2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE “Extreme Track Package” Details Unveiled
The ZL1 1LE is the most hardcore Camaro yet, and we have the details.
We all knew it was coming: the Camaro ZL1 1LE. Take the most powerful Camaro ever, the 650 horsepower ZL1, and add even more hardcore track day-inspired suspension parts to make the ZL1 1LE. Chevrolet has finally pulled back the veil of secrecy from all of the details on the car.
The 650 horsepower, supercharged 6.2L LT4 V8 engine is unchanged from the regular ZL1. It has 650 horsepower, how much more do you really need to “win” the track day? No, what makes the latest 1LE special is in the chassis setup. As per Chevrolet:
- Downforce-producing aero: Unique features include a carbon fiber rear wing, specific air deflectors and dive planes on the front fascia that produce grip-generating downforce to help the car stick harder and drive faster in turns.
- Adjustable suspension: Racing-derived, lightweight Multimatic DSSV® (Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve) dampers front and rear offer exceptional wheel and vehicle control. The front-end ride height is adjustable, along with the caster geometry. The rear stabilizer bar also offers three-way adjustability.
- Wheels and tires: New, specific lightweight forged aluminum wheels are an inch wider but an inch smaller in diameter, front and rear, than standard ZL1 wheels and are used with new Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R tires that deliver max lateral grip of 1.10g. The overall footprint grows approximately 10 percent over the ZL1, but the wheel-and-tire package weighs about 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) less per corner.
- Lighter weight: The lighter wheels and dampers, along with thinner rear glass and a fixed-back rear seat, contribute to an approximately 60-pound (27 kg) lower curb weight than a standard ZL1 Coupe.
The suspension alone is worth the $7,500.
Those DSSV dampers pack way more tech than any coil-over kit on the market for the same money. Adjustable ride height is great for bumpier tracks, as well as street driving. Caster adjustment will change the ZL1 1LE’s dynamic camber curve, or make it track arrow straight on the drive home from the track. The adjustable rear sway bar is the icing on the cake. Want a devilishly neutral turn in? Crank up the bar to max stiff for knife-edge driving. Want a more approachable handling balance? Dial down the bar to the softer setting and improve corner exit traction.
You may be wondering how much all of this costs.
By ticking the box for order code A1Z, the “1LE Extreme Track Package” adds $7,500 to to the base price of the regular ZL1. Your grand total is $69,995, including the $995 destination charge. That is some $5,000 less than the fifth generation track day special Z/28. This, the ZL1 1LE, is the spiritual successor to that car. Keep in mind, this car weighs less, has 145 more horsepower, more grip, more aero. It’s really more of everything, except for where it isn’t, and that’s a damn good thing.
The 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE hits dealer showrooms this Summer. We can’t wait to drive one.
