Chevrolet's 1LE package is designed for Camaro owners with a need for speed

By Ronan Glon Published February 10, 2016

Feeling the need for speed?

Chevrolet has announced that the 2017 Camaro will gain an option package called 1LE. Offered on and off since 1988, 1LE is synonymous with a raft of handling-focused modifications designed to make Chevy’s pony car markedly faster around a track.

The package is available on both V6- and V8-powered cars for the first time ever. Regardless of how many cylinders are in the engine bay, it brings a flat black hood that reduces glare, a sizable splitter up front, a three-piece spoiler out back, and Goodyear Eagle F1 tires wrapped around 20-inch alloy wheels. Both variants also receive a suede-upholstered steering wheel and a short-throw shifter.

More important modifications are found by looking under the car. Notably, the V6-powered coupe gains suspension components borrowed from its V8-powered sibling, four-piston Brembo brake calipers, a mechanical limited-slip differential with a 3.27 ratio, and a dual exhaust system. Since 1LE-equipped cars are more likely to see track time, Chevy has added coolers for the engine, transmission, and differential oil as well as a Camaro SS-sourced fuel system that prevents fuel starvation during high-speed cornering.

The Camaro SS builds on the V6 model with an adjustable suspension system named Magnetic Ride Control, six-piston brake calipers manufactured by Brembo, an electronic limited-slip differential, and Recaro bucket seats for the front passengers. General Motors’ Performance Data Recorder, which captures the driver’s perspective of the road ahead and a host of telemetry data, can be ordered at an extra cost.

The 1LE package is exclusively available with a six-speed manual transmission, but it doesn’t include any major mechanical modifications. The Camaro features a 3.6-liter V6 engine that delivers 335 horsepower, and the Camaro SS boasts a 6.2-liter V8 with 455 ponies. Chevrolet isn’t planning on expanding 1LE availability to the four-cylinder-powered model anytime soon.

Enthusiasts who want to order a Chevrolet Camaro with the 1LE package will need to be patient because it’s not scheduled to go on sale until later this year. Pricing information hasn’t been announced yet.

Former Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Topics

Cars

This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern

Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

Cars

Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride

A Zoox robotaxi.

Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first facility producing fully autonomous robotaxis.

A video (above) released by the California-based company offers a peek inside the factory, which, when it reaches full capacity, could roll out as many as 10,000 autonomous vehicles per year.

Cars

The week in EV tech: 900 miles, 12 minutes—EV charging just hit warp speed

byd 900 miles 12 minutes seal

Welcome to Digital Trends’ weekly recap of the revolutionary technology powering, connecting, and now driving next-gen electric vehicles.
If you’re hesitant about electric vehicles (EV), it’s likely that your top concerns include how far you can drive in a single charge, how long it takes to charge the battery, and how much this advanced tech will cost you. And you're not alone.
According to Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study, nearly half of U.S. consumers (49%) still say that available battery driving range is their biggest worry about EVs. That’s followed closely by the time required to charge (46%) and the lingering cost premium (44%) associated with battery electric vehicles.
But that narrative may finally be flipping. Just this past week, two developments showcase how much EV technology has evolved over the past decade: China’s BYD is breaking new grounds on just how far you can drive an EV on a single 12-minute charge. Meanwhile, the Nissan Leaf, seen as the first mass-market EV in 2010, is getting an impressive upgrade even as it remains one of the most affordable options on the market.

BYD’s bold battery bet
Chinese auto giant BYD, already the world’s top-selling EV manufacturer, may have just redrawn the limits of battery performance. According to Chinese media, and other reports, the company is testing a new solid-state battery that can add 900 miles of range in just 12 minutes of charging.
Let that sink in. That’s nearly four times the range of many current EVs—enough to drive from New York to Chicago —and charging that’s as fast as a coffee stop.