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Want affordable American muscle, before it’s too late? Then look no further than this track slayer, the powerful ZL1 wrapped in classic style!
- The production of the Chevrolet Camaro is ending in January 2024, leading to a rush among enthusiasts to get their hands on the final models available
- With limited availability, buying a used sixth generation Camaro or opting for a fifth-generation ZL1 can be a great alternative for those who can’t get their hands on the final models.
- The fifth-gen ZL1 offers world-class performance at a relatively attainable price compared to its rivals.
The production of the Chevrolet Camaro, the American muscle car icon, is ending as we know it in January 2024. As such, Camaro enthusiasts are scrambling to get their hands on the final examples to be made available to the public. Among those exist the Panther Collector’s Edition, and the Garage 56 Edition. However, word on the street is that these are already spoken for as limited extensions of the car, or they simply are price-hiked to relatively expensive figures.
That being said, once-offered options for this final sixth generation of the car aren’t even available anymore. This includes things like the carbon fiber rear wing on the ZL1 1LE, and possibly the Performance Data Recorder, a must for many prospective buyers. It’s a wonder how a 2024 ZL1 1LE variant is still available with all this going on. Despite the fact that the car is traditionally not pushed in advertising, GM probably cannot keep up with the increased orders as is.
As such, the only option that logically remains for most is to go to the used market for these offerings. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The car will be cheaper, still could be like new as lightly operated, and it will hold its value. On top of this, the consumer will have the right of choosing from the full range of available options, while avoiding that dreaded gas guzzler tax.
Camaro fans are rushing to get the car of their dreams, and many want a piece of the pie before it’s too late. Having one of the final 2024 model sixth-gen cars is a cool conversational piece, but it isn’t the be end all in the long run. This is especially true if the car is overpriced and lacks desired options.
Chances are the average Joe or Jane isn’t going to get their hands on the Panther or Garage 56 and likely will have to settle with whatever they can get or afford. For these reasons, a used sixth-gen is a great consideration, for a cheaper example with all the possible options to boot. Nevertheless, there remains another alternative of merit, that being the fifth-generation ZL1.
Fifth Gen ZL1 Vs. Sixth Gen ZL1
| 2012-2015 ZL1 Specs | 2017-2023 ZL1 Specs | |
| Engine | 6.2 Liter V-8 Supercharged LSA | 6.2 Liter V-8 Supercharged LT4 |
| Engine Output | 580 horsepower; 556 pound-feet of torque | 650 horsepower; 650 pound-feet of torque |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual; six-speed automatic | Six-speed manual; 10-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | 14 city, 19 hwy, 16 combined (manual) premium fuel | 14 city, 20 hwy, 16 combined (manual) premium fuel |
| Curb Weight | 4,120 pounds (coupe) | 3,886 pounds (coupe) |
| Starting MSRP | $56,295 | $72,195 (1LE) |
If you want a muscle car, the general feeling is a rear-wheel drive V-8 coupe with a manual transmission. This takes options like the current GT500 off the table for some people, which despite being the mightiest Mustang ever in normal production, comes with an automatic only. One could definitely opt for an SS model in the sixth-gen, a Camaro that still comes with the 1LE track package, which on paper compares favorably to a fifth-gen ZL1. The Alpha platform of the current gen is lighter than its predecessor’s Zeta chassis.
However, if one wants a no-compromise car, the option has to be the zenith variant, meaning the most powerful and capable mass-production car ever offered. Quite simply, this is the ZL1 in either of these two final generations as far as the Camaro is concerned. Not even the fifth-gen Z/28, with its naturally aspirated LS7, is as capable or well-rounded as the ZL1.
Undoubtedly the fifth-gen ZL1 was a game changer, garnering its name from the famed original, this was a track-ready car out of the box. Aside from sixth gen differences of more power; lighter weight; the 1LE option; and a 10-speed auto, the first modern ZL1 should not be so easily dismissed as a cheaper, but very capable alternative.
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