2017 Camaro Order Guide Leaked
The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro order guide was leaked on Camaro6.com, and there are a few surprises. First and foremost: it appears that, unlike the Cadillac CTS-V, the 2017 Camaro ZL1 will receive the same 650hp and 650 lb-ft of torque as the Corvette Z06. All three utilize the 6.2L supercharged LT4 engine, but the CTS-V is down-rated to 640hp and 630 lb-ft. In Chevrolet’s own press release, the ZL1 was said to produce “an estimated 640 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque,” similar to the CTS-V.
No official word has come yet from the folks at Chevrolet as to the change in power rating, but this has been known to happen. Unlike your typical engine builder, the manufacturers use a protocol set by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to dyno test the engines. The protocol includes installing all equipment that could affect the power output like the full exhaust and accessory drive system. The same engine with electric power steering, tubular Tri-Y headers and a full 3.0-inch exhaust system could easily make more than one with a pulley-driven power steering pump and a more choked exhaust system. And even when the dyno session is SAE-certified, there is a 1-percent tolerance between the observed test and the advertised figure to account for slight manufacturing variation. Bottom line: don’t worry about 10hp.
Speaking of horsepower, if you are concerned about putting this much power in the hands of a teen – all 2017 Camaros will come standard with a new “Teen Driver mode.” Vehicle settings can be programmed to associate with a particular key fob that can “limit certain vehicle features, and it prevents certain safety systems from being turned off. An in-vehicle report gives you information on your teen’s driving habits and helps you to continue to coach your new driver.”
New options for 2017 include the 50th Anniversary floor mats, illuminated sill plates, interior spectrum lighting, sport pedals, black bowtie emblems, a fuel door with exposed carbon fiber insert, body-color lower grille insert (SS only), four choices of rally stripes, body-color wing, 50th Anniversary car covers, and Camaro logo wheel center caps. What really caught my eye on the 100-page order guide was the 50th Anniversary Edition option for the 2LT and 2SS. Focusing on the 2SS version, the package includes: Nightfall Gray Metallic paint, “FIFTY” badging, anniversary aluminum wheels and center caps, unique stripes, body color front splitter, orange calipers, special trimmed leather seating with suede inserts and Orange stitching, and logos adorning the seatbacks and steering wheel. That sounds like an excellent consolation package for those of us without $60,000 [for a ZL1].