Supercar league yes/no

[SVTSlingshot]

I see how much the GT500 is being compared to the ZL1. I guess the Corvettes are just in a upper league titled supercars. So Ford built the Ford GT to compete with the Vettes and the GT500 to compete with the Camaro ZL1 right? Does the car industry consider the GT500 a supercar or not?

 

[40calcobra]

Nope and neither is the zl1!

 

[Chris!]

Super car number and performance....but its still a pony car.

 

[Florian]

a super pony car

F

 

[GT Premi]

The Ford GT was built to fight Ferrari. The Vette wasn't even a consideration. From 2011 on, the Mustang GT/Boss 302/302 LS were built to fight the BMW 3-series, including the M3; and they do it quite well. The Camaro wasn't even on the radar. I remember watching a program about the development of the Camaro. They had a Mustang sitting in the background in the shop as they were benchmarking the Mustang, and they continue to do so. Why would Ford benchmark/target a car that itself is benchmarking off Ford's own car? That would be self-defeating.

The GT500 is just an anomaly with no [true] competitor in the market. For the most part, since the '11 model year, the GT500 is superfluous in the Mustang lineup. No, the GT500 isn't a supercar. It lacks the requisite finesse, dynamics, and sharpness in the suspension/chassis; not that the chassis is bad. Hopefully all of that will be addressed and fixed for the next gen Mustangs. This current chassis can be made to dance, but it requires a lot of loot to do so.

 

[Devious_Snake]

Still a muscle car in my mind, just a highly evolved one

 

[reason4treason]

The Ford GT was built to fight Ferrari. The Vette wasn't even a consideration. From 2011 on, the Mustang GT/Boss 302/302 LS were built to fight the BMW 3-series, including the M3; and they do it quite well. The Camaro wasn't even on the radar. I remember watching a program about the development of the Camaro. They had a Mustang sitting in the background in the shop as they were benchmarking the Mustang, and they continue to do so. Why would Ford benchmark/target a car that itself is benchmarking off Ford's own car? That would be self-defeating.

The GT500 is just an anomaly with no [true] competitor in the market. For the most part, since the '11 model year, the GT500 is superfluous in the Mustang lineup. No, the GT500 isn't a supercar. It lacks the requisite finesse, dynamics, and sharpness in the suspension/chassis; not that the chassis is bad. Hopefully all of that will be addressed and fixed for the next gen Mustangs. This current chassis can be made to dance, but it requires a lot of loot to do so.

I guess I'm just an oddball but I really think that Ford should build a 2-seater that does compete directly with the Vette. I would definitely be interested n such a vehicle. Considering how many Vettes are sold, about 2/3 of which are automatics (I prefer a manual but for various reasons autos sell well as sportscars), the demographic of Vette buyers, and the way Ford in general is rolling relatively very strong compared to US car corps for sure, I think it'd sell well. I personally don't have much need for the 2 extra seats in the GT500 and you'd be surprised how much cargo space is in the back of a Vette.

I know performance is the main thing, but as far as overall sales, a lot of people are never going to go anywhere near a track. They are perhaps some middle-aged biz person who wants something that at least in their mind is a little flashy and evocative of sportiness and career success, which they think reflects the way they see themself, and hope will reflect on how they think others view them. I think a lot of potential Vette purchasers would most definitely take a Ford with similar handling and weight features into consideration, especially if the performance were at least slightly better. If it was way better, I think over time, it could eclipse the Vette. The only Ford I've ever owned was a 2005 Focus I got for a DD. I've never bought a Mustang, but it's the power of the '13 GT500 and its implied performance that drew me to order my first one. And of course shortly, that implied performance will become verified performance as more and more are birthed into life.

 

[Driver500]

The problem with that plan is that the GT500 would cannibalize sales and on of them would have to go.

 

[NY Eleanor]

The Vette isn't even a supercar IMO. It posts "supercar" numbers in Z06 and ZR1 trim for sure. Even the term supercar is as overused as supermodel. IMO to be a true supercar you need to be part of a rare and expensive marquee, like Ferrari, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, etc. Porsche is close for sure with it's higher-end models, CGT, 918 but a GT-R is not. A Camaro or Mustang no way...

 

[ponyboyisaac]

I think the 13 gt500 is a super ponycar, but not a super car in the style of the ford gt. Doesnt take anything away from it though.

I'm waiting for the day ford decides to make a lincoln supercar. I'd love to see a midengine, awd luxury supercar powered by the shelby's 5.8L maybe.

 

[peteypab2133]

in my opinion you have 3 or 4 categories.

1)halo cars : Ford GT; Porsche GT; Enzo; Reventon; Veyron

2)super cars : Aventador; GT2; Zr1; Viper ACR

3)exotics : Gallardo; DB9; Audi R8

4)sports cars : 911; M3; GT500; GTR;

No matter what the GT500, m3, ZL1 does it will always have a little v6 brother... You will never see a Super car with a budget model.

So my honest response is no, its not a supercar. Will not have the agility of a Mclaren F1 or the 0-60 times of a Porsche GT2..

Going forward, I think ford has an amazing chance at winning the "best bang for the buck" award for under $100,000 now that the GTR has left the category.

 

[LindsayEOD]

I agree with most of the posts in here. Neither the GT500 or ZL1 are super cars. They are barely into the sports cars territory, but I feel they are.

 

[Captain Beyond]

It's simply a super musclecar. :burnout:

 

[Snagged]

Badass car? Yes. Super car? No.

 

[Relaxed Chaos]

It's hard to be a supercar when you have a stick axle out back. Running over some road imperfections with a real suspension at 200 mph is pretty damn scary. That stick out back will be death.

 

[reason4treason]

The problem with that plan is that the GT500 would cannibalize sales and on of them would have to go.

Well the Vette doesn't seem to have that relationship with the Camaro, and a Ford version of a 2-seater could compete directly with the Vette. I'm not at all saying to get rid of the Mustang which has been around for so many decades and is currently doing so well. But a Ford 2-seater if at least competitive, and definitely if an ass kicker could for sure attract a bunch of customers who now buy Vettes. Personally, even though I own a Vette now, and have had several Chevy's over the years including a '97 Z28 purchased new, at the present time, the Camaro just does not appeal to me. I never liked the gen1 either, so I'm an example of a guy who even within my GM purchases does not consider buying a new Camaro although I still like Vettes. I do think the Z06 is a force to be reckoned with, particularly considering that it's a 7.0 n/a while folks seem to be worrying aloud that the days of large displacement Mustangs may soon be gone. I wouldn't call the Z06 a supercar though either.

I think a 2-seater sportscar would be found money for Ford. Originally the T-Bird competed with the Vette, but that lineage crashed. Doesn't mean something else couldn't be created, front engine rwd to compete. Imagine the '13 GT500 powerplant in a 3200 lb car? Off the chain! (with all due respect to the prowess of the '13 GT500)

 

[91svtbird]

A better question might be....besides the GT500 what other factory production car's are worthy to be considered a modern day "Muscle Car" and where do they measure up compared to the 13' GT500?


That's the category I see this car in.

 

[MrUnsubtleNinja]

A better question might be....besides the GT500 what other factory production car's are worthy to be considered a modern day "Muscle Car" and where do they measure up compared to the 13' GT500?


That's the category I see this car in.

I hate the term Modern Day Muscle car, the damn V6er's on Camaro5 think there car is a Muscle Car because it has more horsepower than a V8 from 40 years ago :rollseyes

 

[AnthonyBourdain]

As I say to Vegan food... "No."

A K-egg, Veyron, etc... now that's Supercar.
Crazy how the specs of Supercars seem to increase every year or two.

But holy hell, it's the most insanely powerful mustang ever, and by 100+ hp just over the previous model year, with no guzzler tax. Remarkable.

 

[GarageLogic]

I see how much the GT500 is being compared to the ZL1. I guess the Corvettes are just in a upper league titled supercars. So Ford built the Ford GT to compete with the Vettes and the GT500 to compete with the Camaro ZL1 right? Does the car industry consider the GT500 a supercar or not?

ford built the GT500 to compete with the ZL1? There was no ZL1 until this year, yet the GT500 has been around since the 2007 model year. I think you have it backward; GM built the ZL1 to compete with the GT500 but it has been measured and found wanting.