A Florida driver accused of traveling 156 mph in a 55 mph zone has car enthusiasts asking a question that even local news coverage hasn’t answered: What exactly was he driving?
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office released bodycam footage of a November 13 traffic stop involving Julian Andres Camacho Pachon, 26, who reportedly exceeded the posted speed limit by 101 mph. When the deputy asked whether he was having an emergency, Camacho Pachon said no, offering a remarkably casual response: “It’s my bad.”
The video shows what appears to be a dark-colored Audi, possibly from the A5 Sportback family, although the nighttime footage makes identifying the exact model difficult. That hasn’t stopped viewers from trying. Beneath FOX 13’s coverage, one commenter asked, “What was he driving?” Another wondered, “What kind of vehicle?” Others suggested everything from a Corvette to a drag-racing car.
Some questioned whether the car could reach that speed at all. “His vehicle didn’t even have the capability of 156mph,” one viewer declared. Another was impressed, writing, “That is fast for any car stock I’m impressed.” Audi’s performance catalog offers a few explanations.
The 155 MPH Question
Several performance-oriented Audis, including the S5 Sportback, have electronically limited top speeds of approximately 155 mph. That puts the manufacturer’s published limit just one mile per hour below the speed deputies reported.
A one-mph difference doesn’t establish that the police reading was inaccurate. Published top-speed specifications aren’t necessarily precise ceilings under every operating condition.
Other Audis can go considerably faster. The RS5 Sportback, for example, was available with a Dynamic Plus package that raised its top-speed limit to 174 mph. Car and Driver reported reaching approximately 160 mph while testing a Dynamic Plus-equipped RS5 on Germany’s autobahn.
Aftermarket tuning offers another possibility. Companies such as APR sell software that removes factory speed limiters from certain Audi models, potentially allowing vehicles originally restricted to 155 mph to travel faster.
And these aren’t necessarily six-figure cars. Used 2020 S5 Sportbacks average around $29,000 in current listings, while older RS5 Sportbacks can be found in the $30,000 to $40,000 range. A relatively affordable used Audi can have considerably more performance than its understated appearance suggests.
The speed has also inspired some competitive reminiscing. One commenter claimed to have reached 168 mph in a Corvette. Another reported 187 mph on a motorcycle. Someone else dismissed the arrest with, “Those are rookie numbers. Gotta get those up.”
Camacho Pachon, meanwhile, was arrested under Florida’s Super Speeder law, which makes traveling at least 100 mph or 50 mph above the posted limit a criminal offense. According to Hillsborough County booking records reviewed by Guessing Headlights, he was released later that day after posting a $150 cash bond.
And of course, don’t let any of this distract you from the fact that Hector is going to be running three Honda Civics with Spoon engines. And on top of that, he just went into Harry’s, and he ordered three T66 turbos, with NOS. And a Motec system exhaust.