A quick explanation on the queue skipping: when one line gets too long, people automatically make a second line. This is to allow your car to have some engine and, most importantly, brake cooling after the lap to avoid overheating, damaging, or even catching fire. A second queue forms. On busy nights/days, you'd see 3rd and EVEN 4th queue! It's also how the highway etiquette applies by using the so-called "zipper" from 2 lanes into 1. It's an exceptional situation that has a peculiar reasoning. There is no real right or wrong here. When I know how busy it is, I'd back off sooner to allow some queueing. If I'm surprised by the queue that ends at almost the Gantry when I'm coming in hot after the last corner, then there is no way I'm going to hit the brakes and just let the car boil there for 30+ min.
Thank you for explaining. I was actually wondering about it. Here in the USA, other drivers would easily get triggered by the perception of people cutting in front. Seemed that's what that BMW driver felt in this video. But hopefully most drivers at the ring are mellow and understand this is how things work at the track.
YES YES YES MORE AMERICAN CARS PLEASE! It's so great to see mustangs, camaro, and chargers, and challengers on track. I know it's very rare but seeing how those cars perform on such an iconic track compared to in video games is amazing and I wish more people would bring more high-end American performance cars to this track and make great videos like this!
In Poland they even had to update the traffic rules to mandatory obey zipper/lanes joining signs and mandatory let cars from the left lane join the right lane (each car has to let 1 car through). And still everyone "politely" stays in right lane and sometimes even block the ones who follow the rules and drive on the left lane.
It should be mandotary to make 3 lanes, 1 left to stay on track and with the two right lanes you zip in like on the road. When everyone stays only right on a busy day, the line will reach the last corner and that would be very dangerous.
Zach is very generous about offering people rides. I've done 5 or 6 laps with him now, and occasionally helped wrench on the car for minor stuff. Mostly he's busted his knuckles helping me wrench on my annoyingly difficult German cars though. LOL! Sad to see him have to move on.
@@sdlausen1 he does have it on. You can tell cuz the gear number is orange instead of white. But he still shifts well. I've messed it up even with auto rev match
I was not only impressed by the cars performance, but it's been a long time since I've seen a warm up lab actually taking it easy... and then he switches to KM/H and you recognize that it was not that slow, the second lap then is fast, but the driver is still calm and leaves everyone pass quickly and gives everyone enough space for safety, i wish there where more drivers like him on the ring.
@@FernandoRodriguez-uu6fj better to make 2 lines instead of one massive long line when getting of the track otherwise you will be waiting for 15 minutes
@@mivedthekid yea but at the end there is only one line to enter the parking. Like a bottleneck. So it ends being the same time. They should at least put some cones to make some order. And avoid people that feel entitled to cut others
Never forget the Head 2 Head video that Motor Trend did between the BMW M4 and Chevrolet Camaro SS. They praised the stability and predictability of the car. The Alpha platform in these is phenomenal. The current CT5-V and CT4-V are built off of this platform. Awesome car!!
Most didn't know that the alpha platform was developed by cadillac for the CTS series and it was used in the camaro. Cadillac truly has been carrying GM for years now. The R&D department there is amazing
@@showbo378 These are basically a Aussie Designed Commodore with a Different Shell. The HSV Commodores were very good before GM shut down Holden in Oz.
The SS 1LE has been an SCCA darling and an absolute performance bargain for quite some time now in the US. The motor is bombproof and the ride (when not ringing its neck on-track) is very, very good. Easily could be used as a daily between track events, and for very little money in consumables. Given his proximity to Laguna Seca he'll have HWY 1 from Monterey to SLO to blast when not doing track days, which isn't a bad life for a car lover.
The Camaro 1LE has been known for being very stable and easy to drive fast with both the current and previous generation model, it is known to be much easier to drive fast than the Mustang. Seeing him keep up with a GT3 RS and actually pass an AMG GTR was impressive
And there was me thinking American muscle can't corner, certainly proved me wrong. Very capable car and a hell of a driver. Would of loved to see what Misha could of done in this car
Dodge is the only company that truly confirms that stereo type (viper not included) but Chevy and Ford really stepped their game up in the last 10 years. Hell the 2011 Boss 302 was setting lap records with a solid rear axle.
So happy you finally got to experience a 1LE Camaro! Having auto crossed a ZL1 1LE myself, it’s an amazing package for how much performance you get. Arguably the best bang for buck performance of any new car. Thanks for the video!
@Game Tester I have to travel 900km each trip to Nurburgring. So can't have 20laps per trip, because I'm broke af and I have to travel with these tires back to home
@Game Tester I never done full send on NS. Always just easy lap. But the best thing on NS is, that you don't have to go full send to enjoy this track, because is narrow and with blind corners and elevation changes. I can enjoy more NS with 60% effort, than my donestic track in Brno with full send.
@Game Tester Probably yes, but I have to fix few issues with the car after the timing chain exchange :) Have vibrations a bit, hope they will fix it. I had also leaking cooling water, so I had to replace water pump. I hope that car will be fully ready next year.
One of the most interesting laps I have ever seen here. I think the SS 1LE is the "sweet spot" muscle car. It would definitely benefit from an Apex type of clubsport treatment.
Misha thank you for all these amazing videos. In this one you talk about the American cars left to test, or that you would like to test. One I didn’t hear mentioned was the new Cadillacs. They ride the same platform as the Camaro, but are sedans and coupes. Not sure if you did a Cadillac before either. Just wanted to throw that on your radar. Thanks again for all you do, please keep going and stay safe!
I used to own a B7 RS4 and didn't know much about the 6th gen Camaro's that were coming out, but got talked into test driving a 2017 SS 1LE, and bought it two days later. Had a ton of fun with it. I now have a ZL1 1LE and couldn't be happier. Absolute BEAST on track. Cool to see you finally do a video of one of these!
I had a 2018 ZL1 and just sold it last fall and bought a brand new 22 SS 1LE.. The drag pulls on the highway were fun but you just can't wring the car on track without blowing off the tires in every corner exit and gear change. I enjoy the N/A power with a manual to autocross and have track days with.. Its so much better than the mustang and challenger its not even close..
Sure you can. Just control your right foot. I get a kick out of people saying "too much power" or similar nonsense, as if there is only full power or no power with nothing in between.
@@xtnuser5338 I get your argument but it was not only the power.. there were heat issues as well.. Not sure where you are located but here in Midwest USA.. the tracks are much slower, and don't have these high speed tracks like the ring.. Its not even close.. So my average lap times are the same, best laps better.. And the ZL1 would get hot after 3-4 laps, and the ss 1le can do 40min session without a sweat.. The tires also last much longer, as I went through 5 sets of rears in one year in the ZL1 and made it all of 22 with 2 sets on one less track day with much more time on track.. I also cooked the brake rotors and pads in one year on the ZL1.. Its not just about having power, its consumables and heat..
@@Clutch_Kick187 Sure I understand. I was a track rat in my Exige, and I continue to be a track rat in my GT3RS down here in Texas, so I know what you're talking about. I'm kind of surprised you got a whole year out of the pads honestly. How many sessions, or weekends if you prefer? The Exige was REALLY good on consumables, since it's low powered and light weight, but getting six or seven full two-day weekends on the pads was about it. The guys I know with Camaros and Mustangs and the like are usually lucky to get half of that.
@@xtnuser5338 The factory pads made it 3 track days.. and were completely fucked.. I did some research and found the magic sauce.. Raybestos ST-43.. They literally lasted 13 track days.. I tried Carbotech, Powerstop, and Hawk on the ZL1 and all of them were junk.. I heard from a Corvette Zo6 guy about the Raybestos ST-43 and they are the exact same pads for the 1LE and are amazing for longevity and literally pull your eyeballs out the front of your head without being an on off switch..
This is hands down the best performance bargain car in America right now. I had a BMW 340i and a friend had a M240i which competed in the same race class as the SS 1LE and we were being totally dominated. I think I was only able to beat them once in class because the track didn't allow them to stretch their legs enough. Being able to fit 315+ tires helps a lot :P
@@paultrouskie1825 The new Z06 is in another level, Ferrari Maclaren level, but for the money the SS1Le is amazing, and it is a manual wich the Z06 is not.
Gotta love the generosity of chevy to provide factory guards and suspension setup that can swallow 315's square out of the box...I don't hear much complaints about tramlining etc... from these cars with such fat rubber which shows just how well sorted the suspension geometry is.
@Yooooo yep, GM invented magnetic dampers with its suspension division Delphi, and even after Delphi was sold, GM still designs and owns the rights to them while Delphi's plant still manufactures them under license. GM also allows other brands to use them and gains commission for every car built with them
This platform keeps up just fine with gt3s and bimmers , I don't know why I don't see more of them at the track 7:16 on pre re surfaced nurburgring is no joke.
Very nice to finally see your thoughts on the current Camaro. I’ve never been a muscle car fan, but I really like my 18’ 2ss. The chassis is really good even though I don’t have the upgraded suspension
Man, this Camaro sounds SOOOOO good! There's nothing like a rumbling sound of a large bore V8 from Chevy, Mercedes-AMG and Dodge! This car handles really well and the driver drives it nice and smooth. Oh... as a U.S. viewer, it was refreshing to see the speedometer reading MPH.
@@Lunarmech I know what you mean. I've converted them so often that I remember a few common steps along the way. Km to Miles: 100 = 62, 137 to 85, 160 to 100, 193 to 120, 240 to 150.... If you use it, eventually it'll stick. If I don't for a while, it's frustrating until I can catch up. Just watch more Misha videos... that'll work! ;^)
Great laps! Love Misha's expressions during some of the high speed corners. Excited to run Laguna Seca with you Zach! I used to have a 6th gen SS 1LE - definitely miss that no lift shift sound!
Zach is me in 1986. American soldier stationed in FRG, hot car , driving the Nurburgring. I was a helicopter pilot , had a Group B rally car, trained by M. Martini, given my Int. Group C license by Heir Pinski, ( head of Ford racing Germany. European racing is extremely Nationalistic. None of the tobacco companies would help me, all the money went to locals. Nice job Zach, u drive well.
American cars generally are over-engineered from a cooling standpoint. Given that a good portion of the country is way hotter in summer than almost anywhere in Europe. 45C isn't uncommon in large portions of the southwest, and it can hit 40C even in the northeast. We do love our AC too, and it better work when it's 45 out. :)
The 1LE has excellent cooling.. Huge rad.. oil coolers, trans cooler, diff cooler.. 10qts of oil.. ect.. I have ran mine for 40min straight on track and didn't move the gauge on a 92deg F. Day..
I have an SS 1LE that I track 4-5 times a year. It's my 2nd car. I'm curious why you sometimes wish you stuck with an SS vs. ZL1? I'm constanly looking at ZL1 1LE's because they're so damn cool but hesitant to buy one because I frigging love my SS.
@@jackb55391 The SS is just far more of a track car imo. Perfect horsepower numbers and everything you can want out of a track car. I feel that 650 is too much at times. Sure it’s extremely fun to stomp on the gas pedal and hear the supercharger scream, however on the track I have to manage the throttle so much whereas in the SS I could just be flat the whole time. ZLE takes a lot of patience and getting used to whereas the SS is a big miata. Plus the SS 1LE wheels are far better than the ZLE’s 😂
@@aaron_1le456 good to know, thanks! I need to manage throttle on exit with my car but can see how you would need to be way more cautious. It's more of I wonder what 650 would be like vs. actually wanting more power lol. Last time there was a dude that trailered his C8 came over and checked my tires, he thought I was running slicks because I passed him and lost him 😂. Made me feel damn good. These 1LE cars are special.
I had a new one like that I bought brand new, same color and everything, lived in California and sold it to a guy in the military who lived in Vegas at the time. This guy looks exactly like him, what if...this is my car? Had the same black stripe on the side of the hood which was an option I haven't seen before, but mine had it!
Late start or not, happy to hear you got started. So many go down the drug and alcohol road never to return. I've lost a few friends to it. Kudos to you, sir!!
I've been a subscriber for a while now but I was beyond thrilled to see an SS 1LE on your channel! What a car! I love mine. I've had it to several tracks here in the states and it's a blast! I tell anyone I can to pick up an SS 1LE. Best bang for your buck that isn't a ZL1 1LE, GT4, GT3, or GT2.
I wish there was an official Nürburgring lap time from Chevrolet to see whats the max potential of the car. Im sure it would hurt alot of Porsche, BWM and AMG owners feelings. This car is such a performance bargain
I remember when i was a test-driver, i left germany to go to Detroit to test drive this very model from the video for GM for a couple of months, and right before i left i did some test-driving on the beemer M4. Got to Detroit, got inside an SS first day at work and immediately thought to myself "wow, this is way better than the M4". Camaros are as underrated as a track-car just as much as M4s are overrated...Camaros are awesome. After those couple of months in Detroit testing this car i really grew to become a little bit of a fan of it...
automatic revmatch is basically a way to significantly increase the life of the transmission especially on track use, unless you are super accurate with your shifts, idk
Thanks for the video Misha :) I drove a 2012 Camaro SS on a road trip in USA. Didn't really want it to begin with, but the other American car I had ordered was not available, even though I had booked a specified vehicle.. Took the brand new SS with 400 miles on the odometer and added 5500 in a couple of weeks. It was such a great car
Misha has been America's best sports cars ....I LOVE IT.Would have loved to see you drive the camero ...buy the kid can drive aswell....good job driver....nice car
The temperature guage has not budged and the oil pressure is just hovering around 40, while this car is being thrashed. What’s with the line of cars? I have to say, based on your and the owners comments and my impressions from watching the video, I’d say, the Chevy chassis engineers did a pretty bang up job on initial setup. Great to see some American V8 power on the ring, I would think this answers the question can American muscle cars turn and brake,
Excellent couple of laps. You had to change the MPH to KMH. I was yeah MPH on the 1st lap. Then KMH was on and couldn't work it out quick enough in my head. 😂 Felt just like you on the 1st lap. 😂 cool video
I thought American cars could not go round corners fast... Then again I am 58 years old and things do move on 😜😜. That you lad is a good driver and you an hear his passion
really would have liked to see Misha drive this car. He doesn't really down shift much coming into the corners. Feel like the driver is driving the car at 70 or 80% of its ability.
I am absolutely dumbfounded that the Nürburgring does not require everyone on the track to wear Snell approved racing helmets. In Sports Car Club of America racing in the U.S.A., racing helmets are required. This Camaro does not appear to have a roll bar either. There is no way I'd ever go 150+ mph and not be wearing a racing helmet. If a tire blew out at 150 mph, or the engine blew and put oil down on the track, or etc., the resulting crash would be horrific and without a racing helmet, the chances of surviving the crash would not be very good. Safety should always come first. Get a real racing helmet. It could save your life.
Well if Kevin Estre only does 240 through Schwedenkreuz... And someone can do 250 kmh - would like to see that :) Yeah, but this was perhaps about the straight before the turn. Great car and would be nice to see Mischa driving.
The first time I drove a Camaro ZL1 1le at the track I never look at cars the same. Lighter always is faster at the track but I couldn't believe a car that weights 4000lbs could turn in like it did. It also pushed me out of the apex like an animal from hell. I don't know if you can buy a better track car out the box for less than 75k.
Every seatbelt in every car I've owned locks when you pull it all the way out and back in...that's how you install kids seats if you need to use the belt.
@@nrrn65 Interesting, from German perspective I've had an A4, an X3, and an E46 that did in all rear seat positions, Canadian and US market vehicles though.
Hmm weird my 2019 Golf GTI, 2020 Audi RS3 and old 2011 Audi A6 did not ever lock in the front seat or rear seat so it made it a pain with the kids seats. So I made some assumptions...
I saw about 4 weeks on SilesiaRing in Poland Camaro SS ZL1. SilesiaRing have a lot corners and Camaro was extremely fast. When I saw table in the middle of racing had second place almost the same than new Porsche GT4. There was a lot of fast car, but Porsche and Camaro ruled!
That seat belt thing is for car seats. It’s in all GM cars since the 1990s. My sister used to pull the seatbelt out all of the way and then get stuck, that’s how I found out about it.
Nicely driven but I did wonder a little at his driving past the whole queue to leave, then tuck in right at the front and express surprise when someone didn't let him in!
I didn’t have my SS 1LE for very long but I got it up too 170ish mph. The car didn’t want to accelerate very fast past 150mph, after 4th gear it gets a bit long winded. If I had the money for a custom transmission I would like 3-4-5-6 regeared much shorter. A quick simpler fix could be to get a higher final drive like a 4:11 but then you will make 1-2-3 way scetchy.
Had the SS 1LE for one day and man this car is amazing. Not the fastest in corners but overall performance is impressive. The driving position is perfect, the steering wheel perfect, the seat perfect, shifters perfect, gear ratio perfect, torque perfect, brakes are good, balance is good, traction in corner acceleration could be better since its nearly impossible to accalerate hard without powersliding due to the massive torque from 2000rpm to redline. The car in the video had great semi slick tyres. On road tyres I am sure modern Golf GTi, Civic Type R or old Lan Evo / Bmw M3 are just faster in corners. 😊 since you need to let the Camaro "roll" unil you need to be very careful with your right foot when accelerating out of the corner. Compared with my Lan Evo I own you just can smash the pedal down and the awd will do its job. But to be honest the Camaro is under the Top 3 of the best cars I ever had and maybe Top 1 of the best overall Performance for the money. The Mustang 5.0 is sadly nowhere near the Camaros performance. You need to pick a Shelby GT350 to beat the SS. But then there is the Supercharged ZL1 he had to deal with :)... if there is one thing I would do to make the car even better: Nothing just bigger Tyres like the guy did in the Video ❤
A quick explanation on the queue skipping: when one line gets too long, people automatically make a second line. This is to allow your car to have some engine and, most importantly, brake cooling after the lap to avoid overheating, damaging, or even catching fire. A second queue forms. On busy nights/days, you'd see 3rd and EVEN 4th queue! It's also how the highway etiquette applies by using the so-called "zipper" from 2 lanes into 1. It's an exceptional situation that has a peculiar reasoning. There is no real right or wrong here. When I know how busy it is, I'd back off sooner to allow some queueing. If I'm surprised by the queue that ends at almost the Gantry when I'm coming in hot after the last corner, then there is no way I'm going to hit the brakes and just let the car boil there for 30+ min.
Thank you for explaining. I was actually wondering about it. Here in the USA, other drivers would easily get triggered by the perception of people cutting in front. Seemed that's what that BMW driver felt in this video. But hopefully most drivers at the ring are mellow and understand this is how things work at the track.
YES YES YES MORE AMERICAN CARS PLEASE! It's so great to see mustangs, camaro, and chargers, and challengers on track. I know it's very rare but seeing how those cars perform on such an iconic track compared to in video games is amazing and I wish more people would bring more high-end American performance cars to this track and make great videos like this!
thank you i was trying to tell people in the comments about this but they still try to say its rude lol, you can tell who doesn’t drive the ring
In Poland they even had to update the traffic rules to mandatory obey zipper/lanes joining signs and mandatory let cars from the left lane join the right lane (each car has to let 1 car through). And still everyone "politely" stays in right lane and sometimes even block the ones who follow the rules and drive on the left lane.
It should be mandotary to make 3 lanes, 1 left to stay on track and with the two right lanes you zip in like on the road. When everyone stays only right on a busy day, the line will reach the last corner and that would be very dangerous.
Very stable and fast car, but most of all props to the owner for knowing his car so well. That's a true driver right there.
i was about to skip the vid because misha wasnt driving but ima check it out if you say the driver is that good lol
@@radspiderjackson just saying he knows his car well :P , but I think he drove well too. Misha probably would have been faster :)
He is also giving a good example on how to let faster people through in the right places even if he is very fast himself..well done
Yeah he is good driver.
I own this car and this guy can’t drive it worth a shit, he’s scared to push it and he’s shifting early
A Russian and an American driving together on a German track - the way it was meant to be. Loved this.
❤️
So what would you expect? The Russian should be fighting with the American and the German should be kicking both of them off the track? 🤷🏽♂️
Isn't he Croatian?
People are above the politics.
Russians and Americans going wherever they want in Germany is a time-honored tradition. 😊
Zach was kind enough to offer me a passenger ride in his Camaro after we watched the Italian Grand Prix together last year. Unforgettable experience!
Zach is very generous about offering people rides. I've done 5 or 6 laps with him now, and occasionally helped wrench on the car for minor stuff. Mostly he's busted his knuckles helping me wrench on my annoyingly difficult German cars though. LOL! Sad to see him have to move on.
80+ laps a year and he's there for the military lol. Sounds like a good gig, also a really good driver. Shifts looked really good and fast.
This converts to 10-11 hours on the ring, throughout an 8,760 hour time period.
@@1993j still not so bad
He could have just had the active rev match system on.
Servicemen need their hobbies yo!
@@sdlausen1 he does have it on. You can tell cuz the gear number is orange instead of white. But he still shifts well. I've messed it up even with auto rev match
I love how wide and torquey the powerband is, the engine pulls the same from 2000 to 6000RPM. Saves a lot of shifting. Excellent driver too.
American pushrod V8s in a nutshell:
"How many gears do you have?"
"Six."
"How many do you actually _use?"_
"Two, maybe three if I feel a bit sporty."
Fun fact: Camaro and CTS/ATS/CT5/CT4 all share the same chassis platform.
I was not only impressed by the cars performance, but it's been a long time since I've seen a warm up lab actually taking it easy... and then he switches to KM/H and you recognize that it was not that slow, the second lap then is fast, but the driver is still calm and leaves everyone pass quickly and gives everyone enough space for safety, i wish there where more drivers like him on the ring.
Spot on comment.
The engine is not screaming much but the speed is over 200km/h.
What a great owner, honest about the car and his ability 👍
Yea but he cuts the line. More kind of a douc...
@@FernandoRodriguez-uu6fj its done alot nothing new to the ring lol
@@FernandoRodriguez-uu6fj better to make 2 lines instead of one massive long line when getting of the track otherwise you will be waiting for 15 minutes
@@mivedthekid yea but at the end there is only one line to enter the parking. Like a bottleneck. So it ends being the same time. They should at least put some cones to make some order. And avoid people that feel entitled to cut others
Colling down the car after the lap is important too
Never forget the Head 2 Head video that Motor Trend did between the BMW M4 and Chevrolet Camaro SS. They praised the stability and predictability of the car. The Alpha platform in these is phenomenal. The current CT5-V and CT4-V are built off of this platform. Awesome car!!
Right, they awarded the 2016 SS motortrend car of the year and that was the non 1le model
@@joshuagorman7856 Yes is a great sport car!
Most didn't know that the alpha platform was developed by cadillac for the CTS series and it was used in the camaro. Cadillac truly has been carrying GM for years now. The R&D department there is amazing
@@showbo378GM works as a whole. The engineers often shift around to each sub brand
@@showbo378 These are basically a Aussie Designed Commodore with a Different Shell. The HSV Commodores were very good before GM shut down Holden in Oz.
great driver and car. really held his own against a much higher end car in a GT3
GT3 RS wasn’t it?
The SS 1LE has been an SCCA darling and an absolute performance bargain for quite some time now in the US. The motor is bombproof and the ride (when not ringing its neck on-track) is very, very good. Easily could be used as a daily between track events, and for very little money in consumables. Given his proximity to Laguna Seca he'll have HWY 1 from Monterey to SLO to blast when not doing track days, which isn't a bad life for a car lover.
only issue with this car as far as daily driving goes is visibility
HWY1 is no bueno when it comes to even thinking about speeding. Police/CHP are ready for you.
@@SpyderRacing i said for daily driving. Not track.
I had a 21’ SS 1LE 6spd and had engine trouble after 6k miles. I sold it but the next owner had to replace the engine.
@@SpyderRacing when your head is in the ceiling, it's not a fun drive.
The Camaro 1LE has been known for being very stable and easy to drive fast with both the current and previous generation model, it is known to be much easier to drive fast than the Mustang. Seeing him keep up with a GT3 RS and actually pass an AMG GTR was impressive
Just cuz he's passing, doesn't mean the other car is being pushed. An AMG GTR will beat a ZL1 1LE, and smash this SS.
No, a AMG GTR doesn't beat the ZL1 😂😂 what are you talking about...
@@luistorres6130it absolutely does. The amg gt r did the lap in 7;10mins.
And there was me thinking American muscle can't corner, certainly proved me wrong. Very capable car and a hell of a driver. Would of loved to see what Misha could of done in this car
You never heard of the Viper ACR, any Corvette Z06 or ZR1, Mustang GT350R or GT500 before seeing this video?
This hasn't been a thing since the 4th gen Fbods... so 1993. And for Vettes since the C4 in the mid 80s...
@@Save_the_Stick_Shifts like I said i have been proved wrong lol, American cars ain't really my thing so don't know much about them tbh
@@Save_the_Stick_Shifts even 4th gens punched above their weight. It's almost a sport to hate on them.
Dodge is the only company that truly confirms that stereo type (viper not included) but Chevy and Ford really stepped their game up in the last 10 years. Hell the 2011 Boss 302 was setting lap records with a solid rear axle.
What's the deal/etiquette with overtaking the traffic jam when leaving the circuit?
Did not seem very polite to me.
So happy you finally got to experience a 1LE Camaro! Having auto crossed a ZL1 1LE myself, it’s an amazing package for how much performance you get. Arguably the best bang for buck performance of any new car. Thanks for the video!
Other than that m240 that dusted it, it was moving.
@@kooksgarage3301 the camaro in the video isn't a zl1
I envy those who have done 50+ laps in a year , I’ve only done 18 laps this year.
still like a boss. I've done 3laps this year and ~10 in past 5years :D
@Game Tester well done! :) You can still enjoy your first lap ever.
@Game Tester I have to travel 900km each trip to Nurburgring. So can't have 20laps per trip, because I'm broke af and I have to travel with these tires back to home
@Game Tester I never done full send on NS. Always just easy lap. But the best thing on NS is, that you don't have to go full send to enjoy this track, because is narrow and with blind corners and elevation changes. I can enjoy more NS with 60% effort, than my donestic track in Brno with full send.
@Game Tester Probably yes, but I have to fix few issues with the car after the timing chain exchange :) Have vibrations a bit, hope they will fix it. I had also leaking cooling water, so I had to replace water pump. I hope that car will be fully ready next year.
...but some guy who watched Top Gear once told me American cars don't turn
One of the most interesting laps I have ever seen here. I think the SS 1LE is the "sweet spot" muscle car. It would definitely benefit from an Apex type of clubsport treatment.
That would be extremely cool
The owner made that Camaro look like a true badass. Very nice spec.
Excellent video and it was nice seeing another American car that performs.
Incredible driving to see a muscle car do that! Also shocking to see how quick the fuel gauge went down 😂
Very impressed! Also the owner seems like a great & knowledgeable guy!
Misha thank you for all these amazing videos. In this one you talk about the American cars left to test, or that you would like to test. One I didn’t hear mentioned was the new Cadillacs. They ride the same platform as the Camaro, but are sedans and coupes. Not sure if you did a Cadillac before either. Just wanted to throw that on your radar. Thanks again for all you do, please keep going and stay safe!
Good point!
Not to mention pretty comfortable to boot!
Agreed! Love to hear Misha’s thoughts on the new “caddies”! 😂
I knew this is a very capable track car but this is amazing !
To the young man driving his camaro, thank you for your service.
😌😂
I used to own a B7 RS4 and didn't know much about the 6th gen Camaro's that were coming out, but got talked into test driving a 2017 SS 1LE, and bought it two days later. Had a ton of fun with it. I now have a ZL1 1LE and couldn't be happier. Absolute BEAST on track. Cool to see you finally do a video of one of these!
I had a 2018 ZL1 and just sold it last fall and bought a brand new 22 SS 1LE.. The drag pulls on the highway were fun but you just can't wring the car on track without blowing off the tires in every corner exit and gear change. I enjoy the N/A power with a manual to autocross and have track days with.. Its so much better than the mustang and challenger its not even close..
Sure you can. Just control your right foot. I get a kick out of people saying "too much power" or similar nonsense, as if there is only full power or no power with nothing in between.
@@xtnuser5338 I get your argument but it was not only the power.. there were heat issues as well.. Not sure where you are located but here in Midwest USA.. the tracks are much slower, and don't have these high speed tracks like the ring.. Its not even close.. So my average lap times are the same, best laps better.. And the ZL1 would get hot after 3-4 laps, and the ss 1le can do 40min session without a sweat.. The tires also last much longer, as I went through 5 sets of rears in one year in the ZL1 and made it all of 22 with 2 sets on one less track day with much more time on track.. I also cooked the brake rotors and pads in one year on the ZL1.. Its not just about having power, its consumables and heat..
@@Clutch_Kick187 Sure I understand. I was a track rat in my Exige, and I continue to be a track rat in my GT3RS down here in Texas, so I know what you're talking about. I'm kind of surprised you got a whole year out of the pads honestly. How many sessions, or weekends if you prefer? The Exige was REALLY good on consumables, since it's low powered and light weight, but getting six or seven full two-day weekends on the pads was about it. The guys I know with Camaros and Mustangs and the like are usually lucky to get half of that.
@@xtnuser5338 The factory pads made it 3 track days.. and were completely fucked.. I did some research and found the magic sauce.. Raybestos ST-43.. They literally lasted 13 track days.. I tried Carbotech, Powerstop, and Hawk on the ZL1 and all of them were junk.. I heard from a Corvette Zo6 guy about the Raybestos ST-43 and they are the exact same pads for the 1LE and are amazing for longevity and literally pull your eyeballs out the front of your head without being an on off switch..
This is hands down the best performance bargain car in America right now. I had a BMW 340i and a friend had a M240i which competed in the same race class as the SS 1LE and we were being totally dominated. I think I was only able to beat them once in class because the track didn't allow them to stretch their legs enough. Being able to fit 315+ tires helps a lot :P
Looks like the new Z06 would beg to differ.
@@paultrouskie1825 The new Z06 is in another level, Ferrari Maclaren level, but for the money the SS1Le is amazing, and it is a manual wich the Z06 is not.
@@paultrouskie1825 That's no "bargain" car lol. You can get ss 1le for high 34-40k. Yea I agree the new Z06 will be amazing.
@@dimitriliving you ain’t getting a nice 1le for that price bro 😂
his driving has a very nice flow, very soothing to watch
Enjoyed watching Zach drive his beast around the 'Ring. A calm, confident, courteous pilot. We should all strive to emulate Zach during track days.
Gotta love the generosity of chevy to provide factory guards and suspension setup that can swallow 315's square out of the box...I don't hear much complaints about tramlining etc... from these cars with such fat rubber which shows just how well sorted the suspension geometry is.
Thank you for tell us your experiencience. More comments, please !.
Magnetic ride control from GM is the best in the business, even ford, Ferrari, and other brands use GMs suspension under license
Ok, here's one...the SS 1LE tramlines bad on stock setup. I doubt it gets better going wider
@@saltyfloridaman7163 very interesting never knew this
@Yooooo yep, GM invented magnetic dampers with its suspension division Delphi, and even after Delphi was sold, GM still designs and owns the rights to them while Delphi's plant still manufactures them under license. GM also allows other brands to use them and gains commission for every car built with them
This platform keeps up just fine with gt3s and bimmers , I don't know why I don't see more of them at the track 7:16 on pre re surfaced nurburgring is no joke.
They are pretty rare. At this point in time roughly 4,300 zl1 1le have been produced.
Very nice to finally see your thoughts on the current Camaro. I’ve never been a muscle car fan, but I really like my 18’ 2ss. The chassis is really good even though I don’t have the upgraded suspension
What a great car I am surprised 😯 and the owner is super duper nice person and he drive safe and correct 👏👏👏
Always nice to see a V8 tear up a European race track sounds amazing
That V8 was barely breaking a sweat sheeesh!
That young man can drive that SS 1LE. I have a 2021 SS 1LE and absolutely love it. They are bullet proof and handle so damn good...
Nice! Hopefully you’ll get to experience a ZL1 1LE on the ring one day too!
Man, this Camaro sounds SOOOOO good! There's nothing like a rumbling sound of a large bore V8 from Chevy, Mercedes-AMG and Dodge! This car handles really well and the driver drives it nice and smooth. Oh... as a U.S. viewer, it was refreshing to see the speedometer reading MPH.
It drives me a bit nuts trying to constantly convert in my head on the fly from kph to mph
Totally agree!
@@Lunarmech I know what you mean. I've converted them so often that I remember a few common steps along the way. Km to Miles: 100 = 62, 137 to 85, 160 to 100, 193 to 120, 240 to 150.... If you use it, eventually it'll stick. If I don't for a while, it's frustrating until I can catch up. Just watch more Misha videos... that'll work! ;^)
Great laps! Love Misha's expressions during some of the high speed corners. Excited to run Laguna Seca with you Zach!
I used to have a 6th gen SS 1LE - definitely miss that no lift shift sound!
Zach is me in 1986. American soldier stationed in FRG, hot car , driving the Nurburgring. I was a helicopter pilot , had a Group B rally car, trained by M. Martini, given my Int. Group C license by Heir Pinski, ( head of Ford racing Germany.
European racing is extremely Nationalistic. None of the tobacco companies would help me, all the money went to locals.
Nice job Zach, u drive well.
I keep looking at the temperature gauge, and it never rises. Is this engine only going for a Sunday walk in the park? It doesn't get warm at all. 😁
And it would probably be the same in sommer with 25+ celcius.
American cars generally are over-engineered from a cooling standpoint. Given that a good portion of the country is way hotter in summer than almost anywhere in Europe. 45C isn't uncommon in large portions of the southwest, and it can hit 40C even in the northeast. We do love our AC too, and it better work when it's 45 out. :)
The 1LE has excellent cooling.. Huge rad.. oil coolers, trans cooler, diff cooler.. 10qts of oil.. ect.. I have ran mine for 40min straight on track and didn't move the gauge on a 92deg F. Day..
100% best car money can buy. I have the ZL1 1LE and often wish I would have stuck with the SS 1LE. Chevrolet did really well with these cars, cheers!!
I have an SS 1LE that I track 4-5 times a year. It's my 2nd car. I'm curious why you sometimes wish you stuck with an SS vs. ZL1?
I'm constanly looking at ZL1 1LE's because they're so damn cool but hesitant to buy one because I frigging love my SS.
@@jackb55391 The SS is just far more of a track car imo. Perfect horsepower numbers and everything you can want out of a track car. I feel that 650 is too much at times. Sure it’s extremely fun to stomp on the gas pedal and hear the supercharger scream, however on the track I have to manage the throttle so much whereas in the SS I could just be flat the whole time. ZLE takes a lot of patience and getting used to whereas the SS is a big miata. Plus the SS 1LE wheels are far better than the ZLE’s 😂
@@aaron_1le456 good to know, thanks! I need to manage throttle on exit with my car but can see how you would need to be way more cautious. It's more of I wonder what 650 would be like vs. actually wanting more power lol. Last time there was a dude that trailered his C8 came over and checked my tires, he thought I was running slicks because I passed him and lost him 😂. Made me feel damn good. These 1LE cars are special.
@@jackb55391 they sure are! Love mine. It’s not stock, prolly making 725 wheel or around there. So yeah, throttle management is tricky lol
@@aaron_1le456 I'm at 470whp with a few mods. 725 jesus lol. I understand why though :) cheers
Except for Dodge Charger and Challenger, American muscle cars are no longer just a muscle car but a muscle "Sportscar".
The way that GT4 came and past went was incredible
Aye. Until then I thought that this camaro was fast =D. Jokes aside. Nice car.
well he did let off almost to let him pass in time before the corner
Dude, thats was at braking!
A GT4 is twice as expensive as the Camaro.
Cayman was late for his hairdresser job.
Camaro Silky Smooth. Great knowledgeable driver too👌🏼🤙🏼💎
My friend just got the zl1 version of that and its pure madness, i am really looking into the a SS and even more now after this vid . Great video !
I think the SS 1LE is the perfect Camaro. Well done.
Also the ZL1
@@jmm1174 very expensive. SS 1LE gives you a lot, for not a ton of money
I had a new one like that I bought brand new, same color and everything, lived in California and sold it to a guy in the military who lived in Vegas at the time. This guy looks exactly like him, what if...this is my car? Had the same black stripe on the side of the hood which was an option I haven't seen before, but mine had it!
Awesome car and awesome content as always!!! 🤟🙋♂️
I think my favorite part is the fat power band. He's in 4th for most of the lap, from 120kph to 200kph.
I wish I got started at an earlier age like this guy has. I chose drugs and alcohol and lost a good 15 years. Good job Driver!
Late start or not, happy to hear you got started. So many go down the drug and alcohol road never to return. I've lost a few friends to it. Kudos to you, sir!!
Is nice to see that americans can actualy build a really good track car. Nice. Thanks to sharing Misha. Congrats to the owner.
Great driving and awesome track etiquette, unfortunately not by everyone else. Crazy how capable the car is, everything looks completely effortless!
That's what I noticed, the car seemed very planted and on rails.
Is it ok to pass through the line of cars which are driving to parking lot as well as Camaro driver?
@@ФимаШабашевич Right was wondering that myself
I've been a subscriber for a while now but I was beyond thrilled to see an SS 1LE on your channel! What a car! I love mine. I've had it to several tracks here in the states and it's a blast! I tell anyone I can to pick up an SS 1LE. Best bang for your buck that isn't a ZL1 1LE, GT4, GT3, or GT2.
That was a lot of fun to watch. Damn. GM engineering has come a loooong way. Thank you for sharing that double lap experience!
GM has always had the most capable american track cars... corvette C4-C8, Camaros and Firebirds
I wish there was an official Nürburgring lap time from Chevrolet to see whats the max potential of the car. Im sure it would hurt alot of Porsche, BWM and AMG owners feelings.
This car is such a performance bargain
I remember when i was a test-driver, i left germany to go to Detroit to test drive this very model from the video for GM for a couple of months, and right before i left i did some test-driving on the beemer M4. Got to Detroit, got inside an SS first day at work and immediately thought to myself "wow, this is way better than the M4". Camaros are as underrated as a track-car just as much as M4s are overrated...Camaros are awesome. After those couple of months in Detroit testing this car i really grew to become a little bit of a fan of it...
HEY I live 45 min from Lagua Seca! Welcome Back! :D
automatic revmatch is basically a way to significantly increase the life of the transmission especially on track use, unless you are super accurate with your shifts, idk
Thanks for the video Misha :)
I drove a 2012 Camaro SS on a road trip in USA. Didn't really want it to begin with, but the other American car I had ordered was not available, even though I had booked a specified vehicle.. Took the brand new SS with 400 miles on the odometer and added 5500 in a couple of weeks. It was such a great car
Thanks, interesting CAMARO drive…….& DRIVER: best of Luck @ Laguna SECA &/ “THANK YOU” , for your Service……
Really want to see Misha wheel a ZL1 around the ring..
people dont realise how good gm performace cars are on track even the older vettes are still kicking modern gt cars and entry level "supercars"
Misha has been America's best sports cars ....I LOVE IT.Would have loved to see you drive the camero ...buy the kid can drive aswell....good job driver....nice car
The temperature guage has not budged and the oil pressure is just hovering around 40, while this car is being thrashed. What’s with the line of cars? I have to say, based on your and the owners comments and my impressions from watching the video, I’d say, the Chevy chassis engineers did a pretty bang up job on initial setup. Great to see some American V8 power on the ring, I would think this answers the question can American muscle cars turn and brake,
Excellent couple of laps. You had to change the MPH to KMH. I was yeah MPH on the 1st lap. Then KMH was on and couldn't work it out quick enough in my head. 😂 Felt just like you on the 1st lap. 😂 cool video
I thought American cars could not go round corners fast... Then again I am 58 years old and things do move on 😜😜.
That you lad is a good driver and you an hear his passion
What s up with the cutting of the line at the end of the second lap? Its that something allowed? How isn t anybody reacting to that if not?
its done all the time its not new
It's nornal
really would have liked to see Misha drive this car. He doesn't really down shift much coming into the corners. Feel like the driver is driving the car at 70 or 80% of its ability.
You can watch the fuel gauge drop over the laps, from full to 2/3rds 😮
Crazy that a car would use fuel while producing 400 hp
@@mitchellsteindler 🤣🤣🤣
@@mitchellsteindler 😂😂
I still can’t find the battery Gauge…? DOES THE ROOF HAVE A SOLAR COLLECTOR ? DARN THOSE. 1000POUND BATTERIES….😮🤔🚫
I am absolutely dumbfounded that the Nürburgring does not require everyone on the track to wear Snell approved racing helmets. In Sports Car Club of America racing in the U.S.A., racing helmets are required. This Camaro does not appear to have a roll bar either. There is no way I'd ever go 150+ mph and not be wearing a racing helmet. If a tire blew out at 150 mph, or the engine blew and put oil down on the track, or etc., the resulting crash would be horrific and without a racing helmet, the chances of surviving the crash would not be very good. Safety should always come first. Get a real racing helmet. It could save your life.
Well if Kevin Estre only does 240 through Schwedenkreuz... And someone can do 250 kmh - would like to see that :) Yeah, but this was perhaps about the straight before the turn.
Great car and would be nice to see Mischa driving.
I'm confident he meant the turn
Imo still an slightly underrated muscle car, I mean come on they made a muscle car handle like a Porsche
Go ARMY 57,500 miles you are driving that thing. 1/4 tank of gas per lap!
The first time I drove a Camaro ZL1 1le at the track I never look at cars the same. Lighter always is faster at the track but I couldn't believe a car that weights 4000lbs could turn in like it did. It also pushed me out of the apex like an animal from hell. I don't know if you can buy a better track car out the box for less than 75k.
No.
3,800lbs
4500? Google is free
My favorite car.. Could have picked one up for around 33-35k back in 2019 (with low miles).
Every seatbelt in every car I've owned locks when you pull it all the way out and back in...that's how you install kids seats if you need to use the belt.
I think it's especially so in American cars...my VW group cars haven't been able to
@@nrrn65 Interesting, from German perspective I've had an A4, an X3, and an E46 that did in all rear seat positions, Canadian and US market vehicles though.
@@nrrn65 It is on "all" cars. Was like that on my parents Europe-spec Audi A1, A5, VW Passat and Opel Corsa.
Hmm weird my 2019 Golf GTI, 2020 Audi RS3 and old 2011 Audi A6 did not ever lock in the front seat or rear seat so it made it a pain with the kids seats. So I made some assumptions...
Well done young man….. didn’t make a fool out of ya self. Drove responsible. 👍🥃🇦🇺
My favourite car...love it! Perfect design, sound and performance. And driver has done good job! Lot of ppl underestimate that car 👌👍
Doesn’t count unless Misha is driving
Very impressive handling for a Camaro! Reminds me of the upcoming Camaros in the Aussie Supercar series. Driver really has his car down pat.
Doesn't every seatbelt locks when you pull it all the way ??? Had a 2005 Mazda 3 that did that ...
Only in California can you get cited for having a car to loud on a damn race track? SMH! Pathetic state I live in sometimes
Had a 2017 SS 1LE. One of the best cars I owned.
I saw about 4 weeks on SilesiaRing in Poland Camaro SS ZL1. SilesiaRing have a lot corners and Camaro was extremely fast. When I saw table in the middle of racing had second place almost the same than new Porsche GT4. There was a lot of fast car, but Porsche and Camaro ruled!
That seat belt thing is for car seats. It’s in all GM cars since the 1990s. My sister used to pull the seatbelt out all of the way and then get stuck, that’s how I found out about it.
Nicely driven but I did wonder a little at his driving past the whole queue to leave, then tuck in right at the front and express surprise when someone didn't let him in!
Casual 160mph like it's nothing lol. People sleep on Camaros too much.
Impressed with how cool the engine ran. Never broke 200 on coolant temp.
That’s cool looking car, never thought I’d say that about an American car.
It’s epic that the USA army guys get so into driving and going all out
OMG! That Camaro 1LE is amazing! We need you to drive the ZL1/1LE as well!
Add another 100hp and this is my dream car on my dream track. . . SO jealous!! lol
I didn’t have my SS 1LE for very long but I got it up too 170ish mph. The car didn’t want to accelerate very fast past 150mph, after 4th gear it gets a bit long winded. If I had the money for a custom transmission I would like 3-4-5-6 regeared much shorter. A quick simpler fix could be to get a higher final drive like a 4:11 but then you will make 1-2-3 way scetchy.
If it was me, I would put 4th to 6th closer to Third gear
I'd love to take my 2014 Supercharged Corvette Z51 with a 7 spd manual around that track. It would be heaven!
The way the fuel Guage moving though, some serious juice getting fed...
can't believe how good this thing sounds. wow. i have the volume up very high and the sub on earthquake!.
Had the SS 1LE for one day and man this car is amazing. Not the fastest in corners but overall performance is impressive. The driving position is perfect, the steering wheel perfect, the seat perfect, shifters perfect, gear ratio perfect, torque perfect, brakes are good, balance is good, traction in corner acceleration could be better since its nearly impossible to accalerate hard without powersliding due to the massive torque from 2000rpm to redline. The car in the video had great semi slick tyres. On road tyres I am sure modern Golf GTi, Civic Type R or old Lan Evo / Bmw M3 are just faster in corners. 😊 since you need to let the Camaro "roll" unil you need to be very careful with your right foot when accelerating out of the corner. Compared with my Lan Evo I own you just can smash the pedal down and the awd will do its job. But to be honest the Camaro is under the Top 3 of the best cars I ever had and maybe Top 1 of the best overall Performance for the money. The Mustang 5.0 is sadly nowhere near the Camaros performance. You need to pick a Shelby GT350 to beat the SS. But then there is the Supercharged ZL1 he had to deal with :)... if there is one thing I would do to make the car even better: Nothing just bigger Tyres like the guy did in the Video ❤
Nice gloves, what time do you have to be back at your welding job?