The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Has Come Agonisingly Close To 200mph

Despite hitting 202mph in official speed tests in Germany, the ZL1's wind-corrected and averaged top speed falls just short of the magic number
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Has Come Agonisingly Close To 200mph

Speed freaks this way, please. The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has just hit an averaged top speed of 198mph, smashing through 200mph with the benefit of a tail-wind.

The Americans tested the fastest Camaro at the Automotive Testing Papenburg proving ground in Germany, hitting 202.3mph in one direction on the 7.6-mile loop and 193.3mph the other way, producing the 198mph official wind-corrected average.

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Has Come Agonisingly Close To 200mph

Then, after changing the camber settings from standard to zero degrees and pumping the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tyres up to their maximum, the ZL1 hit a tasty average of ‘over 200mph’, but it won’t be counted since the spec was altered from showroom-fresh.

Papenburg’s 49.7-degree banking allows cars like the Camaro to run flat-out around its 1.3-mile turns. Which is nice. The oval’s 2.5-miles straights then let the driver keep the hammer down and eke out those last few notches on the speedometer.

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Has Come Agonisingly Close To 200mph

As per the rules of engagement with speed records like this, the only non-factory features were extra safety kit and datalogging gear.

The 10-speed automatic gearbox is one of the key reasons behind the feat, says Chevrolet. As well as lifting the top speed versus a six-speed manual, it lets the ZL1 hit 60mph in 3.5 seconds and post a standing quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds.

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Has Come Agonisingly Close To 200mph

Elsewhere, there’s trick magnetorheological suspension, Brembo brakes that can haul the car up from 60mph in just 107 feet and, of course, a 650bhp V8 at the front. The price? A very reasonable $63,435 (£51,000) in the US, or $65,830 (£53,000) for the automatic.

Sounds like a cheap way to buy a brand new bucket of 200mph. If you change the camber settings, anyway…

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Comments

Anonymous

Corvette ZL1???? What????

02/21/2017 - 09:30 |
112 | 0
Matt Kimberley

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Yep, that was daft. Coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. Sorted now.

02/21/2017 - 09:31 |
58 | 0
Anonymous

A CORVETTE¿ U wot

02/21/2017 - 09:31 |
4 | 0
old name

There should be a most downvoted comment of the week

02/21/2017 - 09:33 |
0 | 16
Noah Thorley Images

Camaro’s 200mph plus run that didn’t count reminds me of this:

02/21/2017 - 09:36 |
32 | 0
Anonymous

3.5 seconds and the whole thing falls apart
Because Gm

02/21/2017 - 10:46 |
4 | 14
Dat muscle guy (Sam Stone)(Camaro Squad)(Die augen leader)(E

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

They’re more reliable than you think, I owned a 5th get ZL1 once

02/21/2017 - 12:43 |
8 | 0
Zoomer Slick

Insert the “over 200mph is a supercar” kids

02/21/2017 - 13:25 |
2 | 0
Tejan Clk (Crown Vic & Focus & Hellcat Fanboy)

At first I thought the title said “200 HP” and I was like “wait, what!?” xD

02/21/2017 - 14:28 |
0 | 0
ramses rizal

GM : now we selling camaro that can go 200mph, sort of..

02/21/2017 - 14:36 |
0 | 0
Octorio

It’s about time Chevy made a 200mph Camaro :)

02/21/2017 - 15:44 |
0 | 0
Marshal Stomm

Hey, they almost made their sports car as fast as a sedan! Good job Chevy, you might get there one day.

02/21/2017 - 16:30 |
6 | 10

Something tells me you dont know much about what GM has been doing in the performance world lately…

02/21/2017 - 16:51 |
6 | 2