A 650-hp Camaro with special parts that laps the Nürburgring in 7:16.04? We’d say it was a fair price
- The Camaro was axed in December 2023 due to disappointing sales as Chevrolet focused on SUVs.
- A 2023 ZL1 1LE recently sold at an online auction for $88,500, making the original owner $11k richer.
- Still, with 650 hp, many improvements over the stock ZL1 LE, and just 30 miles, this was a fair price.
There is something about the death of a great sports car that makes people nostalgic – and willing to pay a premium. The first-gen Camaro went on sale on September 1966 and GM’s intentions were pretty clear right from the start. During its press launch, when asked “what is a Camaro?”, the company’s execs famously replied “a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs”.
It would go on to fight the Mustang for six generations, but it met its end in December 2023 due to poor sales and the fact that the sports car segment shrunk considerably as buyers flocked to SUVs and crossovers. Still, many miss Chevy’s pony car, as is evident from one example that was recently auctioned online and fetched a hefty sum.
More: Owner Rejected $181K For A New Demon 170, Now Sold It For Just $126K
The car in question is a white 2023 Camaro ZL1 1LE with a mere 30 miles on its odometer, which practically makes it brand new despite being two years old and out of production. When the Bring a Trailer auction ended on April 18, the winning bid stood at $88,500, or $11k more than it cost its original owner who made a nice profit in a relatively short time.
Photos BaT
If that amount seems too much, it’s worth considering that the Camaro ZL1 1LE is quite a beast. While the other three trims available were powered by either a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that put out 275 hp, a 3.6-liter V6 with 335 hp, or a 455 hp 6.2-liter V8, the ZL1 used a supercharged 650 hp V8 that was based on the engine of the C7 Corvette Z06.
Furthermore, the ZL1 1LE that was launched for the 2018 model year featured improved aerodynamics, a new adjustable suspension, and lightweight forged aluminum wheels shod in Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R tires developed especially for it. The 1LE package also reduced overall weight by 60 lb (27 kg) compared to the stock model.
While the 1LE’s LT4 V8 didn’t receive any mods, it was mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission with Active Rev Match – the 10-speed auto available on the regular version wasn’t even an option. If there was any doubt concerning its credentials, a 2018 ZL1 1LE lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in just 7:16.04, or 13.56 seconds faster than a 2017MY car fitted with the automatic transmission.
After the auction closed, someone suggested they were surprised at that price as they expected the car to have gone for at least $100k. All things considered, we think whoever bought that brand new Camaro ZL1 1LE got themselves a bargain indeed.
Photos BaT
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