2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driven in Dubai

I have mixed feelings about the fifth-generation Camaro. It certainly deserves praise and I want to like it, but — yup, there’s a ‘but’ — this could have been the latest Firebird, the greatest motor in automotive history in my world (barring a different front and tail end), had GM not killed off that fire-breathing monster in 2002. It got worse when Pontiac was laid to rest a few years later, and with its demise went any hopes of the iconic Firebird line being resurrected.

The Camaro and Firebird were based on the same F-body platform from the very beginning in the late Sixties, shared a large percentage of parts and to the untrained eye, were almost identical. Sadly for Poncho aficionados, Chevy was able to bring back the Camaro in 2009 and it’s gone from strength to strength.

The exterior’s functional carbon-fibre air extractor on the bonnet is still the most eye-catching element of the muscular body. It’s gained a unique rear spoiler and refreshed front and rear fascias; there’s a wider, lower mouth and compressed upper grille, making the front still the most aggressive in the segment.
 
You can’t miss the large lower splitter that reduces front lift, while the LED headlights are even more piercing than before. Maybe in time the tail end will grow on me. It’s not that bad to be fair; the decklid and diffuser look pretty tasty.

But it’s on the move — and boy does this thing move — where the ZL1 impresses most. It feels taut and connected to the road; those adjustable shocks make all the difference and though I only drove it on the road, I could feel it’s geared up to destroy the track. Speaking of gears, the six-speed automatic (yup, automatic — usually an afterthought on old-school muscle cars where a row-your-own was a must-have) swaps the cogs without a fuss, matching the rev range perfectly. But in manual mode and while operating the paddles, it really shines. It’s even more responsive and just adds to the overall fun factor that this car delivers in spades.

Some things could be better; visibility from the front, of all places, is restrictive (the letter box-like windshield looks good from the outside but makes looking out difficult) while the A-pillars are so thick that you can’t see what’s coming at you from your left or right. But you’d forgive the ZL1 this and any other annoying trait the moment you turn the key. Its full-throated bellowing is so savage that you’d think twice before criticising any aspect of this car. Is the raucous exhaust note more obvious than the cars actual power? No. Not when it’s armed with 754Nm of torque, can hit 0-100kph in less than four seconds and go on to a top speed just under 300kph. Its acceleration is almost on a par with some exotic supercars that cost three times as much as this Dh230,000 beast.

This isn’t a normal car, so forget about fuel efficiency or boot space. Worry about that and you’ll miss the point. This is about brute power, smokey sideways action and killer looks.