The Chevy Camaro has been thrilling drivers since it premiered for the 1967 model year. This aggressive, four-passenger sports car from Chevrolet slotted in alongside the two-seat Corvette as either a muscle or a pony car—but either way, the Chevy Camaro has given drivers a chance to own a car with serious acceleration at an affordable price.
While Chevrolet recently announced that it is discontinuing the Camaro as a gasoline-powered car after the 2024 model year, this means that your best bet to get the one you want is by buying a 2023 Chevy Camaro. This may be of special importance to folks who prefer driving a front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car since the Chevy Corvette has been a mid-engine model since the 2020 redesign.
This sixth-generation Camaro comes in eight different trims, with the ZL1 providing the most performance. This makes sense since it is the top trim model with the highest MSRP of the octet. Still, if you want to get the most out of your sports car, you sometimes need to take things to the limit. While each of the trims on the 2023 Camaro offers exceptional performance and quality—which you’d expect from Chevrolet—the ZL1 model takes the checkered flag for this year’s model.
An Engine Unlike Any Other
Chevrolet has equipped the Camaro ZL1 with an incredibly powerful powertrain: a 6.2L LT4 supercharged V8 gas engine paired with a TREMEC six-speed manual transmission with Chevy’s Active Rev Match system. This provides an impressive 650 hp at 6400 RPM and 650 lb-ft of torque at 3600 RPM. The engine is cast aluminum with a cast aluminum cylinder head, and it has a single overhead camshaft configuration with two valves for each of its eight cylinders. It utilizes direct, high-pressure fuel injection to help deliver the quick acceleration you crave. This high performance is the result of Chevy implementing a 1.7L Eaton supercharger.
This engine is fast off the light. The 2023 Camaro ZL1 has been clocked, going from zero to sixty in just 3.5 seconds, and it has a top speed of 190 mph, with the stability to hold the track even on tight turns. This is evident in its ability to complete a quarter mile in just 11.5 seconds at a blistering 124 mph. In comparison, the 2023 Camaro SS trim—which is right below the ZL1—goes from zero to sixty in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 150 mph, and it needs 12.2 seconds to complete the quarter mile at 118 mph. While these are impressive numbers, they really do not compare to those of the Camaro ZL1.
For those folks who aren’t comfortable with a manual transmission, Chevy offers the 2023 Camaro ZL1 with an optional ten-speed Hydra-Matic transmission. This will make the ZL1 easier for some folks to drive, although it comes at the cost of slightly worse fuel economy in city driving, as well as less control over the engine’s performance. Still, the 2023 Camaro ZL1 with the automatic transmission delivers an impressive 21 MPG on the highway, which is slightly better than the output of the standard manual transmission. The automatic transmission also features a set of paddle shifters that allow you to emulate the performance of a manual transmission.
Looks and Features to Thrill
You can choose your 2023 Chevy Camaro ZL1 in an incredible painter’s palette of hot colors. New for the 2023 model is a Radiant Red Tintcoat—darker than Red Hot and Sharkskin Metallic while lighter and sleeker than the Shadow Gray Metallic paint. The other colors include Summit White, Black, Vivid Orange Metallic, Riverside Blue Metallic, and Rapid Blue, which is more ‘sky blue’ compared to the ‘navy’ tones of Riverside Blue.
Chevy offers an Extreme Track Performance package on the 2023 Camaro ZL1 model. This adds a satin black hood wrap and a set of low-gloss outside rearview mirrors. The hood wrap helps reduce glare while also providing an excellent offset to the exterior body color you choose on your Camaro; this gives the ZL1 a look that stands apart from the other models of the 2023 Chevy Camaro. You can even add an exposed-weave carbon-fiber hood insert, which can match the look of the standard exposed-weave carbon-fiber rear wing spoiler.
Some of the aesthetic features on the 2023 Camaro ZL1 also serve a functional purpose. The ZL1 rides on a set of 20-inch dark graphite-painted forged aluminum wheels. If you opt for the ZL1 Extreme Track Performance Package, Chevy adds a set of 19-inch low-gloss black-painted forged-aluminum wheels. These wheels carry the same two-tone look provided by the rearview mirrors, hood wrap, and spoilers. These are also designed to provide exceptional performance. Case in point, the wheels on the ZL1 come wrapped with a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar G:2 staggered summer tires; you can even see the red brake calipers through the wheels. These are a key look of the Brembo brakes that improve the stopping distance on the Camaro ZL1. The front brakes feature six pistons while the rear ones host four. You can even get an available performance copper-free brake system, which will improve the already impressive 268-foot braking distance on this car when stopping from 100 mph.
Exceptional Interior
Chevy does an excellent job of carrying the exterior looks of the 2023 Camaro ZL1 into its interior. The front seats are RECARO performance front bucket seats. Not only are they cool to look at but they provide comfort and stability with their high bolsters. These will come in handy if you want to take your ZL1 to the track to test its limits. The front seats are also heated and ventilated for added comfort on extreme weather days. There is also a set of standard alloy sport pedals that give you an exceptional feel when driving your ZL1.
The steering wheel and shift knob are covered in a suede microfiber wrapping that improves the grip, making handling easier. The steering wheel is also heated, which can come in handy on cold days. Chevy has given this steering wheel a flat bottom design to enhance handling—just one more feature that is beginning to become standard on many high-performance models.
Each 2023 Camaro ZL1 comes equipped with a Chevy infotainment system on an eight-inch touchscreen. This allows you to connect your smartphone or other devices using Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto—all of which are wireless, so you can leave the annoying USB cables at home. These will allow you to stay connected, making hands-free calls and texts; you can also stream your favorite apps, including ones for navigation and music. (A built-in navigation system is available should you want it.) Since the ZL1 features a Bose premium audio system, your choice of music will never sound better.
Chevy offers drivers the choice of a coupe or convertible on their 2023 Camaro ZL1. The coupe models have a nine-speaker sound system, while the convertible features seven. Either way, you and your passengers will enjoy listening to your favorite music while you cruise the roads at top speed in a 2023 Chevy Camaro ZL1.
Muscle Up in a 2023 Camaro ZL1
Regardless of whether you call it a muscle car or a pony car, the 2023 Chevy Camaro ZL1 will give an unmatched performance for a front-engine sports car. This is because Chevy has equipped the ZL1 with a supercharged V8 engine, as well as the wheels, tires, and brakes you need to enhance speed, acceleration, handling, and braking. The ZL1 comes in your choice of a coupe or convertible, depending on your taste or climate. As the Camaro comes to the end of its sixth generation, now is the best time to check out this killer cruiser.
