Chevrolet has just released top speed information for the latest Camaro ZL1 and the supercharged coupe is officially the fastest Chevy you can buy from a dealership. Specifically, the ZL1 Coupe has an official top speed of 198 mph, a figure that was achieved on the High Speed Oval at Germany's Automotive Testing Papenburg proving ground.

The ZL1's top speed was measured during two runs in opposite directions on the 7.6-mile loop. This is standard procedure, in order to account for variables like wind speed and track surface. The Camaro hit 202.3 mph in one direction and 193.3 in the other direction for an average of 198 mph. But while the official rating is set at 198, it's more than obvious that the ZL1 is capable of running beyond the 200-mph mark.

This makes it quicker than the bonkers Corvette Z06 or any other Chevy available for purchase right now, and puts in the select company of supercars that can hit more than 200 mph. Heck, it's just as quick as the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, and almost as fast as the Charger Hellcat, which tops out at 204 mph. Also, it's not far off compared to supercars like the Ferrari 488 GTB or McLaren 675LT, which are rated at 205 mph.

“The ZL1 was developed with high-speed performance in mind, incorporating a balanced aerodynamic package that reduces lift without significantly affecting drag,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “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 testing was conducted on the ZL1’s production Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3 tires with pressure set at 44 psi, the recommended setting for extended high-speed driving. The car’s only modifications from the stock equipment were mandatory safety features and data logging equipment. The vehicle was fitted with the available 10-speed automatic transmission.

Chevrolet also measured a 0-to-60 mph sprint of 3.5 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 11.4 seconds at 127 mph, max cornering of 1.02g and a 60-to-0 mph braking in 107 feet.

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Why it Matters

While it's not the fastest muscle car on the market or the fastest Chevrolet ever built (the C6-based Corvette ZR1 was tested at 205 mph), the fact that a Camaro can go past the 200-mph mark is a tremendous achievement. Granted, it's not the kind of speed you'd want to hit on the highway or any public road, but it goes to show that cars and their drivetrains have evolved dramatically over the past few years. A while ago, such top speeds were exclusive to expensive supercars, but now the average Joe can have access to mind-boggling performance in a production model that costs less than $70,000. If this isn't fantastic, I don't know what is!

Read our full review on the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 here.