When the spring hits, with it will be two versions of the most powerful production Camaro yet but one will be ever so slightly faster than the other. Even though that fact may not be surprising, what is however is which one gets the jump: the two-pedaled automatic. Paddle shifters mounted to the steering column will allow for rapid up and down shifts for the six speed auto and a 0-60 mph time of just 3.9 seconds. That sprint will be a tenth of a second faster than the three pedal car.
“The faster you can get to the next gear, the better, and from the sound of it, the ZL1 automatic’s performance is going to make paddle shifting more exhilarating and satisfying for drivers of all skill sets,” said Eric Fedewa , director of Global Powertrain Forecasting at IHS Automotive. The transmission’s hydraulic clutch is the key to ZL1’s rapid pace shifting. Mitigated by the transmission control unit, the “Tap Shift” system stages the pressure for each gear change and pre-loads it according the Camaro’s current throttle, torque and speed. Each flick of the paddle has reduced shift time by 200-300 milliseconds. Not only does the 6L90’s speed and strength help the pony car’s acceleration, its 580 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque from a supercharged, 6.2 liter V8 does a decent job of returning some serious hustle.
“We think Camaro drivers will really appreciate the performance improvement offered by staged up-shifts, whether they’re merging onto the freeway or putting their ZL1 through its paces at the track,” said, Gabe Gibson, GM performance car calibration engineer.
Source: Chevrolet
