When Chevy reintroduced the Camaro after an eight-year hiatus in 2010, the company did so with a V6 and V8 powertrain. However, it wasn’t long before Chevy cranked up the power with the ZL1 performance model for the 2012 model year. A supercharged LSA V8 producing 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque was standard. It was the Camaro to own at the time if pure power was a prerequisite to ownership. Chevy only offered the ZL1 until 2015 – but it wasn't gone for long. The company brought the nameplate back for 2017 riding on a new, lighter platform and offering more power, which brings us to this drag race between a 2013 Camaro ZL1 and a 2018 ZL1.
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The 2018 model packs a supercharged LT4 6.2-liter V8 engine under the hood, producing 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque – which is way more than the 2013 model. The 2018 ZL1 also has another advantage – weight. The 2013 tips the scales at least 4,120 pounds while the 2018 model weighs in at 3,883 lbs. More power and less weight are the recipe for racing dominance – at least at the drag strip.
There’s little competition in the drag race between the two ZL1s. The 2018 model gets the lead right off the starting line and never looks back – the 2013 ZL1 trails behind. The difference in performance is evident when both cross the finish line. The 2013 model completes the quarter-mile race in 12.98 seconds at 111.23 miles per hour. The 2018 beats it with a time of 11.46 seconds at 121.45 mph. That’s a sizable difference.
The 2018 ZL1’s increased horsepower and torque and lighter platform help it outperform its less powerful and heavier predecessor. The race is a testament to how far vehicles can improve in just a few short years. The 2013 model isn’t a slouch by any stretch of the imagination; however, when it's compared to the 2018 ZL1, it’s nothing but old, outdated news.
Source: Wheels via YouTube
