---
title: "Watch This 805-HP Cadillac Escalade Smoke a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE"
description: "Hennessey Performance has made a name for itself by taking top-level performance cars from manufacturers and jacking up the power even further. But really, they'll make a demon out of anything—including a black-car-special Cadillac Escalade."
date: "2018-02-28"
modified: "2018-03-01"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/18878/watch-this-805-hp-cadillac-escalade-smoke-a-chevrolet-camaro-zl1-1le"
categories:
  - "Cadillac News"
  - "Chevrolet News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Watch This"
tags:
  - "Cadillac"
  - "Cadillac Escalade"
  - "Chevrolet Camaro"
  - "Drag Race"
  - "Escalade"
  - "Hennessey Performance"
  - "luxury"
  - "suv/crossover"
  - "ZL1 1LE"
---

# Watch This 805-HP Cadillac Escalade Smoke a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/02/zl1.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Hennessey Performance has made a name for itself by taking top-level performance cars from manufacturers and [jacking up the power](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/9427/hennessey-to-boost-dodge-challenger-demon-to-1500-hp-because-hennessey>) even further. But really, they'll make a demon out of anything—including a black-car-special [Cadillac Escalade.](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/2644/critics-notebook-2016-cadillac-escalade-platinum>) And this drag race shows that 805 horsepower is more than enough to make mincemeat out of some pretty stiff competition, like a quick-as-a-whip [Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE.](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/11764/2018-chevrolet-camaro-zl1-1le-posts-blazing-716-04-nurburgring-lap-time>)

In stock form, the Escalade is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine putting out 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers aren't bad, but Hennessey's [HPE800 upgrade](<https://hennesseyperformance.com/vehicles/cadillac/escalade/2015-cadillac-escalade/2015-2017-cadillac-escalade-hpe800-supercharged-upgrade/>) adds a laundry list of mechanical improvements and tops it off with a 2.9-liter high-flow supercharger. The result is around 805 horsepower and 812 pound-feet of torque.

And here are the numbers that really matter: That new and improved motor can push the nearly 6,000-pound, full-size SUV from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds on its way to an 11.7-second quarter mile. It also sounds incredible, for what it's worth.

https://youtube.com/embed/wCcFq3BlEh0

It's not clear whether the Escalade was in all-wheel-drive mode during its face-off with the Camaro ZL1 1LE, but it probably doesn't matter. The truck is heavy enough to put the power down, but not too heavy to get off the line—although the Camaro does appear to be catching up by the end. Doesn't matter, though. It's hard to beat something that accelerates like a house falling off a cliff.

We dig the sleeper appearance of this roided-out Escalade, and even though it's a hair slower than the [Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk,](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/18828/watch-a-tesla-model-x-beat-down-a-jeep-grand-cherokee-trackhawk-on-the-drag-strip>) it provides a much nicer throne for watching people disappear in your rear view mirror.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)