For about 45 years now, the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro have battled head-to-head for the pony car market. It started in the late 1960's with the Shelby GT Mustang and the Camaro Super Sport. Today the tradition continues with the Shelby GT500 and the Camaro ZL1. (MOPAR fans, this is not about you.)
Car and Driver and Motor Trend magazines recently conducted side-by-side comparisons of the two cars, with similar results. Both magazines tested the two cars on the street, the drag strip, and the racetrack, and documented the results. Which car did they give the highest rating to? Read on and find out.
The cars tested by the magazines were a 2013 Shelby GT500 and a 2012 Camaro ZL1. Both cars were similarly equipped with supercharged aluminum block V8 engines, 6 speed manual transmissions, Goodyear Supercar G2 tires, and multi-mode traction systems with launch control. The similarities end there, however. The GT500 features a dual overhead cam V8 with 4 valves per cylinder, while the ZL1 has a pushrod-type V8 with 2 valves per cylinder. The Shelby comes with a solid live rear axle while the Chevy has a multilink independent rear suspension.
The engine in the Ford Shelby GT500 is rated at 662 horsepower at 6500 RPM with maximum torque of 631 FT/LBS at 4800 RPM, making it the most powerful production V8 in the world. It displaces 5.8 liters, or 355 cubic inches. The car is capable of a 3.5 second 0 - 60 MPH time from a dead stop and will run a quarter mile in 11.8 seconds at 125 MPH. Ford advertises that the car will exceed 200 MPH, but 189 MPH is the best that could be coaxed out of it by the Car and Driver testing staff. Curb weight of the vehicle is 3882 pounds.
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 engine has a horsepower rating of 580 horses at 6100 RPM. It develops 556 FT/LBS of torque at 3800 RPM. Displacement is 6.2 liters, which translates to 376 cubic inches. The ZL1 will go from 0 - 60 in 3.8 seconds, and does a 12.1 second quarter mile at 118 MPH. Top speed is 181 MPH. At 4118 pounds, the ZL1 outweighs the GT500 by more than 200 pounds.
As seen in the quarter mile times above, the GT500 is dominant on the drag strip. It also has a slight edge on the racetrack. The ZL1 corners better, but the GT500 makes up for it with faster acceleration on the straightaways. Driving on the street is a different story, however. The writers from both magazines found the ride of the Shelby to be too stiff, and the engine simply too brutish for everyday street use. The Camaro, by contrast, rode smoother, shifted easier, and was a lot quieter. The Camaro's advantage here is due to the multilink rear end and a better balance between front and rear weight. The weight distribution front/rear for the ZL1 is 53%/47%, compared to the GT500 with a weight distribution ratio of 57%/43%.
The base price of the Shelby GT500 is $56,295, and the Camaro ZL1 has a base price of $54,995. The as-tested versions list the ZL1 at $57,265 for Motor Trend and $56,795 for Car and Driver. The GT500 tested by both magazines lists at $63,080. Both cars require 91 octane premium unleaded fuel. The GT500 gets 15 MPG in the city, and 24 MPG on the highway. The ZL1 is rated at 14 MPG in the city, and 19 MPG on the highway.
So which is the better car? For the drag strip, the brute power of the GT500 can't be beat. But the ZL1, with its smoother ride, relative ease of operation, and "an exhaust that sounds like a 6.2 liter bong hit" according to Motor Trend, merits the better all-around rating from both magazines. I have not personally driven either car, but would love to find out for myself someday.
Update:
Road & Track magazine also recently tested both of these cars, with similar results. The cars tested by Road & Track listed at $57,590 for the Camaro ZL1 and $65,075 for the Shelby GT500. Since Road & Track is a more performance-oriented magazine, they gave the GT500 a slight edge overall.
Sources:
"Flat Out! Will the Shelby GT500 Go 200 MPH as Advertised?" , by Aaron Robinson
Car and Driver Magazine, August 2012
"The Mega Mustang and the Killer Camaro Battle For Control of the Street In...Superponies", by Michael Austin
Car and Driver Magazine, August 2012
"Title Fight - There Can Be Only One Musclecar Champion", by Scott Evans
Motor Trend Magazine, October 2012
"Horseplay on the Raceway", by Shaun Bailey
Road & Track Magazine, September 2012
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