MotorTrend 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 vs. 2013 Ford Shelby GT500

[Snagged]

Sounds to me that the overall "feel" of the ZL1 was better. Same reason why American cars have been losing to European cars in magazine tests for years, even when the American cars were faster...

The comfy ride of the ZL1 is exactly what is giving the win to it. It's ridiculous a muscle car shoot out puts comfort as the highest measure, while performance takes a backseat. The magazine tests are what they are and what they've always been.

And if I wanted a car for a comfortable ride, I would be looking at SUV's or luxury cars, not muscle cars.

Also, this is the first mag test where I've seen reported brake fade on the GT500.

 

[Hangman]

I thought the point was to win the race?

Mustang won drag race, mustang won road race.

Were we comparing anything else?

:shrug:

 

[Z28]

The comfy ride of the ZL1 is exactly what is giving the win to it. It's ridiculous a muscle car shoot out puts comfort as the highest measure, while performance takes a backseat. The magazine tests are what they are and what they've always been.

And if I wanted a car for a comfortable ride, I would be looking at SUV's or luxury cars, not muscle cars.

Also, this is the first mag test where I've seen reported brake fade on the GT500.

I don't know if they worded it as comfortable, I took it as they felt it was more well balanced. Which is obvious when it comes to the track statistics. When a car with a 200-300 lb weight disadvantage out handles the other car, you know which car has the better setup and which car probably feels more stable.

I could honestly care less about road course times though. It's hard to swallow a loss by subjective opinions and not performance data.

 

[Snagged]

Summary spreadsheet created by DBK:

 

[Snagged]

I don't know if they worded it as comfortable, I took it as they felt it was more well balanced. Which is obvious when it comes to the track statistics. When a car with a 200-300 lb weight disadvantage out handles the other car, you know which car has the better setup.

It's hard to swallow a win by subjective opinions and not performance data though.

All the magazines are giving high praise to the ZL1 because of its MR/IRS setup which gives the ZL1 great handling and ability to absorb bumps in the road better than the GT500. It is being said the ZL1 is easier to drive aggressively because of the IRS/MR setup, and that the GT500 is more of a handful. With that being said, numbers don't lie. It can be seen that the GT500 still outperforms the ZL1.

 

[32ValveRom]

I just think the ZL1 looks hideous :shrug:

 

[whitecobra2387]

 

[ademily87]

I can't wait for the REAL Top Gear (BBC) to get their hands on this beast!!

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

 

[FORDSVTPARTS]

Kind of amusing they give all that credit to the Camaro IRS but don't mention that the Camaro is sporting an extra 20mm of rubber at all four corners and it's got 3.73s compared to the GT500s 3.31s.




.

 

[Serpent]

Who cares? Just some more subjective opinions. Toughen up a bit.

I guess being from the Viper camp, I am well conditioned to my car being slammed in every magazine review, even after it dusts it's competition.

Very true, I remember when the '08 Vipers came out and had 600hp, to the magazines the c6z was still better.

****'em thats why the only time I pick up these mags are when I'm getting a haircut.

 

[sidewinderl]

And remember, this is the same magazine that declared the Mustang GT the loser to the BMW M3 even though it edged the M3 out in every category, but lost by .09 sec on the road course with a professional at the helm (but with the editor driving, the Mustang was over half a second faster), and their justification was "winning is winning".

 

[Svt4ever22]

So basically we learned what we already know, the Camaro handles better.

 

[fangstang]

:lol1:

 

[SSmoked99]

Sigh....the one time where losing makes you a winner

Kinda like the Pacman vs Bradley fight. HAHAHA!!

 

[MachME]

I can't wait for the REAL Top Gear (BBC) to get their hands on this beast!!

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

Uh, why? They will say it they're are fast but still junk.

They tested a gt500 before, put it on a dyno and said Ford was lying because it didn't make the power they claim when everyone knows every car manufacturer does not rate hp at the tire. What a joke.

 

[GotHemi?]

Well this is still some bs but its wasnt nearly as bias as the other rags. That chart by DBK says it all. Numbers dont lie. The best part is the acceleration results.

GT500-12
ZL1-0

That camaros guys will never admit it but that HURTS!!! I bet theres gonna be a shit ton of ZL1 drivers that wont even look over at a GT500 when it pulls up next to it at a red light. Neck is gonna be stiff as a board.

 

[JDsfastGN]

Did some of yall even read the article or look at the numbers posted around the track? Looks aside and bias aside, power is easy to make up for imo... handling not so much. The GT500 handles great but the ZL1 does it better. The GT500 won on brute hp on the long straight before the checkered flag. Both are awesome and I realize its an SVT board but give the Zl1 a little credit. To do what it did and weigh as much as it does +being down 80 hp is pretty awesome.

 

[ademily87]

Uh, why? They will say it they're are fast but still junk.

They tested a gt500 before, put it on a dyno and said Ford was lying because it didn't make the power they claim when everyone knows every car manufacturer does not rate hp at the tire. What a joke.

Yes their ignorance can be annoying but at least they're honest and they'll love the power of it :beer:

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[ChiSVT]

Did some of yall even read the article or look at the numbers posted around the track? Looks aside and bias aside, power is easy to make up for imo... handling not so much. The GT500 handles great but the ZL1 does it better. The GT500 won on brute hp on the long straight before the checkered flag. Both are awesome and I realize its an SVT board but give the Zl1 a little credit. To do what it did and weigh as much as it does +being down 80 hp is pretty awesome.

Grip is not hard to make up for. Overweight cars that make way less power with wider tires tend to have more grip. Next up, let's compare an EVO to a Z06 on a super tight track!

300lbs+ less weight WITH a forged motor, a bigger intercooler AND blower is WAYYYYY harder to make up for in 99.9999999% of the encounters these PONY cars will ever have.

Anything can be made fast or made to 'handle better', it's just what you prefer to do out of the box. Would you rather spend $55,000 to have more grip on a tight track, or $55,000 to absolutely blow the doors off the car next to you in virtually every scenario?

I'll take the latter, thanks.

 

[Saleen4971]

so the only way taht the gt500 "falls behind" is in braking on teh second lap. yet they were neck and neck until the straightaway.

says motor trend.

so, gt500 is clearly better, is what they are saying.