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Hennessey-tuned Cadillac hits 220 mph on Texas highway

Texas tuner John Hennessey's work on big Detroit iron has its acolytes and detractors, but the man knows how to show off his wares. To highlight the top-speed performance of some of his big rigs, Texas authorities let him take a full-speed blast down the state's newest toll road outside Austin that opened today, one that features an 85-mph speed limit. It's just long enough for the 1,200-hp, twin-turbo Cadillac CTS-V coupe to hit 220.5 mph.

Hennessey told Jalopnik that the stunt came about after a conversation with state officials and an offer to test out a toll tag system to see if it could accurately report fines at triple-digit speeds. In addition to his 1,200-hp CTS-V coupe, Hennessey also brought a 707-hp Chevy Camaro ZL1 that managed to hit 203.9 mph along the same strip, with an even better sound. Hennessey says the CTS-V might have done 230 mph had he been granted another mile of tarmac.

And for the record: All of the electronics used by Texas state officials, including their radar guns, worked perfectly during the run. Word to the wise: 85 mph will probably be fast enough.