The sun is setting on the current-gen Chevrolet Camaro, but the 2022 ZL1 rages against the coming night with supercharged fervor. And since the C8 Corvette Z06 abandons superchargers for crazy-high revs, the ZL1 is also the only new Chevy sports car with a blown V8. But while both cars are special in their own ways, which one delivers the greater dose of speed?

The 2022 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is way faster than the SS

Admittedly, the Camaro SS is a speedy, sporty muscle car, especially in 1LE form. But in 2022 as in 2017, the current-gen ZL1 is the most powerful factory Chevrolet Camaro ever. It’s also wickedly fast, especially at its price point. For context, the Camaro ZL1 1LE is only 0.2 seconds slower than the manual 911 GT3 in both 0-60 and ¼-mile times. And yet, the GT3 costs more than twice as much.

That 911 comparison isn’t wishful thinking, though. Yes, the 2022 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is bigger and heavier than the 911 and has a cheaper interior. But this isn’t just a straight-line missile. Car and Driver calls it “an impeccably behaved monster,” with accurate and well-weighted steering as well as genuinely graceful handling. And the ZL1 1LE’s track-focused features and weight-saving measures turn this sledgehammer into scalpel territory.

But then, that’s also what the 2023 Z06 is to the regular Chevrolet C8 Corvette.

The 2023 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06 is a real supercar and it has the speed to prove it

Since its debut, the Corvette has always been America’s sports car. Over the years models like the ZR1 have flirted with the supercar label, but never quite earned it. That changes with the 2023 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06, which has a true mid-engine supercar spec sheet.

No, the C8 Z06 isn’t supercharged like the C7 version. But the Corvette Z06 has never been about forced induction. Rather, it’s a distillation of the race car experience in a street-legal, track-ready machine. And few things scream ‘race car!’ like a naturally-aspirated 8600-rpm flat-plane crank V8. A V8 that, by the way, is the most powerful street-legal NA production engine ever made.

As of this writing, no one’s tested Chevrolet’s claim that the 2023 C8 Corvette Z06 can hit 60 mph in 2.6 seconds. However, it’s worth noting that the standard C8 Corvette Z51 can consistently go 0-60 in under three seconds. The 2023 Z06’s ¼-mile time and trap speed are likewise still undetermined. But Car and Driver estimates it can do the deed in 10.4-10.5 seconds.

In other words, in a straight line, the 2023 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Z06 is leaving the 2022 Camaro ZL1 behind. But what happens when the line curves?

Will the Z06 be faster than the ZL1 1LE on a racetrack?

As of this writing, Chevrolet hasn’t released an ‘official’ Nürburgring time for the 2023 C8 Corvette Z06. We know the mid-engine ‘Vette spent a lot of time running laps there, but Chevy hasn’t spilled the beans. However, Muscle Cars and Trucks says that on-track crashes and debris prevented the development team from running a clean lap. If that’s true, then Chevrolet hasn’t set an ‘official’ time yet.

But when Chevrolet does try again, it might have a hard time beating the 2022 Camaro ZL1 1LE. Its grippier tires, lighter forged wheels, Multimatic fully-adjustable spool-valve shocks, and wicked carbon-fiber aero features aren’t just there for looks. They helped this crazy muscle car lap the Green Hell in 7:16.4—and that’s with the stick. The automatic version is undoubtedly even faster, though again, there’s no official ‘Ring time.

So, while the C8 Corvette Z06 might speed away on the street, the Camaro ZL1 1LE might sprint ahead on the track.

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