Bill Dearborn

Having blasted by a number of ZL1s at the Glen I don't share that opinion. However, it all depends on the driver. I have seen race prepped 1980s era VW Rabbits with an experienced driver outrun high dollar high HP supercars with an inexperienced driver. 400 more lbs is a lot of weight to stop and get around a corner and 200 extra HP doesn't help at all when doing that. Most of the ones I drove by were driven by lower level students while one or two were being driven by instructors. On a track like the Glen where a lot of time is spent in corners the GS has a definite advantage since the ZL1's engine doesn't have the necessary oomph to get the car up to a high enough speed on the straights to regain the advantage. There is one section of turns through the Bus Stop, Carousel and T6 where an experienced driver that knows the track can gain a 1/2 second over an experienced driver that doesn't know the track. After that they exit onto a thousand foot straight near 80 mph trying to use the extra power to make up the 1/2 second while heading into a turn that front heavy high power cars have trouble getting through. Also, remember the faster the car gets going on the straight the more braking it has to do at the next corner to slow to its max cornering speed. After 3 or 4 hard laps (4 laps is ~ 14 miles) street tires start to get hot and will get greasy hindering braking and cornering although not bothering acceleration.

Bill

Never-Enough

Cool, but the ZL1 is still an ugly *****.

Cavi

the only thing I like about the camero better than my vette is that there is a back seat which would come in handy once in awhile, but that would not be enough reason to jump ship

Bedouin

...not to mention the toll that multiple laps takes on a heavier car's tires & brakes. If both the ZL1 & GS were running the same tires, same day, I'd still bet on the GS at virtually any track, especially during the later laps.

TKgs2010

A good driver in both cars on the track the same day, I'm 100% sure the GS would win unless maybe there are some REALLY long straights to use the extra HP. That extra 700 lbs+ takes a lot more to accelerate and slow down, heats up the tires quicker and on a hot day the blower motor will lose HP due to heat soak. I've seen a good driver in a GS beat a decent driver in a ZR1, and a ZR1 will completely smoke the ZL1 Camaro.

X25

WOW, guys, you're missing important points here. Grand Sport, even if it did, only has the FIRST GENERATION F55 available, which is pretty much the same technology as what C5 Corvettes had. ZL1 does not come with the first generation, not even the second generation that comes with the Z07 and ZR1s, but the THIRD GENERATION F55 that is not even offered yet on any Corvette!

It is not the driver, it is the very compliant third gen magnetic suspension that lets ZL1 put down its power. We should also mention it also comes with PTM (but again, it is revised a bit from what Z07/ZR1 comes with). VIR has a pretty rough surface, and awards compliant suspension over stiff, which is what ZL1 excels. On a different track with better surface and/or shorter straights, GS could very well pass ZL1.

I did test drive the ZL1, and I was not that impressed. My story about it here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...and-sport.html

General comparison of Corvette against alternatives in the market:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-hpde-use.html

LFZ

Stock for Stock...ZL1 is faster than a GS...whether a road course or straight, the GS will have a tough time keeping up. ZL1 has better tires, better suspension, PTM, and more power. It is what it is...

z51vett

I had a 2011 2ss Camaro and now a 2013 2ssCamaro. The suspension setup for 2013 has changed from 2011 car feels more connected and drives and rides better not ZL1 fast but better connected to the road.
z51vett

Supersonic 427

I drove a black '13 ZL1 today with a 6 speed manual. A very impressive car with sinister looks! Very fast and nimble even though it is heavy and bulky looking. I too, still like the Corvette better though.

C6RaceCar

Where is the video?

JKbride

Trust me this is a good thing for Corvette. The last time a "Non" Corvette GM car was beating a Corvette was the 3.8T Buick GN's in the late 80's. The CEO of Buick was told to back off....which he did not and was fired....also the Corvette got faster

Here is to an even faster Corvertte

KBow_Photo

when you buying it?

KBow_Photo

Different times though especially considering both the Z06 and ZR1 woul rape the ZL1..

OnPoint

Hat tip to the ZL1.

As an owner of a Callaway GS and a ZR, I can assure folks these PD huffed LS engines are the real deal. And they will run hard on the track.

All the n/a guys can crow all they want about heat soak, but these engines deliver - lap after lap (including setting a new track record at Laguna Seca with with the ZR1).

hawkgfr

I'm guessing by Easter...

KBow_Photo

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/08/2...-review-video/

OnPoint

100+ degree temps required a cool down, then they returned to the track with no issues.

I've tracked mine numerous times. I can count on one hand the number of times I've worked them for long periods of time in ambient temps over 100 degrees.

Exactly zero.

Nor will most anybody else.

X25

From that Autoblog review just referenced (in case you did nit check it out):
NA cars are always more consistent. GM did a lot to keep the ZR1 consistent during track duty, but even then, most guys who track their ZR1 often end up upgrading their cooling.

The ZL1 gets so hot in hot-summer-regions like Texas, Arizona, etc. that many ZL1 owners reported their A/C stops working in traffic. There is a fail-safe that turns A/C off when a certain temp at the engine bay is achieved.

OnPoint

I actually did read it. And it syncs with my experience with my Callaway and my ZR.

And I noted their issues with extended run times in ambient temps above 100 degrees.

And I noted how often one actually tracks a car for extended periods of time in ambient temps above 100 degrees.

Not very damned often.

And outside those extreme conditions, they run like hell. . . lap after lap.

Now if you are intent on only running lap after lap in 100+ degree heat, then by all means, you should indeed run a NA engine. Outside of that, tho, these LS engines PD huffed do quite fine.

ParisTNDude

Agreed! However, when I took my C6 to the drag strip bone stock, it ran 12.8 at 109/110 or so and some of my Camaro5 friends were there. One obnoxious guy running headers, CAI, Tune, Axle backs and DR tires could beat me with 12.65s or so..bone stock Camaro SSs struggle to break into the 12s and most run about 13.3. When I installed the same parts on my C6, my times improved to 12.3s at 113 (no dyno tune yet, just email). My point: either stock or equally modified, my Vette is quite a bit faster.

I really liked my Camaro, but the Vette is awesome, fast and a much more enjoyable car to drive!