Having seen countless outlets take the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for a spin and (rightly) sing its praises it's refreshing to see an independent video of the ZL1 hurtling down a drag strip. The production models have just the week started to roll from the Chevy plant in Oshawa, Ontario so it won't be long before people with a pony-car budget get to enjoy a world class sports car that can stand toe-to-toe with the likes of the Audi R8 and Mercedes SLS that are more than double the price.

Fighting talk between Camaro ZL1 champions (including Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser) and fans of the 650hp Shelby Mustang has been raging for a while, with the Camaro heralded as the superior car as it will be track-ready from the factory and can thus run on the track without endangering the warranty.

The Mustang may well be faster in a straight line, but you won't get too many people putting this to the test on a track. On the other hand, folks, such as the guys from Motoramic, will be more than happy running the quarter mile in a ZL1 to try and match the 12 second time GM has quoted it's capable of. As you'll see, using the launch control system is crucial to maximize the potential of the most powerful Camaro ever, demonstrating that intelligence is just as important as looks or muscle.