[KenB925]

I've been driving german (mostly BMWs, a couple Porsches, and an Audi) cars my whole life. I always have a pickup truck, and the wife has an suv, I tend to get a car keep it for a couple or three years then get rid of it (sometimes lease, sometimes not), then wait a couple of years until something interesting comes along, or I just have an 'itch'

I have wanted a 991 Turbo S for a while and I was shopping for one that is 1 to 2 years old. Two problems with that, one is cost they are still $150k to 160k (if I wasn't putting in a pool, and having major unexpected medical bills, that would be less of a concern) and I don't feel like I could drive it everyday to everywhere I have to go (job sites, customers in the construction industry).

A few months ago I was thinking about what I wanted in a car, over 600hp, a little bit obnoxious, everyday usability, back seat, and track-able. Then I started to see the ZL1 on magazine covers.

No more back story from here on

I have never been a 'pony car' guy I like corners, but after all the articles and youtube videos this car was undeniably good, so I thought I would give it a try. I am not disappointed.

I ordered the car in February, I got the 10 speed automatic because it is interesting, I got all the options (there are not many, the car is basically loaded) except sunroof, because I need the headroom and it ruins the lines on the roof.

I have had it for a week now, I did a little road trip, 200 miles each way, a little back road running around, and a some on-ramp blasts.

So far, I love this thing. Suspension is nice and firm, exhaust is loud when you want it to be but absolutely quiet on the highway, the transmission is awesome. In normal driving you don't feel it shift, and when you get on the gas it is quick and crisp.

Paddle shifting is quick and crisp on the back roads. I don't think you would want to bother with the paddles much past fifth gear, after that all the gears are so close together and it would be annoying, 1 through 5 are fun to flick through. It does have a feature where you hold the downshift paddle and it goes to the lowest available gear, I have played with that a little but have not quite figured it out for it to be useful.

As one would imagine the acceleration is insane, just touch the skinny pedal and the thing just takes off, passing from 40mph up is where these cars really shine.

I think GM has done a great job on the interior considering what they started with. The fact is that a base Camaro does not have the finest materials to start with. What GM did was to cover everything that you ever actually touch with alcantara, it works. You never touch the hard plastics that form the dash or door panel, everything you touch or bump is firmly padded alcantara.

Much has been said about visibility out of the car, I'm pretty picky and I don't think its that bad. The rear view is fine with the mirror, the looking over your shoulder is a waste because you can't see anything out of the rear side windows, but it has mirrors and lane change detectors. When I am the first car at a stop light I have and to peek down to see the light a couple of times.

I plan on getting on the track this fall, that should be fun, I have not had a track worthy car in a few years.

A couple of Pics

[pgviper]

Awesome, enjoy!

Keeping it stock?

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by pgviper

Awesome, enjoy!

Keeping it stock?

Thanks

I think I'll stay stock, 650 hp is enough, I don't want to mess with the exhaust and make it unpleasant on the highway, and with the NPP it can be plenty loud for my taste.

[Vigilante375]

Even if you do decide to mod the exhaust, I'd just get a set of headers and leave the rest stock.

You're going to really enjoy the car. Its really a beast on the track in stock form.

[swanson]

Congrats. Love the new ZL1.

[FutureHendr1x]

wow nice car man enjoy it

[skyline408]

Nice car. Seems like Chevy put together a nice package. Did you cross shop with a GT350?

[KenB925]

Thanks everybody.

Originally Posted by skyline408

Nice car. Seems like Chevy put together a nice package. Did you cross shop with a GT350?

I was excited about the GT350 when it first came out, and I love the fact that ford put that engine into production. I test drove a GT (there were no GT350s to be seen, let alone test drive) and it didn't do 'it' for me, i think it's a good looking car but I didn't 'have to have one' it not a Ford Chevy thing, i currently have a Raptor and this is my first Chevy of any kind (not including wife's escalade).

Edit: I know the GT and GT350 are very different, but something about the platform didn't work for me.

This car just came along and checked all the boxes this time.

[R3dliner]

Didn't realize how fast those were until I saw one in person. Exhaust sounds good.
Seems like Euro and Japanese cars are falling off the purist band wagon and domestic are slowly creeping in. Enjoy OP!

[sygazelle]

Nice.

[David70]

Looks good!

I can imagine 650 hp is enough and no need to modify.

[My13M6]

Congrats!
that was my first choice but, then I went and got the M6 F13.
Still a beautiful car.
Enjoy it

[skyline408]

Originally Posted by KenB925

Thanks everybody.



I was excited about the GT350 when it first came out, and I love the fact that ford put that engine into production. I test drove a GT (there were no GT350s to be seen, let alone test drive) and it didn't do 'it' for me, i think it's a good looking car but I didn't 'have to have one' it not a Ford Chevy thing, i currently have a Raptor and this is my first Chevy of any kind (not including wife's escalade).

Edit: I know the GT and GT350 are very different, but something about the platform didn't work for me.

This car just came along and checked all the boxes this time.

Totally get it! Enjoy the new car!

[9krpmrx8]

Congrats, glad you are enjoying it.

[wjones14]

Sweet! Great car, and they're few and far between.

Did you cross-shop at all with the C7? True, the Vette doesn't have a back seat and you said you needed one, but the ZL1 doesn't really have a back seat when you get right down to it... The base Corvette is less horsepower, but also less weight, so I wonder how they compare performance-wise?

[The Choosey begger]

Hopefully it doesn't overheat after 15 mins of track use like the Z06.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/corvet...ium=socialflow

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by wjones14

Sweet! Great car, and they're few and far between.

Did you cross-shop at all with the C7? True, the Vette doesn't have a back seat and you said you needed one, but the ZL1 doesn't really have a back seat when you get right down to it... The base Corvette is less horsepower, but also less weight, so I wonder how they compare performance-wise?

Very briefly looked at the C7, but my kids are small the back seat makes it possible to have the car.

The ZL1 compares favorably to the GranSport, according to motor trend

[KenB925]

Originally Posted by anglo

Hopefully it doesn't overheat after 15 mins of track use like the Z06.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/corvet...ium=socialflow

That has been addressed, they revised the cooling system for the ZL1 compared to the Z06.

Nobody on the forums that I have read have had any problems.

[9krpmrx8]

Originally Posted by anglo

Hopefully it doesn't overheat after 15 mins of track use like the Z06.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/corvet...ium=socialflow

[David70]

Originally Posted by anglo

Hopefully it doesn't overheat after 15 mins of track use like the Z06.

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/corvet...ium=socialflow

Fixed for 2017 - http://autoweek.com/article/car-news...ight-be-solved

If you throw your Chevrolet Corvette Z06 around on a racetrack, you might be one of the drivers who has experienced a little overheating on the 650-hp supercharged LT4 V8 (or, if you're lucky, you've simply tripped the car into limp mode to save it from overheating). In a conversation with Motor1.com, Corvette's chief executive engineer, Tadge Juechter, said the 2017 Z06 'Vettes will have a new hood for better cooling, a different supercharger cover and modifications to the actual cooling system -- all working to help keep the Corvette cool.

[The Choosey begger]

Originally Posted by KenB925

That has been addressed, they revised the cooling system for the ZL1 compared to the Z06.

Nobody on the forums that I have read have had any problems.

Great!

[The Choosey begger]

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

No need to get saucy, The new ZL1 uses a Z06's LT4 based engine. I dont keep up with Chevys, and wasnt aware of a fix thats why i said, i hope this car doesnt experience overheating on the track...