Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE updated for 2019
The Camaro ZL1 1LE has been given an automatic gearbox for the first time to make its power more accessible on long tracks and. at the same time, make it easier to drive for rookie racers.
By Divyank K. Bansal
To make the Camaro ZL1 1LE's immense power more accessible on the track, Chevrolet has given it a ten-speed automatic gearbox for 2019.
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE is, without doubt, the most serious and track-focused production-spec Camaro available on the market today. Available earlier with only a six-speed manual gearbox option, Chevrolet will now offer the ZL1 1LE with a lightning-quick ten-speed auto box (with paddle shift) from late February 2019. The engineers claim that at long tracks like the Nürburgring, the ten-speed box can help shave off several seconds from the car's previous lap times with the manual gearbox.
'This transmission is optimised for speed,' said Camaro's Chief Engineer Mark Dickens. 'With unique Track Mode calibrations and 10 gears, you are always in the perfect gear when rolling on or off the throttle. You may not be a professional race car driver, but now you can shift like one,' he added. While enthusiasts would prefer to keep things old-school with a manual option, an automatic gearbox does make the ZL1 1LE a considerable option for rookie racers.
In order to accommodate the new transmission, changes were made to electronic limited-slip differential and the performance traction management system. Existing hardware like the Multimatic DSSV (Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve) dampers have also been re-tuned for varying weight transfer figures.
While the 1LE Performance Package works with the ZL1's standard 6.2-litre LT4 supercharged V8 engine that generates 650bhp, it does get additional bits and bobs, which make it a hardcore track-oriented machine. Over the standard ZL1, the performance package adds a carbon fibre rear wing, specific air deflectors and race-spec Multimatic DSSV dampers. The 1LE also benefits from adjustable front ride-height and a three-way adjustable rear stabiliser bar.
For added grip, the ZL1 1LE gets one-inch wider forged aluminium wheels, which are shod with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R tyres. And for weight saving measures, the car makes do with thinner rear glass and a fixed-back rear seat. However, convenience features like dual-zone automatic climate control, a Bose premium audio system, heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel are still available, even with the 1LE package.
