HPE850 Supercharged Chevy Camaro ZL1 Sounds Like Your Neighbor’s Worst Nightmare

The following clip from Hennessey Performance Engineering focuses on the HPE850 engine upgrade for the Camaro ZL1 and track-focused ZL1 1LE, which is compatible with both the six-speed manual and torque-converter automatic transmission. Covered by a two-year/24,000-mile limited warranty, the go-faster package is limited to 100 examples in total.

As the name implies, HPE850 indicates the number of brake horsepower at 6,300 revolutions per minute. Torque peaks at 4,100 rpm and it’s a bit of a handful at 860 pound-feet (1,166 Nm) because that's heavy-duty diesel pickup territory. These are insane figures for the base upgrade kit, even more so when you consider the dimensions of the rear tires: 325/30R19 in the case of the ZL1 1LE. The Super Stock, by comparison, flaunts 18- by 11-inch wheels from the Demon with 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R drag radials.

The Texas-based tuner claims 2.7 seconds to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour), 10.4 seconds to 135 mph (217 kph), and a top speed of 210 mph (338 kph) if you opt for the 10-speed automatic transmission. Obviously enough, these figures are possible only by using drag radials around the rear wheels on the super-sticky prepped surface of a drag strip.

All that ruckus coming out of the quad-tipped exhaust system comes courtesy of high-flow catalytic converters, stainless-steel headers of the long-tube variety, upgraded lifters, pushrods, valve springs, valves, a lower pulley upgrade, high-flow cylinder heads, and high-flow air induction. The custom-built camshaft also changes the exhaust note of the Camaro ZL1, a note that your neighbor won’t be happy to hear every time you start the car.

The HPE850 costs $23,950, excluding the donor vehicle, which makes it a little on the expensive side of muscly ponies. The Camaro ZL1 is currently listed from $63,000 excluding $995 for the freight and $1,700 for the gas-guzzler tax, which means that you’re looking at $89,645 right off the bat.