Mind if I have a crack at it?

If your objective is simply to have a new very quick RWD car at the best possible price, and you are on the young side, Mustang is your choice.

If you want that same goal, but you want interior levels that reach Euro-standards, all the bells and whistles, independent rear suspension, and you are closer to middle age or above, GTO is your choice.

If you want a Camaro but can't buy one because they're no longer made, Mustang all the way.

If you want a BMW, but can't buy one because they are too damn over priced, it's GTO.

 

Can you have two best bangs for the same buck?

 

HP / dollar is a poor metric, as performance is generally a combination of power vs weight. The GTO is quite a bit heavier than the Mustang, so this would need to be considered.

There....muddy those waters some more.

 

Also the GTO has IRS and should feel a little better in unsmooth turns (haven't driven either so I don't know).

 

Quite true. However, my reference was specifically directed towards metrics that had already been mentioned.

And in the end, it is all a rather meaningless discussion anyways - hence the last line of my previous post.

 

Aggreed. Both are Excellent cars for what they are and have very little direct impact on each other, the GTO is not even a blip on the Mustang's radar.

 

LOL. I posted those first numbers more as joke than anything... I didn't think anyone would seriously consider them as being somehow definitive in deciding which car was 'best bang for the buck' .

 

Never underestimate the ability of those on the internet to be definative about something for which there is nothing definitive.

 

Car and Driver thought the GTO handled better than the Mustang
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=2

 

Clipped from your own article...
"In objective handling tests, the Mustang beat out the GTO. The Mustang's skidpad grip and lane-change speed just barely topped the GTO's, but in this close competition every point mattered. " - page 3, 5th paragraph.

"Travel in a straight line over patched roads, and the Mustang impresses with its solid feel and ability to deal with the rough stuff. It feels like there's more wheel travel and isolation than in the GTO, and that benefits the ride when the impacts are severe. " - page 3, 7th paragraph.

So what were you reading that made you think GTO handled better?

 

You left these sections out:

On the road, the Mustang understeered more than the GTO, and the proclivity to tighten the line with the rear end was largely absent. The Mustang will power-oversteer, but it occurs at lower speeds and is short-lived. If drifting is your need, get the Goat.

The Mustang's rear end did occasionally step out on imperfect pavement. Despite Ford's best efforts, the convulsions from under the back seat haven't been completely cured, and there's a slightly disconcerting hop when you encounter a midcorner bump. It's not likely to send you spinning off into someone's geraniums, but the GTO's independent rear end exhibited no such spasms over the same roads.

Although the Mustang is not something you'd choose to travel in after having those pesky hemorrhoids removed, it is lighter on its feet and far more compliant than the 0.89 g of grip would have you believe.

There might be a lot of grip on tap, but enter a corner, and you'll find the car difficult to place. The problem lies in the light and fast steering that is too eager to turn in. Dial in even the slightest provocation off-center, and you're on the inside of the corner. Venturing through a turn rapidly requires constant correction to keep the Mustang on course. Making the task more difficult is the lack of feedback coming through the giant steering wheel. Not much information as to what the front tires are experiencing comes through.

Chris

 

I've driven both in a spirited fashion, the short explanation of both from my perspective. The Mustang feels as if turn in is quicker and slightly more nimble. The GTO feels very composed when pushed. Leaves you with the feeling it has more to give next time around. The Mustang has a tighter ride in normal street driving where the GTO is more absorbent and compliant. The GTO feels as if all the suspension components/tuning work well within themselves to make a very well thought out suspension ride/feel package.

 

Another GTO Mustang thread?

 

That's what happens when you have only 2 American made V8, rear drive, performance coupes.

Maybe for S**** & Giggles, we'll throw in the 303 horse FWD Monte Carlo this fall.

 

heh heh, 1 American made the other American badged.