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

[SEVEN-OH JOE]

Does the Low Qualifier win every round? No. Does the Low Qualifier win every Eliminator? No. They're simply the Low Qualifier. "Bragging Rites".

Does the Pole Winner win every heat? No. Does the Pole Winner win every race? No. They're simply the Pole Winner. "Bragging Rites".

"Brag" away.

This "who said what, and why?" is really very infantile. Choose your "weapon", and enjoy it.

ZL1, here. Or I wouldn't BE here.

[AMCBimmer]

Guys,

Opinions are like a55ho1e5 everyone has one. Not trying to be rude but everyone is different and likes and dislikes are different. Arguing on a forum back and forth which is better doesn't prove anything. It's all about driver with these cars since they are so close. People can modify these cars to get similiar power.

My personal preference is handling and looks. Money was not an option with us. My neighbor said get a GT500 because he has a 2011 and the new one was faster. I am happy with my decision. I haven't even taken it over 4k RPM and it's still faster 0-60 than any car that pulls up to me any day of the week. The power on the camaro is more than enough to get you in the trouble on the streets. I doubt 75% of the people who buys the ZL1 will ever take it to the track(1/4 miles or road course). We will modify if we find necessary and if we can use it off the streets. Take care and enjoy whatever you purchase.

[Mr.HOGG_T1&O]

Too Badassess...

[Bob Cosby]

Originally Posted by IOMZL1

It would seem the bulk of development on the ZL1 went into road course performance (suspension, aero, PTM) but they knew people would still want to drag race the car so they spent some development time there - just like people drag race Boss 302s. The GT500 has an awesome engine and it seems more focused on drag racing. They knew some would still want to take it to the road course so they offer those packages as well.

Now people from both sides will argue each car’s strength, saying the other is a loser. Some Chevy guys are disappointed with the ZL1's straight line performance because maybe they favor drag racing. Some Ford guys will be angry if the GT500 doesn't win on the road course because it has so much more power they feel it should win hands down and remind everyone about ‘forged internals’. I’m sure if Chevy wanted to build the end-all-be-all drag racer they could have. Same goes for a Mustang road racing champion. But instead we have diversity – not a bad thing.

Anti-ZL1 people use ‘ZL1 was a drag car in 69’; ‘supercharged cars aren’t track cars’; and ‘muscle cars drag race’ amongst other arguments to make themselves feel better. Maybe some Chevy guys insecure about the ZL1’s straight line performance hide behind the track performance of the ZL1. Guys who are insecure about their GT or SS state how they’ve spent $500 in mods and are faster than both cars.

Everybody likes competition and nobody likes to lose. At the end of the day you are either in the market for one of these cars or you aren’t. If you are you can buy whatever you like – including cars other than the ZL1 or GT500. Nobody will think any less of you. If you aren’t, great - be happy with whatever car you have. No need to be a hater on either. What a great time to be an automotive enthusiast.

Originally Posted by IOMZL1

This is true - not as simple as track length and number of straights. If there is a difficult turn before a long straight the exit speed of that turn is critical. So if the ZL1 had a better minimum corner / exit speed, the added HP of the GT500 may or may not allow it to make up any time on the long straight.

ZL1 will excel at rough tracks with challenging low and high speed turns, GT500 will excel at smooth tracks biased with more straights - especially those long enough to exceed the 184mph limit of the ZL1 (these are few and far between). This is all relative - meaning the gap between the two will change accordingly. It is quite possible GT500 will win at all tracks or ZL1 will win at all tracks or any combination of the two.

Other factors? Braking and brake fade, gearing, driver, weather…

There are definitely enough variables in road racing that no matter the outcome, each side will have enough fodder to fuel its beliefs through 2013.

[oortcloud]

Originally Posted by HpJunkie69

Basically yes i am, and heres the thing. They DONT have any proof of their claims either! They probably have a hundred thousand dollars worth of camera and testing equipment yet not a single frame of the ZL1 showing the Shelby its tail lights on a "backroad". This test is a joke at best. Not surprising coming from inside line. A joke just like their notoriously high dyno numbers they publish. Im not a huge fan of mag comparisions but at least MT and CD rent a real track,hook up timing gear, and film the results. Call me crazy for expecting that over the backroad test without any PROOF.

And you know what? Even if they showed footage of the zl1 pulling away from the gt500 in the twisties, the first thing you would say is, "That's not real. They did that in California, so its a studio production. It's impossible for a ZL1 to do that."

But the do have some qualitative proof. The slalom and skip pad indicate something. If you're going to sit there and say they are meaningless then you simply don't know what your talking about.

The numbers, equipment, and reviews indicate that the zl1 handles extremely well (for a muscle car). And knocking Inside Line is kinda pointless. There are plenty of other reviews that talk about the ZL1's handling. It's not just Inside Line that says this.

[Tn4thGen]

So will there be no upgrades to the 2013 ZL1? I know they are bringing in the convertable but come on I was expecting some horsepower changes or something. We are comparing a 2012 car to a 2013 car. Yes I know they both came out around the same time but still compare the ZL1 to a 12 GT500 and there is no comparison. I was hopping Chevy would come back with higher HP numbers for the 2013 ZL1 to one up Ford

[IOMZL1]

Originally Posted by HpJunkie69

Basically yes i am, and heres the thing. They DONT have any proof of their claims either! They probably have a hundred thousand dollars worth of camera and testing equipment yet not a single frame of the ZL1 showing the Shelby its tail lights on a "backroad". This test is a joke at best. Not surprising coming from inside line. A joke just like their notoriously high dyno numbers they publish. Im not a huge fan of mag comparisions but at least MT and CD rent a real track,hook up timing gear, and film the results. Call me crazy for expecting that over the backroad test without any PROOF.

Maybe it's just me but I have a hunch 'round 3' is coming soon. They may have already done it by the time this article was printed.

[69NMYSS]

Originally Posted by HpJunkie69

But it was said that the GT500 is a "drag car" so it makes a lot of sense to offer launch control on a drag car car.

It was also said that the ZL1 was NOT a "drag car". So i ask. If that is indeed the case why go to the lengths that GM did to ensure the car LAUNCHES well??

So that it is a well rounded GT performer. The Z06 is not a drag car yet it has LC. I think any car with over 500rwhp is going to need LC. Just like they put Bilsteins on the GT500, to make it handle better at the track. Your argument is thoughtless and very narrow minded

[DanSS24]

Originally Posted by HpJunkie69

Times from that track is nothing more than marketing HYPE, and incase your blind or deaf they ZL1 program was FULL of it.

When a car company builds a high performance car and test it at the "Ring", they're doing just that...testing. And when you get outstanding "Ring" times, you (the car company) want to publish it as an accomplishment. Chevy built an awesome car in the ZL1, tested it at the "Ring", and just happened to beat the times of some expensive, high performance cars, costing way more money. Again, in the end, the consumer wins. Chevy accomplished what they set out to do, to build a well balanced, cost effective, "badass" car. To me, it's a supercar that I can afford. If it's just hype, then I guess I just bought into, like all the others that bought it.

[newmoon]

Originally Posted by HpJunkie69

Basically yes i am, and heres the thing. They DONT have any proof of their claims either! They probably have a hundred thousand dollars worth of camera and testing equipment yet not a single frame of the ZL1 showing the Shelby its tail lights on a "backroad". This test is a joke at best. Not surprising coming from inside line. A joke just like their notoriously high dyno numbers they publish. Im not a huge fan of mag comparisions but at least MT and CD rent a real track,hook up timing gear, and film the results. Call me crazy for expecting that over the backroad test without any PROOF.

So if M/T and C/D come up with the same results they will be a joke as well?

[Long Carbine]

Originally Posted by newmoon

It's funny they have been screaming over there for a direct comparison of the two cars same day, same track, same driver for almost 6 months. Now they get what they ask for and they do not like the results

I didn't watch the video but I have read some of what is in the video.

Exactly what results did they aquire?

Did they put both the cars on a road course with equal drivers?

I'll wait from MM&FF to run both to pass judgement. I think the results will be different.

[Long Carbine]

Originally Posted by Drastil

Where in that article does it clearly "show" that the GT500 isn't capable on mountain roads? Where are the times? Where is the video proof? Where is there any evidence other than what they fed you? There's nothing.... nothing at all. The review does CLEARLY show that the zl1 is "less" capable at the strip... there are numbers to back that up..... Quite interesting that there is NO video of the cars on the "mountain roads", but tons of video of the zl1 being annihilated at the strip... what this tells me, using the C5 Nurburgring argument, is that it just didn't favour the zl1 to the extent it should have... You know how C5 Nurburgring argument goes right? It goes like this - Ford hasn't posted any times for the "ring" because it didn't beat the Zl1. Same thing here.... Time Slips, Video, etc... or it is BS.... And I`m callin`BS....

From what I have gathered this video proves Jack Squat. I think when they get them on the same track on the same day with the same of equal drives, heat soak is going to raise it's ugly head and the ZL1 will drop 100 HP to a car it wsa down 100 HP both stone cold. Any road course of any size with long straigth aways the GT500 will walk it.

[newmoon]

Originally Posted by Long Carbine

I didn't watch the video but I have read some of what is in the video.

Exactly what results did they aquire?

Did they put both the cars on a road course with equal drivers?

I'll wait from MM&FF to run both to pass judgement. I think the results will be different.

[Long Carbine]

Originally Posted by newmoon

Let me rephrase that, when MM&FF and their GM sister publication get their hands on a GT500 and ZL1 we will see different results such as the test these two mags did on a 2003 Cobra and a 2002 SS years ago that the Terminator terminated.

The ZL1 did not pull the Boss at VIR because it was heat soaked. It was down 100 HP after the first couple of turns.

We'll see. This video was a crock.