Rick Hendrick visits Oshawa Assembly Plant to celebrate start of 2012 Camaro ZL1 production

OSHAWA, Ontario – The Oshawa Assembly Plant today celebrated the start of regular production of the hotly-anticipated 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in a ceremony with employees and invited guests, including team owner Rick Hendrick.

Click here to see photos from the event.

“This is an exciting new chapter in the ongoing revival of the tremendously popular Chevrolet Camaro,” said Kevin Williams, president and managing director of GM of Canada. “The new 2012 Camaro ZL1 is the most-powerful Camaro ever produced by Chevrolet and further demonstrates the flexible capabilities of the award-winning Oshawa Assembly Plant.”

“Through a disciplined approach and a relentless focus on execution, the Oshawa team has worked efficiently to ensure a successful, high-quality launch of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1,” stated Dan Hermer, plant manager at the Oshawa Assembly Plant. “New product mandates like the Camaro ZL1 are testaments to the calibre of the workforce in Oshawa,” added Chris Buckley, president of the Canadian Auto Workers Local 222. 

Employees were joined by Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, to celebrate the start of regular production. Hendrick, a Camaro enthusiast who purchased the first 2010 Camaro Coupe and the first 2011 Camaro Convertible, now also has purchased the first Camaro ZL1 available for public sale. In all three cases, Hendrick acquired the purchase rights through the Barrett-Jackson auction, with all proceeds benefitting local charities.

“I had the opportunity to visit the plant last January when they started production of the 2011 Camaro Convertible,” said Hendrick, who has a record 10 car owner championships in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. “As a Chevy enthusiast, it’s an honor to spend time at such an impressive facility and meet the people who produce some of world’s most incredible high-performance cars. They’ve raised the bar again with the new Camaro ZL1, and I’m excited to be back in Oshawa to experience it firsthand.”

The reintroduction of the ZL1 to the Camaro lineup not only acknowledges a unique period in Camaro’s first generation, but a new high performance benchmark for the fifth generation Camaro.  

The heart of the Camaro ZL1 is a supercharged 6.2L engine, SAE-rated at 580 horsepower (432 kW) and 556 lb.-ft. of torque (754 Nm) – making it the most-powerful production Camaro ever.  The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe accelerates from 0 to 96 km/h in 3.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 297 km/h. 

The first retail production Camaro ZL1 features a black exterior with the optional Exposed Carbon Fiber Weave Hood Insert and power Sunroof.  The interior is black leather with sueded microfiber inserts not only on the seat and dash, but also the steering wheel and shift knob.   

Starting at $58,000, the ZL1 delivers supercar levels of performance and technology for the price of a sports car.