The rumors are true: The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1‘s 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine will produce a full 650 horsepower?10 more horsepower than Chevy initially estimated, and equal to what’s found under the hood of the mighty Corvette Z06. So much for hierarchical order, at least for a year until the Corvette ZR-1 sets things right with more than 700 horsepower.
In spite of the shared horsepower figures, though, Chevy isn’t betting on its most powerful Camaro beating the Z06’s performance figures. No surprise, really, given the Corvette’s role in the lineup and the Camaro’s additional girth, though Chevy claims it took 220 pounds out of the new ZL1. For what it’s worth, our long-term Camaro SS coupe tips the scales at 3718 pounds, or 188 pounds more than the last Z06 coupe we tested with a manual transmission. Regardless, expect the ZL1 to be one mighty quick pony car. Chevrolet estimates that, when it’s equipped with the optional 10-speed automatic transmission, the LT4-powered Camaro ZL1 coupe will reach 60 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds, and that it will pass the quarter-mile pole at 127 mph after 11.4 seconds. Meanwhile, Chevy says its sticky tires are expected to help the ZL1 grip the pavement at a maximum of 1.02 g. (Quick note: Such figures are subject to the testing methods and the diameter of the skidpad used; our own tests usually measure lateral grip on a 300-foot skidpad.)
Compared to a Dodge Challenger ...