MotorTrend Pits the ZL1 vs GT500 on the Street, Dragstrip, and Racetrack

[OldScoolCamaro]

Originally Posted by Fenderaddict2

"I'm in car guy heaven right here"
"A little smoke never hurt anyone"
"Oh that's minor"

Seems to me all the 'Stang needs is a pad upgrade. I also found it interesting the way the editor keep trying to get Randy to acknowledge flaws in the Shelby. It was pretty obvious the reviewer favoured the Camaro. And it was equally obvious that Randy respected and appreciated the Camaro but his racer heart belonged to the Mustang. I've said it before, the current battle of the pony are is a tie, an individuals bias or preference will decide it as much as skill. Buy the one you like, respect the other. Or if you can buy both and really piss the lot of us Ford vs Chevy guys off. Great video, thanks.

Well, perception is reality as they say. I can agree with you they both are formitable opponents and should be treated with due respect.

[truth411]

Originally Posted by Truck Norris

^ According to the video handling wasn't the GT500's problem at all, it was it lack of braking performance. Fix that and its gonna take a lot more then a pulley/ tune on a ZL1 to beat it, especially after watching what Torq's pullied, long tubed, tuned and DR's ZL1 did against a X-pipe, tune'd, and DR'd GT500 in the 1/4.

Nope, cause if you look at motortrends lap data, the camaro has significantly faster cornering speed. Without an advantage in the straights the gt500 wouldn't stand a chance, you bring up a point though , on the track no one is stock, a 680-700hp zl1 would be a serious weapon. You can add more power to the gt500 but i doubt it would be much an improvement since its already a handful now judging by all the reviews so far.

[OldScoolCamaro]

...all good reads and points from both side. As they stand, cool cars, formitable opponents. Bottom line from my perspective. It will take alot more money and potentially not enough off the shelf parts or technology currently available for the Mustang to complete with a MR based Camaro platform than the Camaro would need to upgrade the HP with simple available off the shelf ready mods. Plus, one can't even begin to compare the ride quality, driver comfort, and overall Happy Happy Joy Joy one gets operating the Camaro that has been reported several times over about the wanting to get back behind the wheel with no driver discomfort or fatigue with seat time. There is much to be said about that.

[alexcfwu]

I like the way Randy provides his commentary. With my skill, it doesn't matter which car I drive (lousy track time), it would be fun either way. Boy, but watching the way Randy drove those two cars... it was just fun. He can push the limit on those two cars well. Judging from the video, camaro was definitely more easier to drive even though mustang was faster. Thanks MT.

[Truck Norris]

Originally Posted by truth411

You can add more power to the gt500 but i doubt it would be much an improvement since its already a handful now judging by all the reviews so far.

Maybe you and I are watching a different review. 11:20-13:05 pretty much sum's up Randy's on-track opinion.

Contrary to other members I interpreted Randy's experience as favoring the GT500 when it came to fun factor.

[Blue Maro Demon]

Basically what happened is Ford knew they were screwed from a technology stand point against the ZL1 so they opted for the only other thing they could do which is add as much horsepower and torque to the car as possible. On almost any race track the ZL1 will beat the current GT500 look at the other two reviews where they were compaired on different tracks thant Laguna Seca the Camaro ZL1 came out on top. As a track car the ZL1 is superior in every way even with the track pack that brings the cost up to over $60,000 theres only so much you can do with a live rear axle. This is also why there never was a Nurburgring time from Ford they simply couldnt produce a faster time than the ZL1 the bumps on the ring would send the Shelby all over the place.
Yeah the Shelby is a better drag car due to lighter weight & more power but you can always add power to the ZL1 as well its mainly the weight that gets it. From a daily driver standpoint the ZL1 is better because it takes bumps and cracks on the road like they arent even there hardly the suspension is that sophisticated. The Shelby in most cases wont be as smooth as a ride couple that with the Shelby not offering an automatic transmission as an option and the Camaro by most magazines accounts having better looks overall and the ZL1 is the clear winner. I found an article that said the Camaro looks wise was the best among the three pony cars and sales thus far have proven it. Dont worry Ford fans the Mustang will handle better once it gets the new IRS in 2015.

[stlrammer]

Mustang faster in a straight line. Camaro faster in a circle. Camaro better overall car. Case closed.

[DanSS24]

A pad upgrade may not be only thing that the GT500 needs. My experience with brake fade was at my job. I drive a 2008 Dodge Charger R/T (no road/track pkg). Talk about the Camaro being a heavy pig. This car was a heavier pig. Chasing stolen cars was not fun. The speed & power was there, but when it came to slowing and braking, it got scary. After about a couple of hard braking episodes, the pedal feel was sluggish and pulsating. When applying the brakes, the car started to have that shudder feeling, the feeling of the whole car shaking. I started to stand on the brakes just to slow down coming to a corner. When it got too scary, I called off the chase.

First thing I did was change brake pads. It got a little better, but still got the shudder feeling after awhile. Pedal still pulsated, but the car stopped better than before. I ended up upgrading the rotors, pads and lines. Talk about night and day difference. Pedal feel was solid and brake fade is a thing of the past. Only spent $1000 because I wanted to upgrade my suspension also. So when the pro drivers spoke about brake fade in the GT500, I completely understood. I'm no professional driver, but do get a lot of training on our EVOC track at the academy. It's similar to Auto Xing, but geared for police work. Brake fade was our biggest problem. We drive Crown Vic Police Interceptors, and they can't stop for beans.

[b4z]

Originally Posted by Truck Norris

^ According to the video handling wasn't the GT500's problem at all, it was it lack of braking performance. Fix that and its gonna take a lot more then a pulley/ tune on a ZL1 to beat it, especially after watching what Torq's pullied, long tubed, tuned and DR's ZL1 did against a X-pipe, tune'd, and DR'd GT500 in the 1/4.

It's handling is fine but it pays a ride quality penalty which the Camaro doesn't. That is why I feel the Camaro is more well rounded.

Why didn't the mustang do better? It has 100 more hp at the wheels and is 250 lbs lighter. It should have made a stronger showing. The Camaro is the more complete car,
More advanced. It is not a dragstrip star by any means. If you do mild changes to the Camaros engine it would kill the mustang on a road course. It corners harder, the stang doesn't have the contact patch the supsension, Mrc or the brakes.

[DanSS24]

Again...no way in hell is a race car enthusiast going to keep one of these cars stock, if they choose to buy one of them. NO WAY. Only car collectors keep them stock, to keep the collector value intact. So buy the one car you want (or both of them) and mod the heck out of them.

[LeviG]

Originally Posted by tt335ci03cobra

Ya go on YouTube and watch a 2013 gt500 go from 70-160 in 3rd and 4th in less time than zl1's get going 135.

I dont even have to go and watch the YouTube video. Doesn't the GT500 have launch control to handle wheel spin off the line? Isn't that part of why its got such a great quarter mile time? I think Ford/Shelby saw that issue after they built the last GT500 Super Snake. Loads of horse power, with loads of wheel spin. I dont think they'd make that mistake twice.

[hognutz]

Originally Posted by Knight_Rider

The last comment from the video sums it up. "Because you don't drive everywhere a quarter mile at a time." Although the Ford is a fair competitor they clearly pick the Chevy as the better car. Not my words theirs. Second thought those are my words too!

I don't know about you but I live my life one quarter mile at a time. ha ha.

[LeviG]

Originally Posted by motorhead

They forgot the most important street test. What's going to happen when a gt500 and zl1 meet on the highway. Who cares how they ride on the street. If I wanted ride, I would buy a big BMW. Looks to me from all the test so far that the gt500 is the best everywhere. You guys are getting pretty pathetic. Every time the gt500 proves you wrong you have to cling to a new angle. First you were going to win at the track. Well you didn't. Now it's "well we have better brakes". I'll give you that one since you need something to hang onto. I'm sure your better brakes won't beat me at beaver springs or when I see you on 322. There are very few owners that will run one lap at a track let alone multiples. If you ask me ford really out smarted gm here. They took an old design and made it out perform the most advanced technology in the world all in the name of value and real world results. If ford can do this with this car, if I were you guys I would be worried when ford gets in the 21 century.

First off before I disagree with you, I'd like to say, I totally agree with you... almost. Saying that Ford took an old design and made it outperform the most advanced technology in the world is slightly incorrect. Really what Ford did was take an old design and give it more horsepower and better acceleration than the most advanced technology in the world. The GT500's brakes aren't quite as good, that's been established and I'm not harping on it, just bringing it up as a point. It obviously doesn't handle as well, but we all knew that was going to be the case goin into this. All it really does is out-accelerate the ZL1. And by no means am I trying to downplay that at all. I mean, obviously you can have weaker brakes and lesser handling and still come out on top, as we see here, despite what MT says was the end result. The fact is the GT500 was still able to at least keep up with the ZL1, if not blow it off the track in the straights. All this done with WAY better acceleration. They're both great cars, and though I'm a Camaro lover, I gotta give this one to the GT500.

[LeviG]

Originally Posted by hognutz

I don't know about you but I live my life one quarter mile at a time. ha ha.

For those then seconds or less... I'm free.