Welp here is a test of the ZL1 in the hands of a guy who does not drag race.

13.5 without launch control, 13.0 with it on...Hmmmm

BTW Camaro5 seems to be divided on this one....Lot of wheel hop it seems, would have thought the launch control chevy brags about would have cut it some more. I would think it would have tested a little faster, but maybe that's right ? Goes to show that the Tire makes a difference. Perhaps the chevy's guys will now know the pain GT500 guys feel with tires.
Nice undercarriage on that car.

Edit: Reworded a few things....Want a discussion, not a bash.
Discuss:

 

Seems normal for a newb. I've seen some 5.0s running 14s.

 

Double post!!!

 

I bet he didn't use the no lift shift feature. Thats a pretty hard thing to overcome if your not used to banging gears at the track on a regular basis.

 

Right now we are seeing a lot of very low 12 second runs and, if I am not mistaken, one 12 flat. So far I think 1/4 mile performance gets a solid 'meh' on the new ZL1, that is really no better than the CTS-V can muster with less hp, more weight, and a taller gear set. Things could turn around but, right now, it looks like GM has run smack dab into the traction issues so many theorized they weren't going to have problems with.

 

12 flat from who?

 

Looks like you are right and I indeed didn't recall correctly 11Shelby, thus far nobody I can find has matched the factory claim of 12 flat with MT coming closest. Here is a rundown of what I could find for reference.

Automobile: 12.6 seconds
Car and Driver: 12.3 seconds
Motor Trend: 12.1 seconds
Popular Mechanics: 12.57 seconds
Autoblog: 'Mid 12's'

For the record, speaking specifically to 1/4 mile times, I'm not seeing anything here that seriously outclasses the outgoing GT500. Unless better times await, or the serious effort put into improving traction and the more powerful engine the 2013 are getting amount to next to nothing which seems unlikely, I think the Camaro is becoming the underdog in the acceleration battle here to say the least.

 

...and I don't trust MT numbers no matter what they're testing.

 

The ZL1 isn't really built with the drag strip in mind so I don't think the 1/4 numbers really matter anyways. Certainly the specs suggest it should be capable of low 12s so I have no reason to doubt that 12.1.

 

I do, MotorTrend

 

Love that wheel hop on that fancy magnetic suspension that GM guys said would be impossible. lol

You should probably tell the engineers that, have you seen the video with the Drag mode for the Drag strip??

^why would they make a drag mode and put all that work into it?
not made for the 1/4 is a GM excuse for not beating the GT500 in the 1/4.
Simple.

 

Pfffft. The Nurburgring is far more important.

(I am hoping the GT500 slaughters it there)

 

 

They are going to hold on to that ring time for dear life.
I'd like a nice list of people who will be shipping their brand new ZL1's to germany to run "the ring" for some reason I feel it will be short or non-existent.

the ring, the ring, oh the ring, well we still ran the ring better, wtf let it go you're not going to germany!!

 

I'd go!

 

You would ship your car to germany to run on the ring? just once?
I don't mean you wish I mean who is REALLY going to do that.

 

I would so love to do that, I think somebody posted a link to a track day event in Texas, I went to the site and it looks like the guys running the texas event are indeed doing that, its like 2500 or 3500 mile event with track time at the 'ring and Le mans.

They need to schedule some time at one of the mid-atlantic hero tracks before things warm up on the east coast, somebody could probably crack the 11's down here.

 

I don't know who would do that, but I can tell you if I ever buy an M3 I am taking European delivery and you better bet your butt I'll drive it straight on over to the Nurburgring!

Ring times are nice, though. Gives you a general idea of how cars stack up against each other on perhaps the most ridiculous road course in the world. "The Green Hell." I hope Ford releases a time for the GT500.

 

I think private owners will definitely break into the 11's stock, and I suspect a magazine or two will manage the same eventually. Still, given what I have seen I think the general expectation here was that this would be a solid 11 second car on street tires bone stock. In contrast, right now, it looks like any run that starts with an 11 for this car is going to constitute a very good run with low to mid 12's being the norm.

Unless the improvements Ford threw at the 2013 GT500 amount to very little in the way of performance and traction I think the practical bet is riding on the Blue Oval in terms of acceleration, but that is just a guess. Ultimately I'm just surprised that the acceleration of this car doesn't seem to represent more of an improvement over the CTS-V than it does given the advantages....perhaps I just expected too much.