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2010 Camaro SS LS3 6M top speed?

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Old 03-26-2009 | 02:40 PM
  #16  
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The speed is electronically limited to 118 mph if you have the 18" wheels, and 155mph if you have any other wheels.

On an M6 car, 155mph is reached in 4th gear at 6300 rpm. I am guessing that you could also reach it in 5th gear (which would be 5300 rpm). I can't say for sure whether there is enough power in 6th to hit that speed, but if there is (or if you use 4th or 5th to get there and then upshift), it would be at about 3600 rpm.

On an A6 car, you'll hit the 6600rpm rev limiter at 149mph, before you hit the speed limiter. In 5th, you'll reach 155 at about 5100 rpm. In 6th (again, assuming you can get there), it would be at about 4000 rpm.

Adjusting the speed limiter is easy to do with most handheld tuners. The mail-order tune guys and dyno tune guys can do it too. I can't say what that would do to your warranty, though!
Old 03-26-2009 | 03:00 PM
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nope. 4th gear wont do top speed, they have always been 5th gear runs since gm started using 6-speeds.

5900 rpm (hp peak), in 1:1 4th gear, and the stock (275-45-20) tire size is only 150 mph. Using rev's per mile on the tire size you only get 145 mph. So its gonna be between 145-150.

with the 4th gen's and a much shorter rear tire (25.66" tall); it was limited to about 134 in 4th and up to 181 in 5th. but not enough power to get there.

EDIT. just saw JR's post above mine. If they will pull to 6600 rpm, he's right.

Last edited by rod442; 03-26-2009 at 03:03 PM.
Old 03-26-2009 | 03:48 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by 96_Camaro_B4C
Base Vette (C6) will do 186 mph.

Actually, I'm thinking that has been the case since the C6 came out.

No way the larger, less aero-efficient 5th gen will touch that though, speed limiter or not.
Sorry, my mistake! 186 sounds good . Perhaps I'm thinking of the old C5's . They were probably rated in the mid-high 170's .

But I agree, the Camaro won't hit the same speeds as an equally powered Corvette. Between the size & weight, it would seem virtually impossible .
Old 03-26-2009 | 04:42 PM
  #19  
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Size and weight have approximately nothing to do with top speed -- just with how long it takes to get there.

Top speed is about power (subject to appropriate gearing), aerodynamic drag, and stability.

It was suggested in another thread that the 5th gen's shape causes very-high-speed stability issues, hence the limiter. I think this is likely. Even the 4th gen's slipperier shape starts to get a little light in the front at 150...
Old 03-26-2009 | 04:44 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by rod442
with the 4th gen's and a much shorter rear tire (25.66" tall); it was limited to about 134 in 4th and up to 181 in 5th. but not enough power to get there.
Strictly from personal experience and relying on the speedometer:

Top speed in an LT1 6 speed Camaro is 157 mph. An LS1 automatic, 161.

I can also tell you from the experience, it's highly unlikely I will ever push any car I have that fast again. There is plenty of road out here in California, nevada, and Arizonia to easily do it. A minor bump at 100 or 120 is like playing "Is there a God" over 150. It also takes a pretty horrendously long (and flat, and straight, and unpatrolled and animal free, and traffic free) straightaway to reach top speed without running the risk of turning up on a high school Driver's Ed video or Highway Patrol "Carnage Book".

Unless the new Camaro (or Challenger) has the old Thunderbird's creepy capability of becoming more calm, stable, and solid the faster it went over 120, if I owned a car that had a governer at 150, I almost certainly wouldn't miss it.

08DICTS, I agree that 145 is a bit low (for me being out here), but I can count the number of times in the past 5 years I went that fast or faster on 1 hand, so I guess I could live with that if the car made up for it elsewhere.
Old 03-26-2009 | 04:48 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by guionM
the old Thunderbird's creepy capability of becoming more calm, stable, and solid the faster it went over 120
That's called downforce.
Old 03-26-2009 | 06:00 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by JakeRobb
It was suggested in another thread that the 5th gen's shape causes very-high-speed stability issues, hence the limiter. I think this is likely. Even the 4th gen's slipperier shape starts to get a little light in the front at 150...
See, now that's the kind of info that I'd like to know about. Obviously we've got a larger frontal area to deal with on the 5th gen, and likely a higher CD. But you can't (well,I can't anyway) tell just from looking at a shape whether it's got high speed stability issues or not. Any insider or verified information on that would be useful.

IMHO, the 4th gen is very stable at high speeds - even with the T-Tops off. 3rd gens I hear are actually better for top speed, lack of power aside - remember those Gale Banks T/As from the 80s?

R&T in one of their top speed shootouts got a Vortech LT1 Z28 to 170 something and a Lingenfelter 383 Formula to 192 without incident.
Old 03-26-2009 | 06:17 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by TTopJohn
R&T in one of their top speed shootouts got a Vortech LT1 Z28 to 170 something and a Lingenfelter 383 Formula to 192 without incident.
Yeah, but they do that on glass-smooth 5-mile-long abandoned airfields. Where it doesn't matter how unstable you are because there aren't going to be any bumps, traffic to maneuver around, etc. As long as you're not lifting completely off the ground, you're okay.
Old 03-26-2009 | 06:36 PM
  #24  
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im guessing without the speed limiter maybe 165. 6th will just maintain the speed. ive had mine up to 167 in 5th definately had plenty more room to do 180+ but i let out.
Old 03-26-2009 | 06:46 PM
  #25  
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If the VE is any guide, then the speed limiter will ensure the Camaro would not exceed 250 km/h (155 mph).
Old 03-26-2009 | 07:05 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by ex-SS-ve
im guessing without the speed limiter maybe 165. 6th will just maintain the speed. ive had mine up to 167 in 5th definately had plenty more room to do 180+ but i let out.
Having more room (on the road) doesn't mean you have the power. 180+ takes a lot of power and/or very low drag.

Originally Posted by SSbaby
If the VE is any guide, then the speed limiter will ensure the Camaro would not exceed 250 km/h (155 mph).
The US-spec cars work in miles per hour. The theoretical limit is 255mph. At least, that's the case with 4th gens. I don't know why they would have changed it, but you're right -- the math works out.
Old 03-26-2009 | 08:09 PM
  #27  
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This looks like a good place to try!
Old 03-26-2009 | 08:24 PM
  #28  
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Chevrolet states that the 2009 C6 Coupe will hit 190mph, Z06 198mph and the ZR1 205mph all on closed tracks.
Old 03-27-2009 | 02:13 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by JakeRobb
Having more room (on the road) doesn't mean you have the power. 180+ takes a lot of power and/or very low drag.
.
i meant room as in power seeing as i got to that speed in under 10 secs from a 30 punch. with the power the car makes it will do a lil over 190 mph. but not pushing it that far. 167 was fast enough for me!
Old 03-27-2009 | 09:03 AM
  #30  
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dont quote me, i havent taken a class in this yet, but I believe that the Drag vs. Speed curve is a power function, meaning that from 190 to 200 drag increases much more than it does from 60-70.

This is why the extra 130ish horsepower in the ZR-1 only translates to an extra 7mph over the Z06



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