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AUTOS: Hot Lap For Camaro SS 1LE
A 2013 coupe with the handling-performance package runs a lap at Virginia International Raceway’s four-mile road course under three minutes.
A Camaro engineer drove an SS coupe with the 1LE package to a sub-three-minute time on Virginia International Raceway's Grand Course. (Photo: Chevrolet)
Chevrolet recently took a 2013 Camaro SS enhanced with the 1LE performance package for testing on Virginia International Speedway’s four-mile Grand Course, where the production car turned a lap in less than three minutes.
With Camaro engineer Aaron Link at the wheel, the coupe equipped with the $3,500 package hit a time of 2:58.34 on the winding road course, just a tad slower than the 2:52.40 time recorded earlier this year by Link driving the full-on Camaro ZL1.
The test Camaro SS, powered by the standard 6.2-liter LS3 V8 rated at 426 horsepower, was production spec other than a race seat and roll cage for safety, according to Chevrolet.
“To break a three-minute lap on the four-mile Grand Course is an incredible accomplishment for any car,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “Like the Nurburgring, at VIR there’s never a moment when the car rests at steady state. Each lap tests every aspect of a car, including power, brakes, steering, tire grip and chassis balance.”
The 1LE package, first introduced in 1988 and returning for 2013 as a track-ready option, is available on Camaro 1SS and 2SS coupes with manual transmissions, providing an affordable way to upgrade the car’s handling performance. According to Chevy, a Camaro 1SS optioned with the 1LE gear has a base price of $37,035, including shipping.
“The Camaro 1LE combines the best elements of the SS and the ZL1 with a focus on handling,” Oppenheiser said. “We optimized every part of the SS for improved track driving, including gear ratios, suspension tuning and chassis mounts.”
The 1LE package features an exclusive Tremec TR6060-MM6 six-speed transmission with close-ratio gearing paired with a 3.91 final drive. Like the ZL1, the transmission features a liquid-to-liquid cooling system for track use.
The suspension features monotube rear shock absorbers instead of the twin-tube dampers on the SS, which allowed the engineers to control body movement without sacrificing ride quality, Chevy says.
Other changes from the standard Camaro SS include:
• Larger, 27-mm solid front stabilizer bar, and 28-mm solid rear stabilizer bar.
• Strut tower brace for improved steering feel and response.
• ZL1-based 20 x 10-inch front and 20 x 11-inch rear aluminum wheels.
• 285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires front and rear.
• ZL1 wheel bearings, toe links and rear shock mounts for improved on-track performance.
• ZL1 high-capacity fuel pump and additional fuel pickups for improved fuel delivery during high-cornering.
With the 1LR package, the Camaro SS gets styling tweaks that include a matte-black hood, front splitter and rear spoiler, and 10-spoke ZL1-based wheels, which are finished in black. The interior also gets some exclusive features, including a flat-bottom steering wheel and sueded microfiber trim.
For a driver’s eye view of the Camaro’s VIR Grand Course lap, watch the video at Camaro SS 1LE.
Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at
With Camaro engineer Aaron Link at the wheel, the coupe equipped with the $3,500 package hit a time of 2:58.34 on the winding road course, just a tad slower than the 2:52.40 time recorded earlier this year by Link driving the full-on Camaro ZL1.
The test Camaro SS, powered by the standard 6.2-liter LS3 V8 rated at 426 horsepower, was production spec other than a race seat and roll cage for safety, according to Chevrolet.
“To break a three-minute lap on the four-mile Grand Course is an incredible accomplishment for any car,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “Like the Nurburgring, at VIR there’s never a moment when the car rests at steady state. Each lap tests every aspect of a car, including power, brakes, steering, tire grip and chassis balance.”
The 1LE package, first introduced in 1988 and returning for 2013 as a track-ready option, is available on Camaro 1SS and 2SS coupes with manual transmissions, providing an affordable way to upgrade the car’s handling performance. According to Chevy, a Camaro 1SS optioned with the 1LE gear has a base price of $37,035, including shipping.
“The Camaro 1LE combines the best elements of the SS and the ZL1 with a focus on handling,” Oppenheiser said. “We optimized every part of the SS for improved track driving, including gear ratios, suspension tuning and chassis mounts.”
The 1LE package features an exclusive Tremec TR6060-MM6 six-speed transmission with close-ratio gearing paired with a 3.91 final drive. Like the ZL1, the transmission features a liquid-to-liquid cooling system for track use.
The suspension features monotube rear shock absorbers instead of the twin-tube dampers on the SS, which allowed the engineers to control body movement without sacrificing ride quality, Chevy says.
Other changes from the standard Camaro SS include:
• Larger, 27-mm solid front stabilizer bar, and 28-mm solid rear stabilizer bar.
• Strut tower brace for improved steering feel and response.
• ZL1-based 20 x 10-inch front and 20 x 11-inch rear aluminum wheels.
• 285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires front and rear.
• ZL1 wheel bearings, toe links and rear shock mounts for improved on-track performance.
• ZL1 high-capacity fuel pump and additional fuel pickups for improved fuel delivery during high-cornering.
With the 1LR package, the Camaro SS gets styling tweaks that include a matte-black hood, front splitter and rear spoiler, and 10-spoke ZL1-based wheels, which are finished in black. The interior also gets some exclusive features, including a flat-bottom steering wheel and sueded microfiber trim.
For a driver’s eye view of the Camaro’s VIR Grand Course lap, watch the video at Camaro SS 1LE.
Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at
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