562 hp Hennessey Camaro HPE550 is the Z28 that never was

The Chevrolet Camaro Z28 may be stuck on an indefinite holding pattern, but Hennessey Performance is one of the first aftermarket firms to step up and fill the void between the base SS and Henessey's own 705-hp, ZR1-powered Camaro HPE700.

The Camaro HPE550 begins life as a standard SS model, and with the help of a Magnuson supercharger and a Corsa exhaust, the blown LS3 puts out 562 hp at 6,200 rpm and 557 lb-ft of torque beginning at 4,200 rpm. Hennessey is claiming a 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds (down from five seconds on the standard model) and a quarter mile pass of 11.9 seconds at 119 mph.

The entire HPE550 package, which also includes high-flow fuel injectors, an aero package and aluminum wheels, will set you back $24,950 plus shipping uninstalled, or $31,000 installed, not including the cost of the donor car. If that's not enough, you can send your new SS to Hennessey for the aforementioned HPE700 package, or go completely nuts with either the 850 hp or 1,000 hp twin turbo setup that will set you back $54,500 or $59,500, respectively – again, not including the cost of the stock Camaro SS.