Chevrolet has been testing the Camaro ZL1’s top speed on the High Speed Oval at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg proving ground, hitting an average of 198 mph (318 km/h).
The actual top speed the car managed to hit was 202.3 mph (325.5 km/h), however Chevrolet had to average that against the return run (193.3 mph / 311 km/h), as the ZL1 was flung in both directions on the 7.6-mile (12.3 km) loop.
“The test caps an impressive list of performance stats for the Camaro ZL1, which was designed to excel at everything,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “It’s the most capable, and fastest Camaro ever.”
This high speed run was conducted on the ZL1’s production-spec Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tires, with the pressure set at 44 psi – which is the recommended pressure setting for extended high-speed driving.
The Papenburg oval features 2.5 miles (4 km) of straights and 1.3 miles (2.15 km) of turns with a 49.7-degree banking on the top lane. This banking allowed Chevy test drivers to run the ZL1 flat out without lifting off in the turns.
“The ZL1 was developed with high-speed performance in mind, incorporating a balanced aerodynamic package that reduces lift without significantly affecting drag,” added Oppenheiser. “After testing the car in standard settings, which produced the 198-mph average, we set the front and rear camber adjustments to 0 degrees and the tire pressures to the maximum allowable sidewall pressure, and saw the ZL1 average over 200 mph.”
The 2017 Camaro ZL1 is priced from $63,435, which means settling (or not) for the manual transmission. If you want the 10-speed automatic, that’s upwards of $65,830.
PHOTO GALLERY
