The 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1. Image: © GM Corp.
If you were hoping to get your hands on a new Camaro ZL1 in the coming weeks, we’ve got some bad news for you: due to a “quality assessment,” GM has put a temporary hold on production and delivery of the uber-Camaro. GM isn’t giving any further details, but the hold also delays a current Dealer Order Submission Process cycle, which (presumably) means that dealer orders aren’t being accepted at the present time.
The story broke on GM Inside News last week, but Motor Authority did some further digging into the matter yesterday. One Camaro ZL1 had already been delivered to a customer in Texas, prompting the dealership to recall the car for a “software programming issue.” While it’s possible that the quality assessment is software related, it’s equally possible that a software issue was merely a cover for some other type of problem with the Camaro ZL1.
Whatever the underlying cause, we’re sure that GM will have it resolved in the very near future. Such production holds aren’t uncommon on new vehicles, and the automaker deserves credit for getting on top of things before a recall is needed. That may not be good news for those awaiting delivery of a ZL, but the consolation is that owners will undoubtedly be getting an improved product.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
