The fifth generation Chevrolet Camaro has been, without a doubt, a success. Just like its predecessors, the current bow-tie pony car has what it takes both under the hood and in its suspenders to be a serious contender on and off the track. Even still, GM will never be truly satisfied with just a few versions of their muscle car so the hot-rod gearheads otherwise known as Camaro engineers figured one more couldn’t hurt. A variety of key upgrades have turned the latest Camaro package into something that actually might be significant as for under $40,000, a 2013 1LE driver can hit levels of g forces usually reserved for rollercoasters.
“The Camaro 1LE combines the best elements of the SS and ZL1 to take road-racing performance to a whole new level,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. Like the supercar killing ZL1, the 1LE receives an electric power steering rack, an available dual-mode exhaust and air-to-liquid transmission cooler. Unlike the supercharged monster, the latest package won’t cost more than a small house but instead, it will start under the $40,000 mark. This is due to the car’s lower output but still potent 6.2 liter, 426 horsepower V8 found under special, matte black hood. Putting its power to the ground will be an exclusive and only-availabe six speed manual transmission. Built by Tremec, the TR6060-MM6 features close ratios tuned specifically for track use which get mitigated by a 3.91:1 final drive ratio. With its grippy, 285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires, a full 1 g of lateral acceleration can be had.
Straight line speed is one Camaro strong point, but the 1LE’s main purpose in life will be track racing. Chevrolet is currently in the process of getting the car approved for SCCA Touring Class competition. In order to make sure it can distort faces while hitting apexes, Chevy engineers fitted the package with 27 mm front and 28 mm rear anti-roll bars, high-capacity rear axle half shafts, a strut tower brace as well as ZL1 borrowed 20 inch wheels, wheel bearings, toe links, rear shock mounts, and high-flow fuel pump. All of these improvements add up to a sub-three second lap time at the challenging Virginia International Raceway’s Grand Course. “That the 1LE breaks the three-minute lap at VIR puts it in the upper echelon of performance cars. That it starts under $40,000 makes the Camaro 1LE one of the most affordable, most capable track-day cars offered by any manufacturer,” said Oppenheiser.
Source: Chevrolet
