GT500 & Corvette Duke It Out!

In reality both cars will perform better than that. Which will actually be faster? Hard to say so far. The Mustang has the 100-hp advantage, but it comes wrapped with a heavier weight penalty. Power wars!

I'm glad they dumped the fog lights from the GT500. SVT really does know how to make Mustangs look good!

Thanks, Scott

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote: >

I saw that and I wondered how the GT500 does the same quarter as the

4.6 Cobra (03-04) with a 110 horse advantage. Something doesn't add up.

When it comes to high horsepower cars with manual transmissions there is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to 1/4 mile times. It also makes driver skill very important to achieving a good ET. My guess is a combination of poor shifting and throttle control and lack of traction is the reason for the seeming low time for the GT500. The time quoted for the Vette makes me think the driver wasn't up to the task on that day and/or track conditions were horrible.

The new Shelby is close to 3,900 pounds isn't it? A Corvette is not over 3,200. 20+% more weight is going to require 80-90 horsepower for par. There you go.

Weight is definitely a factor but times for both cars are low IMO. I have a Mustang that makes about 425 rwhp and 460 rwtq at 2,500 rpm. It has a T-56 six speed with 3.55 gears and launching is a tricky affair. Especially with street tires. A GT500 with a good driver and slicks should easily dip into the high to mid 11 second range and could get into the 10s with a few relatively cheap and easy tuning tricks .....like a smaller blower pulley. :)

that to was the first thing that came to mind. the mustang being heaver than the vette. mp

Driver skill(with regard to manual transmissions) definitely plays a big part in 1/4 mile race times BUT the biggest factor is a little thing called power-to-weight ratio(PtW). Acceleration is directly tied to PtW therefore PtW is king at the strip. The straight dope is as follows:

2006 Ford Shelby GT500 Engine: 5.4L 500 SAE NET HP / 3,920 lbs == .128

2006 Chevrolet Corvette Engine: 7L

505 SAE NET HP / 3,132 lbs == .161

1968 Ford Shelby GT500 Engine: 428CJ CID

335 SAE GROSS HP / 3,780 lbs == .088

1968 Chevrolet Corvette Engine: 427 CID(L36,L68,L71,L88)

390-430 SAE GROSS HP/ 3,210 lbs == .121-.134

My surprise was not at the Vette beating the GT500 by a tenth; it was at the GT500 running the same quarter as the 03-04 Terminator cars.

Probably the driver was on crank

More like the Magazines realize both manufacturers are in trouble and dont want to take sides so its easier to post something that wont offend either car.