650-HP Chevy Camaro ZL1 Gets Down to Supercharged Autobahn Business at 161 MPH

For European folks, you don’t get more American than opting for something that’s not traditionally offered for sale on the Old Continent. There are a few great examples, from the Ram 1500 to the Dodge Challenger and Charger. But where there's a will there’s always a way, and either officially or via third-party dealerships, there is no such thing as a stars and stripes-infused forbidden fruit. Even if the vehicle in question is dressed up just like a Police Interceptor...

But let’s get back to the Chevy at hand. It’s a decidedly subtle dark-gray Camaro ZL1 of the sixth generation. And it’s not something you’d expect to find in Europe since GM severed (almost) all ties with the region. Still, Chevy aficionados know very well the company maintains a discrete presence on the continent. So, let’s take into account the little bits and pieces of data we have at hand.

As always, there’s scarcely any background information about the tested vehicle, save for the usual name and performance cards. The Camaro ZL1 has a feisty supercharged engine under the hood, with the 6.2-liter V8 churning out no less than 659 ps / 650 horsepower and some 880 Nm (649 Nm) of torque, according to the description. That should be enough to hit 62 mph (100 kph) in just 3.7 seconds and a maximum speed of 197 mph (317 kph).

Naturally, all these figures are going to be tested by the channel’s team through a series of GPS-based tests before the ZL1 is pushed to the limit for a maximum speed attempt. As such, we have a feeling this video (embedded below) serves as an appetizer for great things to come.

And it’s a feeling supported by a few eloquent details. For starters, we can see the driver fiddling with the GPS app on several occasions, and the spirited driving includes a host of rolling launches... but none goes past the 161 mph (259 kph) threshold.