550-WHP Camaro SS Is Unimpressed With Tuned BMW M340i, Somebody Needs More Power

The German sedan managed to defeat a tuned 2007 Shelby GT500 (which may have encountered a technical issue) yet lost to a BMW M5 F10 previously. More importantly, it also lost to a Camaro SS (different from this one).

That Camaro featured a big cam E85 setup, whereas this one packs a heads cams tune, resulting in 550 horsepower at the wheels, according to the uploader. It means that numbers-wise, it’s basically on the same level as a stock ZL1, since 550 WHP means roughly 650 horsepower at the crank.

When it’s unassisted, the Camaro SS’ 6.2-liter LT1 V8 engine produces 455 hp (461 PS) and 455 lb-ft (617 Nm) of torque, which allows you to hit 60 mph (96 kph) in about 4 seconds flat. That’s already faster than a stock M340i, whose 3.0-liter turbocharged (single turbo) straight-six engine is good for 382 hp (387 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque and will get you to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds.

Sure, this M340i also comes with a catless downpipe, chargepipes, and an E50 tune, so it should be faster—both from a standstill and a roll.

The fact is that if you’re going against a more powerful car from a roll, your best chance is to carry less weight, together with a faster gearbox and preferably better grip (to avoid wheelspin). The BMW does tick two out of these three boxes, but sometimes, a power deficit can be too difficult to overcome at high speed.

Also, if you really want to feel better about rooting for the Camaro, consider that you can buy a 2021 LT1-powered Chevy muscle car for as little as $34,995, whereas the BMW M340i is priced from $54,700 in rear-wheel drive spec.