The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Is a 650-HP, Aero-Crazy, Track-Shredding Cocktail

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To create the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, Chevy took one part Camaro ZL1, another part Camaro 1LE, and stirred. The resulting supercoupe is a delicious combination of high horsepower and raw performance.

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The ZL1 1LE plays at the opposite end of the muscle-car spectrum from the forthcoming Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, opting to clip apexes as opposed to ripping off epic quarter-mile runs. Still, the ZL1 1LE won’t be a one-trick pony car. Thanks to the rip-snorting 650-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine it shares with the standard ZL1, we expect the hard-core Camaro to hold its own at the drag strip—although the fact that Chevy plans to offer the model exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission may cost it a tenth of a second or two.

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Compared with the standard ZL1, the 1LE sheds a claimed 60 pounds, owing to thinner rear-window glass, a fixed (rather than folding) rear seatback, and lighter wheels and dampers. Additional downforce comes in the form of a massive fixed rear wing made of carbon fiber, 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 19-inch forged-aluminum wheels (11 inches wide up front, 12 inches wide in the rear) to help keep the big beast stuck to the ground. Spool-valve dampers, made famous by Formula 1 racing teams and the last-gen Z/28, sit under adjustable camber plates in front and work with a three-position-adjustable rear anti-roll bar out back. Chevy says making changes at the track will be easy enough so the car can be reverted to a more street-friendly stance for the drive home, and that includes a front end that can be lowered by 0.4 inch.

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• First Drive: 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

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• New Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Crushes Previous Car’s Nürburgring Lap Record [Video]

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• Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Full Specs, Reviews, Pricing, Photos, and More

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Besides the aforementioned aerodynamic items, the Camaro ZL1 1LE separates itself from the standard ZL1 with trim-specific smoked taillights, a black-painted hood, and a revised front fascia that ditches the ZL1’s LED driving lights to suck in more air. And in case you were wondering, yes, it has a flowtie. Unfortunately, Chevy isn’t ready to reveal pricing for the ZL1 1LE, but expect the 1LE package to add quite a few quid to the ZL1’s $ 63,435 base sticker when the model goes on sale this summer.

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