New car news

07 October 2011 - 15:30

Video: Camaro ZL1 laps the ‘Ring

Before you pile in with shrieks of anguish about yet another Nürburgring lap time, this isn't a record-breaking run. It isn't a controversial run, and it isn't another stage in an ongoing duel.

It is simply a video of a production-spec, Commodore-based Chevy Camaro ZL1 hooning around the Green Hell in a Quite Fast time. It sounds nice. It sounds screechy.

In fact, General Motors tells us this official run around the ‘Ring is actually quite a lot faster than the old Camaro SS. And so it should be, considering "more than 30 per cent of the SS was re-engineered for the ZL1". It packs a 6.2-litre V8 with a supercharger strapped to its lungs to produce a Quite Considerable 410kW (over 65 more than the SS) and 745Nm of torque.

See pics of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

So, with such an enlarged set of vegetables underneath the bonnet, you'd expect it to comfortably eclipse the SS around the fabled tarmac-laden forest that is the Nürburgring, correct? You'd be right, except for the ‘comfortable' part.

It was nearly 40 seconds quicker than an SS. 40. Four-Zero. Fourty.

Camaro performance engineer Aaron Link said: "One of the best moments is coming through the ‘Foxhole'. The ZL1 accelerates at an unbelievable rate down through the tunnel of trees, and into a sweeping left-hand corner flat out in fifth gear.

"You have to have an extremely well-mannered, confidence-inspiring car to take any corner at 250km/h without lifting off the throttle."

Yikes. Watch the run below, and then tell us, are you tempted by one?