ONE FOR THE TRACK, ONE FOR THE STREET
The 1LE production code tacked onto the Camaro order sheet might not mean much to most, but to a few diehard driving enthusiasts it designates a penchant for performance. Racetrack performance. We got an opportunity to test the 2017 Camaro 1LE at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, located one hour west of Las Vegas.
There’s a new twist to this track-ready muscle car: For the first time since its introduction, a V6-powered 1LE will be available alongside the traditional V8 model. The 1LE package is available with the 1LS and 2LS 3.6-litre V6 models, and with the 1SS V8 model. If you’re averse to using both feet when driving, though, you’ll be disappointed to learn the 1LE is available only with a manual gearbox. The sixspeed manual is operated conventionally in the V6, while the V8-powered SS incorporates nolift shift (permits full-throttle, clutchless gear changes) and revmatching functions (automatic throttle blips on downshifts).
The SS 1LE uses a 455-horsepower/455-lb.-ft., 6.2-litre V8, while the V6 model produces 335 hp and 284 lb.-ft. The engines in the 1LE models are identical in spec to the non1LE cars; the differences are hidden within the undercarriage.
The V6 1LE utilizes front suspension components from the Camaro SS, with performancetuned shocks all around. It also uses a mechanical limited-slip differential with a shorter ratio than the standard V6, and it’s equipped with four-piston Brembo calipers up front.
To prolong lapping sessions, both cars are equipped with engine, transmission and differential oil coolers, and both have dual-mode exhaust systems. There’s a very short list of available options: The Recaro seats are an extra-cost option on the V6 1LE, and you can add a performance data recorder to either car.
Our lapping session begins in a V6 model, though we alternate through both models throughout the day. Although we’re granted only seven laps per session, the track measures 3.8 kilometres around and has 11 turns, providing ample opportunity to tax both cars’ handling. The cars were set to Track mode (three modes in the V6, four, including Race Mode, in the SS), which loosens up the electronic safety net enough to get sideways without going all the way around.
The V6 has a bit more understeer than the SS, partially due to its less grippy tires, but also because its suspension is a bit softer and induces a bit more body roll, though both cars feel remarkably tight through corners. Steering effort is lighter in the V6, and due to the lower terminal speeds at the end of the straights, it requires you try to carry more momentum into and through corners for quick laps. It’s also harder to make up lost ground if you make a mistake.
The SS, on the other hand, requires more focus to drive, as this one will sink you into the driver’s seat at corner exit. It steers quicker and responds more faithfully to driver input, and is almost completely void of understeer — if you want to push the front through corners, you have to do it deliberately, otherwise it steers exactly where it is pointed. It’s also considerably faster; the only car making the passes during the lapping sessions, almost regardless of who’s behind the wheel, is the SS. Its larger brakes are more responsive and the pedal is firmer, though both cars maintained the same brake feel from the first lap to the last.
Despite sharing platforms, the two 1LE models are completely different in character. The Camaro V6 1LE is the more affordable option, and can be regarded as a street car you can take to the track. You can easily improve on its racetrack performance by installing stickier tires. The Camaro SS 1LE is more of a track car you can drive on the street. It’s faster, louder and stiffer, and, of course, it has that luscious roar lacking in the V6 model.
The 1LE package adds $5,195 over the base $29,295 V6, while the SS 1LE package adds $7,495 over the SS base price of $43,200.