Issue #8 April 2017 8 | Page 9

disappear and the blind spots are no longer a factor. However, with the top up, rear visibility is even further restricted than in the coupe, as the rear window in the fabric top is basically a slit. At highway speeds with the roof lowered, wind buffeting and noise are noticeable but acceptably low. Run the speedometer into triple-dig- it speeds—easy with this much power—and, as you might suspect, the wind becomes very obtrusive. Selecting the topless ZL1 tames the track-day specialist coupe by stripping away some of the high-tech hard- ware, creating more of a formidable Sunday cruiser. The convertible lives without the coupe’s trick eLSD, or electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The folding roof hardware gobbles up the available space, so a conventional limited-slip diff is installed instead. More important, this in turn takes away Chevrolet’s stellar Performance Traction Management (PTM) fea- ture, a multilevel stability- and traction-control system capable of turning any driving zero into a road-course hero. While launch control is still selectable, the loss of PTM means there’s no longer the ability to customize launches by dialing in wheelspin off the line. Chevrolet engineers are reluctant to use the word softer, instead describing the adjustments to the magnetorheologi- cal dampers and electronically assisted steering as “expanding the bandwidth” when in Tour mode. Small- er-diameter anti-roll bars are used in both the front and rear to dial back some of the athleticism. Even with the, ahem, expanded programming, the ride is compliant and the lighter steering remains sharp. Our 250-mile drive involved divided highways and inter- states, not the best roads to accurately assess the ZL1 chassis with its upper structure removed. However, the ability to drive the coupe back to back with the convert- ible did provide some insight; it’s immediately apparent how stout the Alpha architecture is with a metal roof. While the convertible’s structure is solid, the lazier dampers may mask some of the impacts sent through the chassis, which seemed notably flexible in our initial Camaro convertible drive. Over undulating surfaces, a slight shake can be felt through the steering wheel. One attribute shared by both body styles: Stomp on the throttle in a straight line and the ZL1 feels like it’s being shot off a flight deck. The Camaro ZL1 convertible offers mind-bending pow- er and hair-removing speeds, and it seems destined to dethrone its kin, the Camaro SS convertible, as the quickest droptop pony car we’ve ever tested, once we get one to the track. And it offers something that Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 owners are missing out on: an out-of-doors ex- perience. Selecting an open-air cockpit may dilute the performance, but it certainly doesn’t diminish the fun. 4GUYS.CA 9