Inside Line: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 vs. 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Comparison

[KMPrenger]

Wow.

And there you have it...as we all been saying for a good while.

GT500 easily faster in the straights, but the ZL1 is the better handler, and the better cruiser.

Put that price difference into the ZL1 and it will walk with the GT500 in the straights and away from it on the track.

[adamgl]

What I expected. GT500 wins a drag / straight line race.

ZL1 has the road race advantage.

Lets see some road racing times for both on the same day.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by Swacer

I'm gonna be the first to step in and just say this....

Wow...blind bias my friend....

Good try tho lol

From the test:

"The über Mustang is also 227 pounds lighter than the Camaro. Combine that with its massive power advantage and it looks like curtains for the Camaro.

It probably would be if the ZL1 didn't have a couple trump cards of its own. And by that we're referring to its independent rear suspension and magnetorheological dampers. "

Nah, I'm not a fan boy. I like Mustangs and almost bought a 5.0.

But wouldn't you want the better driving car? You might spend only a few hours a year at the drag strip or racing GT500s from a light. You will mostly lose in a drag race unless you can drive. A tune and a pulley and the ZL1 is in the ballpark at the drags. Of course so can the GT500. So definitely the GT500 has the advantage here. Power was the only choice for Ford to try and best the ZL1.

The rigid chassis and IRS shines through for the Camaro which is why I chose the SS over the GT. Wish I could afford both.

[A-little-perspective]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

Put that price difference into the ZL1 and it will walk with the GT500 in the straights and away from it on the track.

Oh no. Not this argument again.

[adamgl]

It's easier to add power than better handling.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

Wow.

And there you have it...as we all been saying for a good while.

GT500 easily faster in the straights, but the ZL1 is the better handler, and the better cruiser.

Put that price difference into the ZL1 and it will walk with the GT500 in the straights and away from it on the track.

Well I think the walking goes the other way. Don't forget the GT500 has the same options and is lighter. Game over.

But raw power is not everything. However it is fun.

Is the ZL1 fun at its disadvantaged power level? Just ask the owners here.

I think besides the handling advantage the point is the ZL1 is the preferred car to live with day to day. The ZL1 also bested the Nissan GT/R in a similar fashion in the R&T test even though it out accelerated and out handled the ZL1.

[DanSS24]

Originally Posted by nanokpsi

I sure wish they would have actually taken them on a raod course instead of playing follow the leader on back roads! I am curious what will happen there.
As mentioned, I think Chevy guys want the ZL1 and Ford guys want the Shelby. The drag guys will modify there cars anyway, so they will just need more goodies on the Z to be as fast.
For the guys that won't mod there car to make it faster, the Z guys will get their feelings hurt in a street brawl, but they probably won't care.

I'm sure Randy Probst will get his hands on this, like he did the Boss Leguna Sega and ZL1 comparison for Motortrend. And i'm sure Randy would say the GT500 wouldn't do as good as the ZL1. But he would definitely say he had fun. Scarry fun.

[8cd03gro]

Originally Posted by E.T.

I did see a Motortrend writeup where they got 0-60 in 3.8s and 12.1 in the 1/4 mile. That's more like it.

There are several 12.6 and 12.7 times on the SS fast list, though.

Take .3 off both the gt500 and zl1's ET and you have times published by other magazine tests. Probably just a poorly prepped surface.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by adamgl

It's easier to add power than better handling.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by Frank in MD

Could it be they're both right? Why do we need to choose what type of american muscle is better anyway?

Because it is fun.

[A-little-perspective]

Then why not take the savings from a ZL1 or GT500 and put it in a Boss or 1LE? Thats far more logical.

[DanSS24]

The driver, Josh Jacquot, said "the GT500 was quicker accelerating car, but harder to launch and difficult to shift. The ZL1 got it completely covered in the handling, no contest." It's gonna be case of what you can handle and what do you want to handle. It's subjective, but if you live with difficult shifting and launching, but want the horsepower...the GT500 is for you. If you can live with everything else...the ZL1 is for you. I just want both.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by A-little-perspective

Then why not take the savings from a ZL1 or GT500 and put it in a Boss or 1LE? Thats far more logical.

Why not start with a 1SS or a GT 5.0? Used even.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by Swacer

Its a good competition between the 2, but I think the Camaro "trumped" the Mustang.

Good try tho lol

Freudian slip!