2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Cranks the Dyno Needle to 580 HP

Here’s the latest salvo in the perpetual power and performance war: Chevy will top Ford’s 550-hp Shelby GT500 with a husky 580-hp—SAE-certified—supercharged and intercooled 6.2-liter V-8 when the Camaro ZL1 finally hits the street early next year as a 2012 model. To compensate for Ford’s cam and valve advantage, Chevy resorted to the classic expedient of an extra 0.8-liter of displacement over the Mustang's 5.4 liters, thereby achieving the upper hand in torque: 556 lb-ft at 4200 rpm versus the GT500’s 510 lb-ft at 4250 rpm. For the record, this new LSA small-block V-8 is the highest-caliber ammo ever loaded into any production Camaro by the factory.

Chevy’s evil intent goes beyond another volley at Ford. According to Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser, the ZL1 also has supercar game in its sights. This street-legal, track-ready Camaro “has more power than a Ferrari 458 Italia, more torque than an Aston Martin DB9, and a power-to-weight ratio topping Porsche’s 911 Carrera GTS,” Oppenheiser crows.

Development is not yet complete, so there are no weight, acceleration, top-speed, or gas-mileage figures to share. Nor has any pricing strategy been announced, but plan on paying a gas-guzzler tax if this Camaro is on your shopping list. Considering that the base price on Ford’s Shelby GT500 is $49,605, Chevy isn’t likely to charge less than $50K for this beast.