The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: The Last Great V8 Camaro Gets a Proper Send-Off

When General Motors announced the end of Camaro production in late 2023, the muscle car world mourned. The sixth-generation Camaro would go out with a bang, and the ZL1 is the model that makes the strongest case for why every gearhead should be genuinely upset about losing it. This comprehensive start-up, exhaust, and test drive video captures the ZL1 at its absolute best and serves as a fitting tribute to one of America’s greatest muscle cars.

This video delivers exactly what every Camaro fan needs right now: a thorough, respectful evaluation of the 2024 Camaro ZL1 in its final production year. The reviewer covers the startup sound (that supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 growl is genuinely something special), an exhaust note showcase, a proper walkaround of the exterior and interior, and a full POV test drive that captures what it actually feels like to put 650 horsepower down through a six-speed manual or ten-speed automatic. This is the kind of video that will age beautifully—something you will come back to in five years when the ZL1 has become a certified modern classic.

What makes this review particularly valuable is the attention to detail. The 2024 ZL1 is not just another sports car review—it is a farewell to a nameplate that has been part of American automotive culture since 1966. The video hits all the right notes: acceleration runs, handling impressions, a thorough look at the technology and features, and the visceral driving footage that reminds you why internal combustion will always have a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts.

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The Camaro Legacy: From 1966 to Today

The Chevrolet Camaro debuted in 1966 as GM‘s answer to the Ford Mustang, which had set the muscle car world on fire two years earlier. Built on the same F-body platform as the Pontiac Firebird, the first-generation Camaro offered a wide range of engines including small-block and big-block V8s, but it was the Z/28 and SS models that truly captured the enthusiast imagination. By 1969, the Camaro had developed its iconic long-hood, short-deck profile that would define the nameplate for generations.

The ZL1 name itself carries legendary weight. In 1969, Chevrolet offered an all-aluminum 427 cubic-inch big-block—designated the ZL1—in just 69 Camaros as a Central Office Production Order (COPO) option. These were essentially drag strip weapons disguised as street cars, and surviving examples today command well over a million dollars at auction. When Chevrolet revived the ZL1 designation in 2012 for the fifth-generation Camaro, it brought serious hardware: a supercharged LS9 V8 making 580 horsepower. The sixth-gen ZL1, introduced in 2017, raised the bar with the LT4 making 650 horsepower—the same engine found in the Corvette Z06 and the magnificent Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.

The 2024 ZL1 represents the pinnacle of an already outstanding platform. With 650 hp, a 0-60 time of around 3.5 seconds, and the choice between a six-speed manual with Active Rev Match or a ten-speed automatic, it is as fast as anything Detroit has produced at this price point. The magnetic ride control suspension, Brembo brakes, and wide Goodyear Eagle F1 tires give it handling that competes with exotic sports cars costing far more. And that sound—the LT4’s supercharger whine layered over the exhaust bark at full throttle—is pure automotive artistry that no electric motor can replicate.

Why the ZL1 Deserves a Proper Send-Off

There is something genuinely emotional about watching the 2024 Camaro ZL1. GM‘s decision to end Camaro production—citing shifting consumer preferences toward SUVs and the industry-wide push toward electrification—means this is the final chapter. The sixth generation ran from 2016 to 2024, eight years of continuous refinement that produced arguably the best Camaro ever made in terms of pure performance. The ZL1 1LE track variant set lap records at circuits across the country, running times that challenged cars costing two or three times more.

What you are watching in this video is history in motion. The 2024 Camaro ZL1 closes the book on a legacy stretching back nearly six decades, and it deserves every minute of documentation and celebration it can get. Values are already climbing on clean examples as collectors recognize what they have in their hands. Whether you are considering buying one before prices climb further, or simply want to soak in the sights and sounds of the greatest supercharged Camaro ever built, this video is essential viewing for any muscle car enthusiast.

Watch the full video above and let us know in the comments—do you think Chevrolet made a mistake killing the Camaro, or was it simply time to move on?