Here is some video!

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/08/v...ack/#continued

Oh my my... I'm in love!

 

Not too long ago, I would have called this car an overweight porker. But since this 32 valve, DOHC, supercharged, intercooled, 550 hp Mustang weighs less than a Camaro SS and barely more than a well option V6 Camaro ..............well, what do I say now??

 

Well, read on motortrend.com, or GMI, or............. or.............. and there are many who would tell you the error of your thinking. LOL

I do find the acceptance of people, over time, to be fascinating, btw. When the GT500 first came out, you could go on any Camaro/GM site, and all you would see, was post after post, about what a giant, overweight pig it was. Then, when the Camaro specs started to ooze out, you had alot of disbelief that the car would be so heavy, and a good deal of the beginnings of acceptance. Now, most will deride those who dare to say that the Camaro is an overweight pig. When asked about the past, most fein ignorance. LOL

BTW, since you are here............. what do you think/know about what wescoent said about the Z28 NOT being confirmed for production............ due to instruction from above. WAY above???

 

It's not just about total weight. It's the way the mass is distributed throughout the car that characterizes its overall balance and handling.

It's great that the Mustang has lost 100 lbs from the place where it needs it least - the nose. Gotta give Ford credit there.

However, the Camaro's LS3 is still nowhere near the mass of the GT500's engine. At least that should say something about Mustang's front-rear weight distribution in relation to Camaro's.

 

In the industry, this is what is known as denial.

In general, I still have to agree with TOO Z MAXX. 100-ish lbs is the step in the right direction, but there's still a long way to go. And the rear of the car.....e gads.

BTW....my pig standards haven't changed a bit with the release of Camaro or any other car.

 

They are both overweight.

The difference in handling between a 2700-2800 lbs properly balanced car with great suspension (like my 2003 SVT Focus and 1985 Merkur with Mc2Racing bits) and my GTO and Trans Am is incredible. Even with lots of money in suspension, they just can't do the things the lighter cars can. On a wide open road course the bigger more powerful cars would make easy lunch of the lighter cars, but in a tighter course, or in a back country road similar to the European tarmac rallies it's not even close. That's the type of environment where I spend most of my time having fun so, the current big car (GTO) is best enjoyed as comfortable daily driver with no sporting pretensions IMHO.

 

I'm not following you Bob? You go to the same sites I do and have no doubt seen the weights and the many discussions. People have posted weights of around 3,850lbs. time and time again for the GT500 withOUT the Shaker 1000 stereo.

Honestly, it if really did lose 100lbs. upfront (which I believe it did), it must have gained some weight somewhere else. Either that or Ford is just rating it less conservatively. I think I shall start a post about this on svtperformance actually.

 

You're using two different standards (the car company and actual owners) to compare the weights of an available car and one that is not yet available. Even if they both were available, you'd still have two standards (car maker and owners). This is like comparing the ETs from two similar cars, but one was run at Atco in 50F air, the other at Bristol in 80F air.

However, it is quiet clear that you *hope* the car only lost 30-lbs or so. It is your bias showing again. Never fear, as explained earlier, we all have them. Some of us are simply capable of admitting it.

 

Well if that is "clear", I don't know what to tell you. I hope the car lost all 100+ pounds I'm reading about. I really like the GT500 and have followed it since it was just a whisper. More so than any GM vehicle to date. I would buy a used 07-09' GT500 before a new 10' Camaro. I have been that way since riding in a board members (who turned out to work at the same place as me) KB GT500 with 730rwhp (ManOwar if you know him)!!!

You are FULLY misunderstanding me. I am always a skeptic, atleast lately. With all these heavy cars, I have become somewhat of a weight ****. It's hard not to be.

You are right about the two different standards. If Ford is rating this the same way they rated the 2010 GT500 then we can expect to see actual weights of close to 3,750lbs. with the Shaker 500 stereo. Now that is awesome! 3750/550 = 6.82 lbs/hp! EASY 11's with nothing but tires. Especially with the 3.73 gears in the SVT package.

 

I'm always a skeptic too....which is why I'm quite skeptical of your motives and conclusions.

But regardless...have a nice day.

Bob

 

Honestly, I've sort of lost interest and haven't really spent any time looking into such things anymore.

But I will share some personal thoughts....

There is no way that the LSA "Z/28" which GM has developed, can compete well with the GT500's 300 pound weight advantage. Plus, more than afew of us think that such a package strays pretty far afield from the true essence of Z/28's lineage. Maybe GM should refocus the Z/28 to compete with the upcoming Boss. Of course, on the current architecture, that'll be tough too.

 

I don't mind the cars being so heavy. Their overindulgence in fast food and ice cream continues to give them a disadvantage over my almost two decade old vehicle. Not only have the Mustangs and Camaro's become heavier, but they appear to be much less aerodynamic as well.

 

Where are all the fan boys now???

 

Really? Do you think the CTS-V would compete with the GT500? Afterall, it is superior to the current M5 and Jag XKF and right with the new C63 AMG. Atleast according to the reviews I have read and track times I have seen. I have only pesonally driven a CTS with the 3.6.

Wouldn't a LSA Z28 Camaro have similar performance but in a less expensive and less luxurious package? If that is the case then it would compete quite nicely as the CTS-V is praised for its handling and puts up great track times.

There is a very real difference between "compete" and "dominate". From what I see of Ford lately, there will be no more "dominating".

 

If the Z28 performed like the CTS-V would anyone really care? I'm all for lighter cars but I think people are getting too hung up on weight numbers and need to look more at the performance. Nissan GT-R is a good example of this.