ZL1 and 1LE Very Impressive Results at Car and Driver Annual Lighting Lap #7 @ VIR

[2cnd chance]

Originally Posted by DarkneSS

Zl1 is no doubt the better daily but the 500 in strictly performance terms is the better buy.

5 years ago I would have laughed at people if they thought a Mustang or Camaro could touch a Boxster S around a track.

Yes. Weak argument. Very true.

[SRT8Tech]

Originally Posted by b4z

But the brakes wouldn't hold up.

HUH??? Its not a 2012. Its a 2013 with the bigger front and rear brakes. Hell I can beat the crap out of my 2012 brakes and not have any brake fade.

[mkorgan]

So I went to Barnes and Noble and bought the Feb edition so I could study the results in depth. It may be only a minor comment but the driver of the ZL1 stated ""Confession: We probably held the brakes a bit too long on our hot lap." Translation: The 2:57.5 time of the ZL1 should have been faster if we would have just trusted the car to do its job."

I have read the entire article and (unless I missed something) this is the only place the driver of the car admits he probably could have turned a better time. Being that the ZL was only 2.4 seconds slower than the LEXUS LFA (a car that goes for just under $400K) and the driver admits to using too much break in the Z in his lap....all I can say is "WOW".

[2010redcamaro]

Originally Posted by mkorgan

So I went to Barnes and Noble and bought the Feb edition so I could study the results in depth. It may be only a minor comment but the driver of the ZL1 stated ""Confession: We probably held the brakes a bit too long on our hot lap." Translation: The 2:57.5 time of the ZL1 should have been faster if we would have just trusted the car to do its job."

I have read the entire article and (unless I missed something) this is the only place the driver of the car admits he probably could have turned a better time. Being that the ZL was only 2.4 seconds slower than the LEXUS LFA (a car that goes for just under $400K) and the driver admits to using too much break in the Z in his lap....all I can say is "WOW".

I'm sure 99% of lfa owners don't care that a camaro is almost as fast as there car around the track. Im pretty sure given the chance most camaro owners would if they could trade the camaro in for a lfa

[Mgizzle]

Have you guys heard that LFA in the videos?!?! Only car ever that completely intoxicates me with the engine sound, immediate memories of the Indinapolis F1 races. I have to go to Austin next year.

[mkorgan]

Originally Posted by 2010redcamaro

I'm sure 99% of lfa owners don't care that a camaro is almost as fast as there car around the track. Im pretty sure given the chance most camaro owners would if they could trade the camaro in for a lfa

Where in the hell did you come from with that comment? Did I infer anything of the like? I simply made a VALUE (performance for the buck) statement and reference the article mentioned the performance of the ZL1 could have even been better. Happy New Year and read the entire thread (just a few post early we were discussing the best performance value) before making a comment that has no fundamental basis.

[hognutz]

Originally Posted by Mgizzle

Have you guys heard that LFA in the videos?!?! Only car ever that completely intoxicates me with the engine sound, immediate memories of the Indinapolis F1 races. I have to go to Austin next year.

Yamaha did that right. The lfa is the only v10 I like the sound of.

[69NMYSS]

Originally Posted by DarkneSS

Impressive times! As a Camaro fan I'm glad the Camaros beat the Mustangs. But the GT500s 3:00 is still FAST and beat up all those other cars too! That makes both cars incredible value for the money. To be honest here, considering that the 500 may not be as fast around the track as the ZL1, but still faster than all those other vehicles, it is still imo the best performance car for the money you can buy. It beats all those other cars except the ZL1 but when it hits a straight line it dominates. Zl1 is no doubt the better daily but the 500 in strictly performance terms is the better buy.

Now imagine what the future versions of these cars are going to do with the lighter platforms. I mean dude the Boxster S is pretty much a full on sports car and its losing to heavy trucks with car bodies lmao.

5 years ago I would have laughed at people if they thought a Mustang or Camaro could touch a Boxster S around a track.

HUH?? The ZL1 is faster on a road course by a substantial margin, is bar none the more comfortable DD with MR3, and cost over $4500 less than the tested GT500, yet you think the GT500 is the better buy?

[beany323]

all i can comment on is my 1le rocks vs the mustang. it may not beat it but.. thats close enough for me! lol..

[Vroom]

sigh...I'd give good money if we could all just stop comparing the GT500 to the ZL1...the GT500 just isn't in the same class...
Seriously, it almost got beat by the 1LE and it has 200+ less horsepower...

What always boggles my mind is why does anybody care about the 1/4 mile?
Its not hard to make the ZL1 break into 10s, just look at Hennessey's 700, but there isn't a god powerful enough to make the GT500 handle as well as the ZL1...Its a freaking straight line people
Maybe we should just be impressed they got that rock around the track that fast...

[2010redcamaro]

Originally Posted by mkorgan

Where in the hell did you come from with that comment? Did I infer anything of the like? I simply made a VALUE (performance for the buck) statement and reference the article mentioned the performance of the ZL1 could have even been better. Happy New Year and read the entire thread (just a few post early we were discussing the best performance value) before making a comment that has no fundamental basis.

I have been reading the whole thread speaking of performance value a 60k 12 second car isn't the best bang for your buck IMHO.

[2010redcamaro]

Originally Posted by Vroom

sigh...I'd give good money if we could all just stop comparing the GT500 to the ZL1...the GT500 just isn't in the same class...
Seriously, it almost got beat by the 1LE and it has 200+ less horsepower...

What always boggles my mind is why does anybody care about the 1/4 mile?
Its not hard to make the ZL1 break into 10s, just look at Hennessey's 700, but there isn't a god powerful enough to make the GT500 handle as well as the ZL1...Its a freaking straight line people
Maybe we should just be impressed they got that rock around the track that fast...

People care about 1/4 times because that's what American muscle is about. A straight line.if the gt500 isn't in the same league because of it's track times then the zl1 isn't in the gt500s league because of it's 1/4 times. The difference between a 500 and a regular gt is over a full second. A zl1 and a Ss? Only a few tenths and I am by no means a ford fanboy I owned one ford and it was a pos

[DarkneSS]

Originally Posted by Vroom

sigh...I'd give good money if we could all just stop comparing the GT500 to the ZL1...the GT500 just isn't in the same class...
Seriously, it almost got beat by the 1LE and it has 200+ less horsepower...

What always boggles my mind is why does anybody care about the 1/4 mile?
Its not hard to make the ZL1 break into 10s, just look at Hennessey's 700, but there isn't a god powerful enough to make the GT500 handle as well as the ZL1...Its a freaking straight line people
Maybe we should just be impressed they got that rock around the track that fast...

It is not hard to comprehend why 1/4 times and straight line performance matter so much to people. 99% of drivers and even enthusiasts will do most of their racing in a straight line whether it be legally at a track or from stop light to stop light.
It is hard on the car, but nowhere near as hard as running hard laps around a track. Not to mention most people do not have the skill to get a car around a track quickly. 1/4 racing is significantly easier.
I am a huge enthusiast myself and my personal cars have only ever seen the drag strip, more times than I can count. I'd love to go to a nice course but my Camaro is my daily and running a daily hard around a track just isn't a good idea. When I can eventually afford a home and a second car then I'll give it a go, for now its high speed go karts.
Additionally 1/4 times are widely recognized and easily understood. There are countless tracks out there and they are all so different. Someone on the other side of the country will likely not have any idea what a good time is at your local course. They would however understand 1/4 times.

So hopefully now you realize how important 1/4 times are and why people care.

For those who responded to me, the above shows why the 500 is a great performer. Most people care about 1/4 times and it just plain trashes the ZL1 and pretty much every other car out there for the money. The ZL1 obviously handles better but most people are never going to a course track.

Just think if the cars were opposite and the ZL1 put up the 500 times while the 500 was a bit quicker around a track? I guarantee I'd see people saying, "Who cares that your car is faster around some random track, you'll still enjoy my tail lights when I see you out." Just saying...

The 500 being the better performance car for the cash doesn't take away from the ZL1 also being a great performer for the cash. I'd still get the ZL1 over it anyway because it is the better daily.

/rant /imdone

[2012 Mustang GT]

Originally Posted by Vroom

sigh...I'd give good money if we could all just stop comparing the GT500 to the ZL1...the GT500 just isn't in the same class...
Seriously, it almost got beat by the 1LE and it has 200+ less horsepower...

What always boggles my mind is why does anybody care about the 1/4 mile?
Its not hard to make the ZL1 break into 10s, just look at Hennessey's 700, but there isn't a god powerful enough to make the GT500 handle as well as the ZL1...Its a freaking straight line people
Maybe we should just be impressed they got that rock around the track that fast...

last I checked its beaten the ZL1 on close to half of the tracks they have tested the GT500 against the ZL1...but no where has the ZL1 beaten the GT500 on the drag strip. And who cares about the 1/4? Bet there are more 1/4 threads on here then there are road courses. Only reason the road course matters now is b/c its the only thing the Camaro has a chance on.