2011 Chevrolet Camaro SLP ZL585 Review

Horsepower. There’s nothing like it. It’s a magical cure for a lot of things. If you’re feeling down or depressed, just pick a nearby deserted, sinuous road and your horsepower-packed sports car will put a smile back on your face.

The LoudMouth II exhaust system awakens the dead. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)

Actually, you don’t even have to set foot on the gas pedal to enjoy horsepower, because with 592 of them on tap, you’ll immediately gain fame and respect in your neighbourhood. All you have to do is twist the key of your Camaro SLP ZL585.

At that very moment, people within a one-mile radius will think they just heard the first crack of a thunderstorm and run inside their house. Cats, dogs and squirrels either disappear in the bushes or wet themselves. Car alarms trigger in a cacophonous symphony. Ok, I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea.

SLP is a well-established operation that sells performance and appearance products for recent musclecars such as the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger and Charger, the Chevrolet Corvette, the Pontiac G8 and GTO as well as a few other models.

The crown jewel, though, is the Camaro SLP, which is offered in several variations for 2011; seven to be exact.

The ZL327 is a souped-up Camaro with the 3.6-litre V6. A nice starting point, but you’ll want more.

The ZL427 and ZL454 are based on the Camaro SS’ 6.2-litre V8s bolted to the 6-speed automatic and 6-speed manual transmissions, respectively. Both engines receive modifications such as a freer-flowing exhaust, a cold air induction system and a CPU reprogram. The ZL465 is also based on the SS with the manual gearbox.

However, those who want a Shelby GT500 fighter should upgrade to the ZL560 and ZL585 models instead. These two powerhouses are equipped with a TVS 2300 supercharger; the automatic ZL560 boasts 563 horses and 557 lb-ft of torque, while our stick-shift ZL585 scorches the earth with 592 ponies and 597 lb-ft.

That’s enough. Is it? It isn’t? Well, you could also consider the ZL1—that’s right, SLP dares bringing back a legendary name that was tacked on 69 high-performance copies of the Camaro way back in 1969. The original ZL1 flaunted an aluminum V8 that displaced 427 cubic inches (that’s 7.0 litres in metric-speak) and output was published at 430 horsepower, although some claim it was more like 500.

The SLP Camaro ZL585 flaunts 592 horsepower and 597 pound-feet of torque. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com)