Peter Palmer: 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1 Hits Record Breaking Top Speed

It’s official! The new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is the fastest Camaro ever, with a top speed of 198 mph. Recently, the Camaro ZL1 was put through the paces on the High Speed Oval, a 7.6-mile loop at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg GmBH proving ground.

The test included a run in both directions where the ZL1 ran 202.3 mph one way and 193.3 the other.

“This 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.

Standard Settings

Papenburg’s banking allowed Chevy’s test drivers to push the ZL1 through the turns without backing off the accelerator. Papenburg features 1.3-mile turns with 49.7-degree banking on the top lane, giving way to 2.5-mile straights. Other than safety and data recording equipment, no modifications were made to this Chevy Camaro ZL1. The test was even run on the ZL1’s factory installed Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires.

“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,” Oppenheiser said.

The 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1 on the High Speed Oval at Germany’s Automotive Testing Papenburg GmBH proving ground. Photo: Chevrolet.

Power & Performance

The 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1 hits 60 in 3.5 seconds, runs a quarter mile in 11.4 seconds (127 mph), and comes to a halt in 107 feet from 60 mpg. The 650 horsepower, supercharged LT4 engine in the ZL1 is paired with a standard six-speed manual transmission with Active Rev Match or an available, all-new 10-speed automatic transmission.

The latter transmission was used for the high-speed test on Papenburg’s oval.

The 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1 has a number of aerodynamic advancements as the car’s entire front-to-rear aero balance was fine-tuned for high-speed stability. Examples include a stanchion rear spoiler with a stronger lift/drag ratio versus a blade spoiler, and a patent-pending auxiliary transmission oil cooler to reduce front-end lift.

“The ZL1 was developed with high-speed performance in mind, incorporating a balanced aerodynamic package that reduces lift without significantly affecting drag,” Oppenheiser said.

Photo: Chevrolet.

Pricing & Availability

Available for the Camaro ZL1 are things like Magnetic Ride Control, an Electronic limited-slip differential (coupe only), and 20-inch forged aluminum wheels. Other features include Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 summer-only tires measuring 285/30ZR20 in front and 305/30ZR20 in the rear, and Brembo brakes with six-piston Monobloc front calipers and two-piece rotors.

The 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1 is available now and starts at $63,435 for a coupe with the manual transmission; $65,830 for a coupe with the 10-speed automatic.

“It’s the most capable and fastest Camaro ever,” Oppenheiser said.

Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.