Cam94Z28

Apparently motor trend tested the 2011 mustang v6 at 5.1 second 0-60 and 13.7 in the 1/4. Even car and driver tested it at 0-60 of 5.4 and 14.0 in the 1/4. I haven't seen numbers anywhere close for the camaro. I believe it came in at 5.8 0-60 and 14.3 1/4 mile. That is a pretty large difference considering the only real variation should be weight.
I'm wondering if the tested mustang (the motortrend one), may have had the performance package with lower gears.

Anyway, my reason for this post is that I really like the styling of the camaro, and virtually everything else (other than exhaust note) over the mustang. I am on the fence between the two. If the difference is really that large, I will probably have to go with the stang, considering it's cheaper as well.

Are these tests skewed? There is not much HP/TQ difference between the two models. I don't understand what would throw the results off so badly. Is the real world performance going to be closer? I will be renting a 2011 stang (more easy to find), then test driving the camaro to compare for myself, but I am curious for your opinions.

JasonD

I'd look for some more concrete "real world" numbers. Magazine numbers are not typically indicative of what you get. To answer the question, no, they are not accurate. They do and always have varied wildly.

Even then...you have to ask...

• Who was driving?
• Did they know what they were doing?
• How were they shifting? Auto or tap-shifting?
• What octane gas did they have in the tank?
  
• Did they heat up the tires?
  
• Did they spin the tires?
• How many miles were on the car?
• What was the difference (if any) in temperature?
• What was the differences (if any) in elevation?
• What was the differences (if any) in track condtion?

There are probably a few dozen more variables that make the difference. Any magazine road test of the same car will yield different results due to this. Unless they used the same driver in both cars, replicating the actions as closely as possible, on the same day at the same track under the same conditions, and averaging the times after many runs...then use magazine times as a "rough guesstimate" of what real times will be.

Get what you want. If you will let a few tenths of a second make the decision, you will be disappointed. Even if they are accurate, and you get one based on the fastest magazine test time, and someone with the "other car" with a few cheap mods or just good driving skill will make you regret basing your decision on what some magazine says.

krj-1168

Actually in the most recent V6 Pony Car test by Motor Trend - suggests that the V6 in the Camaro is very close to it's factory rating of 312hp, while the Mustang V6 seems to be highly over rated both in HP(more like 280hp, instead of 305) and Fuel Economy(28 hwy, instead of 31).

However when you look at Car & Driver's test of the 2011 V6 Mustang (which they tested the manual transmission version) - their seems to confirm that the 2011 Mustang makes at least 305hp.

So more likely - the differences in Motor Trends test could be caused by the GM transmission being a better, more efficent transmission than the Ford Transmission is. In Motor Trend's test both the Camaro & Mustang were 6 speed Automatics- btw.

Basically it all depends on if you perfer a Automatic or Manual. If you like the Manual - the Mustang is top choice. However if you prefer the Automatic - then the Camaro is the winner.

Cam94Z28

I guess I agree with both of you. Way too many variables. Even in the manual, the mustang numbers seem too far away from reality. 3.31 gears alone won't make that kind of difference. The v6 manual Mustang I drove (with the lower rear gears) had plenty of power, but not below about 2500rpm, and was pretty crazy in the higher RPM.

I still haven't had a chance to test drive the camaro as of yet. Turns out I can't afford either of them, and chevy is, to put it bluntly, a rip off in the lease department. Same price, same length, same down payment, the Mustang would have been about $40/month cheaper. That said, if the performance and price was similar, I would definitely consider the camaro.

I also agree on the transmission. The 6spd auto in the camaro appears to be the better of the two. I was interested in the manual though.