the Corvette Z06<\/a>\u00a0supercar, the nimble Gen-6 Camaro.<\/p>\nNow comes the ferocious ZL1, which marries the neck-snapping power of GM\u2019s 640-horsepower, supercharged LT4 V-8 \u2014 the same mill that powers the Z06 Rex \u2014 with the athletic Camaro\u2019s Alpha platform. The platform shared by the Cadillac ATS, the best-handling car in luxury.<\/p>\n
As is the team of Ammann and Reuss, an unlikely bromance between a veteran GM motorhead and a Wall Street financial guru who share a passion for cars. When Ammann joined GM\u2019s executive team in 2011, Reuss sensed his talent for the track.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told the guys to put him in the driver program,\u201d said Reuss. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be able to do a very high level \u2014 I can see it in his temperament.\u201d<\/p>\n
An intense, year-long licensing process ensued, juggled with Ammann\u2019s 24\/7 duties managing GM\u2019s marketing and sales. \u201cIt started at Milford in an STS as I recall,\u201d says Ammann, who is designated a top-flight \u201cLevel 6\u201d driver.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe program we have is an achievement-based program. It\u2019s very intense,\u201d says Reuss, also a Level 6. \u201cVery few go to the point where they can do Nurburgring (the legendary, 13-mile German track) and all those things within a tenth of a second of a professional driver.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ammann\u2019s talent is evident as he smoothly whips the Camaro from turn to turn. I\u2019ve raced go-karts and race cars since my teens. It\u2019s in my bones. It\u2019s more difficult to learn the instincts of any sport late in life \u2014 much less one where speeds can push 200 mph. Yet Ammann has mastered the art.<\/p>\n
\n
Today, the two men routinely test cars at GM\u2019s Milford proving grounds, sharing feedback with top engineers like Corvette\u2019s Tadge Juechter and Camaro\u2019s Al Oppenheiser. GM CEO Mary Barra also visits Milford\u2019s proving grounds, though usually on her own schedule. Last October, Ammann and Reuss took the ZL1 to Nurburgring where the car lapped while wearing leopard-spotted camouflage. They liked the result.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best Camaro I have ever driven,\u201d says Reuss.<\/p>\n
Ammann says, \u201cIt cuts like a knife. It makes 640 horsepower feel more approachable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The product of more than 100 hours in the wind tunnel, the muscular Camaro is 200 pounds lighter than the previous-generation ZL1, gains 60 horsepower and features 11 heat exchangers to cool the 378-cubic-inch monster beneath its aerodynamic skin. But the ZL1 is more than a fast muscle car.<\/p>\n
It is also the first application of Chevy\u2019s high-tech, lightning-quick 10-speed transmission. Jointly developed with Ford and planned for eight Chevy models for model-year 2018, the 10-speed shifts faster than many dual-clutch transmissions found in supercars.<\/p>\n
The ZL1 also gets six-pot Brembo brakes with 15.35-inch rotors the size of Captain America\u2019s shield; Recaro seats; wider front fenders; and special Goodyear tires.<\/p>\n
It goes on sale this fall.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Camaro ZL1 is designed to excel at everything,\u201d said Reuss. \u201cAcceleration, handling and braking \u2014 with the highest levels of technology and perfect chassis damping, (it\u2019s) suitable for everyday driving. It will compare well to any sports coupe, at any price and in any setting.\u201d<\/p>\n
At Spring Mountain, Reuss piloted a 10-speed, Ammann a 6-speed manual.<\/p>\n
Who\u2019s faster on track? \u201cThat\u2019s classified,\u201d jokes Ammann, his hair matted after 22 hot laps.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, we don\u2019t (compare lap times),\u201d says Reuss. \u201cWe never do that because when you get into that sort of thing it\u2019s not safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Camaro sales are up 44 percent this year over last, the Corvette Z06 is clocking test times\u00a0quicker than $200,000 Lamborghinis<\/a>, and the development teams are having fun.<\/p>\n\u201cIt beats the office at the Ren Cen,\u201d Ammann says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pahrump, Nevada\u00a0\u2014 Rocketing out of turn one at Spring Mountain Raceway in the 2017 Camaro ZL1, General Motors President Dan Ammann sticks with Vice President for Product Development Mark Reuss like glue. With the Camaro\u2019s V-8 bellowing in our ears like Kraken unleashed, Ammann stuffs the Camaro into fourth gear just shy of the 7,000 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18222"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18222"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18223,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18222\/revisions\/18223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"GM](\"http:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/ad36430187bfa78db044ba59ba51534dd3c2f51b\/c=232-0-1598-1027&r=x513&c=680x510\/local\/-\/media\/2016\/03\/15\/DetroitNews\/DetroitNews\/635936683033566441-1DanAmman-helmet.jpg\")
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