Getting a surprise sneak preview of the 640-hp 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1?which we did recently during a General Motors media event at Spring Mountain Motorsports Resort in Pahrump, Nevada?made the hair on the back of our necks tingle. But when 1280 horsepower worth of ZL1 development mules fired up under the same roof we were sitting under, well, hearts began to palpitate. But this wasn?t a delusion from taking in too much desert sun. This was real, and we were going for a hot lap in the most powerful production Camaro ever.
Along with experiencing the ZL1?s visceral excitement at full chat, we?d also be riding shotgun with Mark Reuss, GM?s executive vice president of global product development, who joined GM president Dan Ammann in chauffeuring scribes around Spring Mountain?s track at warp speed. Highly capable wheelmen themselves, Reuss and Ammann were there to show that GM?s senior executives understand performance and encourage the technical reaches that were baked into the ZL1?s development. With many a hot lap to their credit, including visits to the Nürburgring Nordschleife, these guys know their way around a racetrack.
 
The ZL1?s supercharged, 6.2-liter LT4 V-8 sounds angry?really angry?and produced a relentless fury of noise and acceleration. Almost as impressive was that the car we rode in used the ZL1?s new optional 10-speed automatic transmission. You wouldn?t think a car with 640 lb-ft of torque would need 10 gears, but all of those ratios keep the en...