2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1 Arrives To Take Porsche’s Lunch Money

Pity the poor supercar. Once upon a time, it was enough to stuff a 600-some-horsepower engine inside a chassis barely covered in fabric and call it a day; who cared if the radio didn’t work or the thing wouldn’t last 100,000 miles without a rebuild. Money bought power, and power brought prestige.

Today, we have the 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1, a 640-hp coupe wrapped with thoroughly modern amounts of track-tested technology. And while Chevy has chosen to play coy about speeds and stats for a bit, everything on paper says this Camaro will embarass many modern Porsche 911s for half the price.

Much as the new Camaro benefitted from the switch to General Motors’ Alpha platform, the new ZL1 sheds 200 lbs. over its beefy predecessor. The front intake grows to handle airflow for the 6.4-liter supercharged V-8, and the carbon-fiber hood inset sets it apart visually.

At 640 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque, the ZL1 barely manages to avoid stepping on the toes of the Corvette Z06. Power flows through either a six-speed rev-matching manual or General Motors first 10-speed automatic transmission—a gearbox that will inevitably find its way into most rear-wheel-drive GM products—to an electronic limited-slip differential. That axle sends its orders to 20-inch wheels wearing Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber.

Inside, there’s the usual accoutrements of drive modes and Chevy’s Performance Data Recorder for analyzing your track skills or lack thereof. Unlike the stripped-down Z28, the ZL1 still offers the full range of driving comforts, although maybe I’m alone in wondering what you do with WiFi in a Camaro. The new ZL1 goes on sale later this year, at prices to be determined; given its history, it will likely be low enough to make a few European brands wonder who has the power now.