Camaro ZL1 1LE Bests Corvette ZR1, Dodge Demon in Top Gear Battle

The most affordable option is the best.

One long-held belief is that American cars only excel in straight lines. This might be true if your only references were Dodge press release. Top Gear set about to dispel this rumor, taking three of America’s most powerful and track-focused cars to Thermal Raceway in California. To see how they compare.

The trio comprises the Corvette ZR1 and the Camaro ZL1 as well as the Dodge Demon. The Shelby GT350, which is more focused on track driving, was not included in the mix. The three cars combine to produce 2,213 horsepower (1.650 kilowatts) and 2,175 pound feet of torque (2.948 Newton-meters). They can each sprint to 60 mph (96 km/hr) in about three seconds. Jack Rix, Deputy Editor of Thermal Raceway, took all three vehicles to the track in an attempt to figure it out. You might be surprised by the results. He eliminated the Corvette ZR1 as his first vehicle. Rix stated that the Corvette ZR1 was too “whiffy of midlife crisis.” He eliminated the Dodge Demon as his second choice. He said that the 808-hp coupe (602-kW), was “the coolest here”, but it was built for quarter-miles, not corners.

Camaro ZL1 1LE Bests Corvette ZR1, Dodge Demon in Top Gear Battle

Camaro ZL1 1LE Bests Corvette ZR1, Dodge Demon in Top Gear Battle

The Camaro ZL1 1LE is the clear winner. Rix claims it’s the only car he can imagine driving in Europe. Rix even compares it with the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The Camaro ZL1 1LE, however, is the most powerful of the bunch. Although it produces only 650 horsepower (484 kW) or 650lb-ft (881Nm), it can sprint to 60 mph (66.6 kmh) in just 3.4 seconds, and then to a top speed at 202 mph (325kmh). Camaro is also one of the most affordable options. The Camaro ZL1 1LE is $69,995, while the Dodge Demon is $84,995, while the Corvette ZR1 costs $199,995. The question is which one would you choose, and how much?