Camaro ZL1

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sports car was first built in 1969 as a race car. Standard Camaros could be purchased by dealers, as could custom cars. The purpose of the custom car program was not to create powerful muscle cars, but it was used that way to make the Camaro ZL1.

Camaro ZL1

The new ZL1 engine was the first aluminum block creation made by Chevy - prior engines had been fashioned from the heavier iron. The ZL1 also had aluminum heads. Fred Gibb, a Chevy dealer and professional drag racer, commissioned the Camaro ZL1 from General Motors as a race car, making the minimum purchase order of 50 vehicles.

The ZL1 engines had originally been designed for the Chevy Corvette, so they needed special modifications to fit the Camaro frame.

When the cars were delivered with the shocking (at the time) price tag of $7,200, Gibb realized he would not be able to sell all of them. Eventually, General Motors repurchased most of the cars, later reselling them to other Chevy dealerships. The price of the ZL1 engine alone was $4,160, making the Camaro ZL1 one of Chevy's most expensive cars for that period.

A major point of interest of the '69 Camaro ZL1 was that it was visually virtually indistinguishable from the standard-issue Camaros built that year. The only clue that it was much more powerful was the cowl induction hood, which was a factory modification.

The Camaro ZL1 was the one of the first muscle cars. Though its style looks boxy now, for its time it was very streamlined. The car featured front-disc brakes and a cowl induction hood. The original '69 Camaro ZL1s came with a five-year, 50,000 miles warranty and were street-legal. Even the great specs couldn't overcome the sticker price, however. Of the 69 ZL1 cars that were manufactured by Chevy in 1969, 30 were returned to the company and were not sold until the early 1970s.

The most modern version of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was released in 2012. At 3900 pounds, it was about 600 pounds heavier than its 1969 ancestor. Its sticker price is rumored to be at least $47,000.

Though the fancy engine inside the '69 model was a secret from the outside, the 2012 model advertises its specs. It features a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine and 550 horsepower. The wheels are 10 inches wide in the front and 11 inches wide in the rear, for better road control.

This powerful car can go from 0 to 60 in four seconds and 0 to 100 in under 10 seconds. This car has a newly developed driveline and power steering system, which added weight to the vehicle. Chevy compensated for this heft in the wheels and carriage. It also has four fog lights and a dome-shaped aluminum hood.

The interior of the 2012 Camaro ZL1 has more than few luxurious details. The seats, wheel, and gear shift are accented in suede. The pedals are coated in shiny metal alloys, and the headrests bear the Chevy emblem. If this review of the Camaro ZL1 doesn't have your mouth watering then nothing will.