Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Now this one definitely isn’t for everybody. The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 looks and sounds so savagely brutal the vast majority wouldn’t even dare take it round the block. But for the more adventurous mindset this is one of the best value performance cars available. Just ponder these numbers: 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, 0-100 in 7.9, 0 to 125 in 11.5, 641bhp and a top speed of 198mph. These Ferrari-busting figures are available to lucky Americans for just $63,000 or £48,000 to you and me. And yes, sadly, there is a catch. GM don’t import the ZL1 into the UK or build it with the steering wheel on our side, so you’d have to import one or buy one of the few cars already here. But even at around the £70k being currently asked by UK American car specialists, a 2018 ZL1 is still well over a hundred grand less than equivalent European supercars capable of punching the same sort of numbers. And it’s much more separate and rare than all those obvious 458s and GT3S.

I drove one in LA this year and was amazed at how docile and tractable the ZL1 was. Sure, the ride is firm but nothing felt vicious, crude or uncontrollable. Feed in more than 2500 revs and you’ll feel the supercharger kick in but there’s no edgy squirming from the rear. The steering is a revelation – quick, fast and endlessly communicative, the huge Brembo brakes scrub off speed in a heartbeat and the monster V8 delivers a fabulous soundtrack. Even a stint on the Pacific Coast Highway out to Malibu showed that despite all the bellicose testosterone the ZL1’S endearing docility could make it a daily-driver – well almost. There’s a hardcore ZL1 LE1 version ($10,000 more), which is track-focused and much more of a handful. GM engineers told me the LE1 posted a faster time round the ‘Ring than a Ferrari Enzo, which is a significant achievement.

But I’d go stock ZL1 with the brilliant tenspeed auto and enjoy this car’s low speed, crowd-stopping cruising ability. Onlookers just grin at its outrageous, noisy insanity.

As a modern incarnation of the Sixties muscle car the ZL1 is nothing short of outstanding. But as a relatively accessible, big-numbers supercar with gold-plated bragging rights it’s unbeatable. And yes, this is an instant classic that’s already being talked about in reverential tones. For those with a exhibitionism streak the Camaro ZL1 will satisfy every urge and then some.