2017 Camaro ZL1 Tester Loses Bulky Camo, Looks Fittingly Aggressive

The sixth-generation Camaro was launched last May with three engine options, the most powerful being the SS with its Corvette-sourced, 6.2-liter V8.

Its 455 HP and 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds make it a seriously fast piece of kit. However, Camaro aficionados are waiting for the range-topping ZL1 that, like its predecessor, promises to make the SS look tame in comparison.

Our latest spy shots show the ZL1 without the ungainly cladding worn by the previous prototypes. Instead, it’s mostly covered by the, now familiar, black and white swirly wrap, providing a much cleaner view of its looks.

The highlights of the new ZL1 are the huge grille, redesigned front bumper and prominent lip spoiler up front, the heat extractor on the hood, the double spoke wheels, the wider rocker panels and the larger rear spoiler and wider-bore twin exhausts flanking the rear bumper.

Like the lesser versions, then, it’s an updated, slightly smaller and more muscular evolution of the fifth-gen shape on the outside, though the interior has been updated with modern looks and higher quality materials.

Slated for a debut at the 2016 Detroit Motor Show in January, the ZL1 will likely be powered by the LT4 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that’s also found under the hoods of the Corvette Z06 and the Cadillac CTS-V. This unit produces 650 HP and 650 lb-ft of torque in the Z06 and 640 HP and 630 lb-ft in the CTS-V, considerably more than the outgoing ZL1’s 580hp and 550 lb.-ft.

There’s no solid information yet on its state of tune, but GM probably wouldn’t want to upset the much more expensive ‘Vette and Caddy. Rumor even has it that, due to the new Alpha platform’s weight savings, the new ZL1’s output won’t be much higher than the previous one.

Until there’s some kind of leak, or an official announcement, we won’t know for sure. Our best bet is it will pack at least 600 horses. If the SS does the naught to sixty in four seconds flat, one can’t hep but wonder how close to the three-second mark the new ZL1 will get.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops