Video: Camaro ZL1 vs GT500 vs 1LE Hot Lapping VIR

Every year Car and Driver Magazine conducts its infamous Lightning Lap, an all-out competition for stock street cars around the demanding Virginia International Raceway (VIR), the closest thing to the Nurburgring the US can call its own.
VIR offers challenging elevation changes, tight stuff, fast stuff, long straights and everything in between in its 4.2 miles of tarmac on the Grand Course. Every year there are heated battles and this year it was the Camaro ZL1 vs. the Shelby GT500…with the new Camaro SS 1LE also thrown in the mix.
Needless to say, Chevrolet came out on top despite packing less power and weighing more than the Shelby. According to the CD results the ZL1 handled flawlessly and only got better the harder they pushed it. In stark contrast, the GT500 had trouble putting the power to the pavement. The ZL1 spanked the GT500 with a time of 2:57.5 to the GT500’s 3:00.6, a full 3.1 seconds faster. What’s more startling, the ZL1 had an average speed of 83.2 mph with a peak speed of 142.9 mph to the GT500’s average of 81.7 mph and a top crack of 147.5 mph. What does that mean? Well, the GT500 clearly has more muscle as it achieves 4.5 mph more on the back straight, but the ZL1 more than makes up for it everywhere else. In other words, it’s a better balanced car.

As for the Camaro SS 1LE, the CD staff deemed it a pleasant surprise as it lapped VIR a full 8 seconds faster than a standard SS. That’s no typo, 8 seconds quicker! According to CD the 1LE was so confidence inspiring that it was within a tenth of a second of the Ferrari 458 Italia on the challenging uphill switchbacks. In the end the 1LE suffered oversteer from worn tires that ultimately hampered it’s overall time to the tune of 3:01.5 with an average speed of 81.3 mph and a top speed of 134.9 mph. CD claimed that without worn tires it would have been a sub 3:00 car, all for under $40K. How close would it have been to its bigger brother the ZL1, we suppose we’ll never know. Nonetheless, for those who can’t afford the big ZL1, a 1LE looks to be a serious alternative.

Speaking of the ZL1, it was so fast around VIR that it was only beaten (this year) by the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Lexus LFA, both costing 4 or 5 times as much as the Camaro–Bravo Chevrolet!

Have a look at the video of the ZL1 and the 1LE and watch the other videos as well, especially the intro in case you’re unfamiliar with Lightning Lap, it’ll bring you up to speed!

Enjoy!

Here’s a link to more info on VIR: http://virnow.com/