Posted on 12/17/2013 12:51:07 PM PST by nascarnation
In what he claims is a first-ever trip to 200mph by a tuned C7, JH “tests” the Ez-Tag system by blowing past it at more than double the already-enthusiastic 80mph toll-road speed limit. Interestingly enough, the factory speedometer in the LCD display appears to be dead-on accurate.
“The road is smooth as silk, easy-breezy,” Hennessey indicates, in a phrase that will no doubt launch at least a dozen imitators.
(Excerpt) Read more at thetruthaboutcars.com ...
I rented a HERTZ Yellow and Black Corvette a few years ago after flying into Tampa. I had it up to 140 twice on I-75 south of Tampa and it was plenty fast. I had been about 125 (speedo only registered 120) in my 1975 Ranchero GT back when I was 17 and that didn’t phase me too much but the extra 20 MPH in the ‘Vette (sitting so low to the ground you feel as though you are going even faster), combined with rapidly catching up with traffic and not familiar with the types of cop cars and where they hide on I-75 got my heart racing pretty good. Had I been on my home turf I would have tried for a little more.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the speed limiter is disabled on this particular car. I saw another article about this on Jalopnik and apparently Hennessey has worked a little magic on it...
Plenty of modern cars, even fairly modest sedans, are predictable and stable up to around a hundred. Go beyond that and the number of predictable and stable cars falls off pretty rapidly. Not very many are drivable at all at 150 even if they could reach that speed. 200 is impressive for a largely factory spec car from any manufacturer.
Well, with the SLOWEST Bugatti Veyron capable of around 240mph, I guess 200 isn’t such a big deal anymore...
And I remember back in the ‘70s Lamborghini claimed 195mph for the Countach, but nobody ever got one up to that mark. At least not a stock one.
I’m not sure if that applies to my 57 Bel Air.
I’ve had it up to 80. Feels like 200. :)
Frankly, for 200 mph I’d want a REALLY long wheelbase.
Lotta aero improvements in the last 50 yrs LOL.
And a Veyron costs what, lol?
Yeah but for 1.3m USD how hard can it be?
I have seen triple-digit speeds in three different cars. The first was a ‘76 Mercury Grand Marquis, which I got to 110mph (indicated) back when I was in high school. 5,000 pounds of American iron on soft springs and dead shocks at that speed is pretty darn spooky.
The next was a 1985 Nissan 300ZX, in which I once saw 115mph. Once it got above that speed the front end started getting light but it was not nearly as scary as the Mercury was.
And the third was my current car, a ‘91 Miata. I’ve seen 115 in that car as well, and that is absolutely all she has to give. But she’s very well-behaved at that speed, even as light and stubby as a Miata is.
Don’t take that to mean I want to see how stable she is if I give her sufficent power to top out at 200, though!
“And a Veyron costs what, lol?”
If you have to ask...
It costs about three C7 Corvettes.
I don’t think my 1979 C-3 is up to this
There’s an idea.... stick a really slick body and a ginormous engine on a Class A motorhome frame!
Actually, I’d be surprised if someone hasn’t already tried this.
Only three? I beg to differ, unless you’re including the cost of Mr. Hennessey’s magic in that equation.
It’s been done, 120.8 mph in a seventies GMC motorhome on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Loaded out, Hennessey.
BTW this Vette isn’t turbo or supercharged. It does have a bunch of engine mods.
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