Here are the worldwide production numbers since 2019.

Once i decided to get a ZL1, i started calling dealers in Michigan and other states to understand the waitlist for their future allocations. After talking to almost 20 dealers, i decided to place order with 3 dealers based on the waitlist position and comfort level with the sales person.

Dealer #1 - Waitlist position 1 with a medium sized dealer.
Dealer #2 - Waitlist position 15 with a high volume dealer.
Dealer #3 - Waitlist position 1 with a medium sized dealer.

I followed up with my dealer contacts once in a while regarding the allocation status and there wasn't any progress with all three orders after 4 months. So i started calling dealers who had incoming vehicles similar to my build and spoke to more than 25 dealers across the country. Either the vehicle was ordered by another customer or the dealer was asking for a ADM (Additional Dealer Markup) over the MSRP.

GM would typically release their dealer build allocations on thursdays and the build specification has to be finalized before the following tuesday. By mid of Feb, i got an email from dealer #2 that they have received few ZL1 allocations and my order would be accepted by the following week. Not sure how i got this allocation when 14 people were in front for me. I think people either would have decided not to move forward with their order due to personal reasons or have an option on their build which was on production constrain. 1LE option on ZL1s was on production constrain due to carbon fiber availability since last fall and GM is hardly building anything. People who had specced that option in their build never got accepted and here is the constrain summary for a build week in March.

Build specification:

Exterior: I loved the Rapid blue shade on a ZL1 1LE especially with the black contrasts in the exterior. Since i was ordering the ZL1, I wanted to go with a darker shade as i felt this suited the overall personality of the vehicle. My top choices were Black and Riverside blue. I like black color in general and decided to move forward with that shade. I did not add any additional carbon fiber bits as it might delay the production and it also felt it muted with black exterior.

Interior: I added red seatbelts as it would brighten the interior. Carbon fiber options were skipped to avoid any unexpected production delays.

Others: ZL1 don’t have a lot of standalone options or packages as most features were standard on this variant. PDR (Performance Data Recorder) was the only option which i was contemplating since i placed my order. This feature was an integrated onboard camera system in the windshield and it was developed by Cosworth which allows the user to record a high definition video of their driving experiences with the option to add a telemetry overlay on top of the footage. Its a great options for someone who tracks their vehicle but i wasnt going to track this vehicle regularly and was going to use this feature like a dashcam. After several back and forth, i decided to skip this option.

[vj123]

Part 3: Buying experience

I stopped by dealer #2 by the following week as i wanted to clarify a few things with my sales person before submitting my order. During that time, i told him that i already have a loan preapproval from my Credit Union and will be using them for my auto loan. He told me that their dealership does not allow outside financing and one has to finance through the dealership. He did not communicate this to me earlier and i was not really happy about it. Dealers are allowed to mark up a certain apr percentage (based on the lender) for any auto loan and they don't have to disclose the base rate to the customer. But Credit Unions publish their base rates in their webpage and i knew exactly what i was getting. I have been a member with my Credit Union for more than a decade and i always get their base rate which has always been really competitive at any given time. Considering these things, i was not sure if i wanted to move forward with this order. This is the one of the high volume dealers in the whole country and shouldn't have any issues in selling the vehicle if i don't end up buying it as its not loaded with unusual options. Earlier when i was waiting for an allocation, my sales person contacted me on another vehicle being available as the buyer fell through in the last minute.

Found another inbound vehicle:

After submitting my order, auto loan rate kept increasing and i started calling dealers all over the country again to enquire about their inbound inventory. Few dealers had inbound ZL1s closer to my build spec in the plant awaiting shipment but i didn't want to commit to any of them until it had an ETA to the dealership as some vehicles were stuck in the plant for months due to logistic nightmares. Here is the list of dealers whom i contacted based on their incoming inventory since january.

By early march, i called a dealer who had a ZL1 closer to my build in the plant awaiting shipment. This vehicle was not loaded with options and the only thing missing from my build was the red seatbelts. Vehicle was built towards the end of Feb and didn't sit in the plant lot during adverse Michigan weather conditions. ZL1s come with extreme performance summer tires which could create minor cracks if it sat under extreme cold conditions for a while and this was a reason why GM wouldnt build a lot of them during peak winter. I spoke to a sales person and within a short time, the sales manager called me back with all necessary information. They were selling the vehicle without any ADM or mandatory addons and also would honor all applicable rebates and outside financing. I asked him to call me back once the vehicle had an ETA to the dealership.

By mid march, the sales manager called me back saying that the vehicle arrived at the dealership few hours ago. I was at the dealership couple of hours later to inspect the vehicle and also to get the purchase order with final pricing. At that point, GM system was still showing the vehicle to be in transit and things moved really quick as dealership was located less than an hour from the manufacturing plant. Vehicle had 3 miles on the clock and it was dirty as they had not completed the PDI. Once everything checked out, i told my sales person that i would think about it overnight and provide the confirmation by the following morning. I clicked below pictures when i saw the vehicle for the first time. There is a huge gap between front fender and tire as the vehicle was still in transport mode.

Next morning i called my sales person and confirmed that i want to move forward with the purchase. I processed my loan with my CU on the same day and told the dealership that i would be taking delivery by the following week as i had other commitments during the weekend and the weather was a little sketchy during the weekdays.

While i was going through my documents, i realized that the deal on first car in the US was finalized exactly a decade ago and below is one of the first pictures taken during that time. So Camaro would be the 10th vehicle purchased during 10th year anniversary which was a total coincidence.

Delivery:

My family was still in India, so i took delivery by myself. Dealer was 1.5 hours away from my house and they picked me up on the delivery day. This dealer had Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles on the same floor and i have not seen this setup in the past. My ZL1 was parked next to a CT4 Blackwing. I had a great experience with the dealer and they didn't pressurize me with any addons while signing the paperwork. Whole process took a very short time as the deal was finalized the previous week and i had all of my documents in place as well.

[vj123]

Part 4: Initial impression

I have clocked a little more than 500 miles, including the 400 mile Team BHP meet and drive which happened last weekend.

Powertrain:

ZL1 has the same powertrain as previous generation Corvette Z06 and current generation CT5 Blackwing. These engines are hand built with the engine builder's name plaque. LT4 engine is the USP for this variant and this was also the main reason i bought this vehicle. I had a V8 in my Durango RT few years back but this one is a whole different animal. I have not crossed 4k rpm as i am still within the break-in period and it has enough power reserve at any gear or rpm. Supercharger whine and active exhaust adds to the whole drama and is totally addictive. I am glad that i picked the ZL1 over the 2SS as the supercharger enhances the whole experience. Exhaust deliveries plenty of burbles and pops when the vehicle is in Track mode. It has the 10 speed automatic and i wish it had a DCT which would have perfected the whole package.

Chassis:

6th generation Camaro is based on GM's Alpha 1 chassis whereas Blackwings are based on the Alpha 2 chassis. Both chassis were developed with track performance in mind unlike a traditional muscle car. Camaro's chassis mates well with the powertrain and does not shows its weight (weighs similar to the M3). It offers plenty of road and steering feedback unlike most cars of this age. Magnetic Ride Control was initially developed as MagneRide by Delphi Automotive, an automotive supplier founded by GM. This suspension is a boon to this vehicle and its also currently used in Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Vehicle is planted at curves even at higher speeds and drives as if its on rails. This variant comes with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires - 305s on the front and 325s on the rear. These tires stick to the ground once they are warm and not once i have felt underconfident with 650 hp (i have not pushed the vehicle to its maximum limit). Four different modes (touring, sport, track and snow) offers significant changes to steering feedback, throttle response, suspension and exhaust. It has Brembo fixed calipers (6 pistons on the front and 4 pistons on the rear) which provides good amount of confidence during hard braking and the brake pedal feel is linear. Brake dust is minimal and its a significant change from the Germans vehicles which i have owned in the past.

Visibility:

This is the main reason why several people do not consider a Camaro and i was in the same exact boat last year. But one gets used to the vehicle within a few days of driving and i don't have any issues now. By adjusting the side mirrors properly, one can eliminate the blind spots and full display mirror is a game changer especially on this vehicle.

Creature Comfort:

Standard features list is pretty comprehensive for a performance vehicle and here are a key ones: Heads-up display, Dual zone climate control, Heated & cooled memory seats, Heated steering, Full display mirror, Remote start and Ambient lighting. Its doesn't have an overwhelming list of ADAS features which i prefer but the essential ones like forward collision warning, side blind zone indicator and rear cross traffic alert are useful for regular driving. Recaro seats are extremely comfortable with the perfect amount of snug and they might be one of the best i have even sat in. Audio quality from the 9 speaker Bose system has been really impressive. Even though it might be silly, i am enjoying the physical buttons for all functions in this massive infotainment screen era.

Closing thoughts:

Am i happy getting this as a replacement for the M3? Absolutely. The whole package is extremely raw (powertrain, chassis, driver feedback) and had been developed with driver & performance in mind. With Camaro production ending in 10 more months, i am happy that i am able to own this vehicle before they become extinct.

[vj123]

More pictures from the recent Team BHP meet.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage today

[gururajrv]

What a car there you have, man! You can get a German car any day in life in any country (majority of them) but these pure muscles from America are something that very few build a lust for

It looks eye-smackingly good in all the pictures. That black looks gangster! Have a million safe miles with this beast!

[jeevadeepan]

Congratulations on the ZL1. Camaro has been one of the best looking muscle cars. And the current generation with its aggressive stance has the best design IMO. I haven’t driven one yet. But I get that it must be a blast to drive from your words and the countless rave reviews out there. They all echo your experience that it’s more of a sorts car than a muscle car. Especially in the ZL1 guise. I’m glad that Camaro is going for the raw and pure driving experience that’s missing from most modern cars. Though yours has the 10 speed auto, kudos to GM for still offering the 6 speed manual on such a high output engine. Agree with you in the ADAS on this car. This is a driver’s car that’s supposed to connect with the person and provide an engaged experience.

Thank your for sharing your complete searching and buying experience. And also the initial impressions. That’s a lot of valuable information. Wish you a happy ownership experience. Drive safe and have fun!

[vj123]

Originally Posted by GTO

Going to our homepage today

Thank you GTO!

Originally Posted by gururajrv

What a car there you have, man! You can get a German car any day in life in any country (majority of them) but these pure muscles from America are something that very few build a lust for

Thank you, glad you enjoyed the pictures. Most of my vehicles have been from German OEMs and the first true American vehicle was definitely worth the wait. Even though i had a Durango in the past, i wouldnt call it to be an American as Daimler owned Chrysler while developing that platform and it shares plenty of components with GLS.

Originally Posted by jeevadeepan

Congratulations on the ZL1. Camaro has been one of the best looking muscle cars. And the current generation with its aggressive stance has the best design IMO. I haven’t driven one yet. But I get that it must be a blast to drive from your words and the countless rave reviews out there. They all echo your experience that it’s more of a sorts car than a muscle car.

Thank you! Initially i was skeptical about the reviews but i can totally relate after spending time with one.

Originally Posted by jeevadeepan

But I get that it must be a blast to drive from your words and the countless rave reviews out there. They all echo your experience that it’s more of a sorts car than a muscle car. Especially in the ZL1 guise. I’m glad that Camaro is going for the raw and pure driving experience that’s missing from most modern cars.

While most people prefer the latest & greatest, i feel this platform has aged well and still very competitive after being into production for almost 9 years.

Originally Posted by jeevadeepan

Though yours has the 10 speed auto, kudos to GM for still offering the 6 speed manual on such a high output engine. Agree with you in the ADAS on this car. This is a driver’s car that’s supposed to connect with the person and provide an engaged experience.

Manual in this vehicle would be a blast. I wish i got a manual and also saved almost $2.5k but i couldnt get one due to other issues.

Originally Posted by jeevadeepan

Thank your for sharing your complete searching and buying experience. And also the initial impressions. That’s a lot of valuable information.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the review.

[thecarguy]

Congratulations on acquiring the Camaro ZL1. GM have really moved the muscle car game from straight line monsters to track focused precise and connected machines.

Given your extreme praise of the CT5-V Blackwing, I think sooner than later it might find its way in your garage.

Can’t wait to see it in person!

[DriverNo.420]

Congrats! Enjoy this fire breathing and gas guzzling monster of a car as these NA V8s are going to be a rare breed moving forward with the direction this world is headed into.

I can't help but lust over the muscular pure black sight of this Camaro. That Challenger looks mighty fine too

[ExplorerXIII]

Once you take out V8, the Camaro maintains its' uncanny resemblance 90s rental car fleet from GM. In that sense the cars stays true to it's family roots.

[vj123]

Originally Posted by thecarguy

Congratulations on acquiring the Camaro ZL1. GM have really moved the muscle car game from straight line monsters to track focused precise and connected machines.

Can’t wait to see it in person!

Thank you! Looking forward to meet you again in one of the upcoming meets.

Originally Posted by thecarguy

Given your extreme praise of the CT5-V Blackwing, I think sooner than later it might find its way in your garage.

Lol, i wish.

Originally Posted by DriverNo.420

Congrats! Enjoy this fire breathing and gas guzzling monster of a car as these NA V8s are going to be a rare breed moving forward with the direction this world is headed into.

I can't help but lust over the muscular pure black sight of this Camaro. That Challenger looks mighty fine too

Thank you. It was a sight to see both of them together in our last meet.

Originally Posted by ExplorerXIII

Once you take out V8, the Camaro maintains its' uncanny resemblance 90s rental car fleet from GM. In that sense the cars stays true to it's family roots.

Not standing out at least with respect to looks is a major plus for most people unless one is interested in buying a supercar. Also that's the reason almost every mainstream OEM take their base model (so called rental) and develop it as one of their legendary vehicles of all time. A classic example is the Focus RS (looks very similar to the base Focus) which can be perceived as a rental car and this list goes on & on.

[absolutpowers]

Not to thread crap. Here is my CT5 V Blackwing (all carbon fiber and the 6MT). I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been able to get one in late 2021. Plan to keep it forever!