The GT500's as-tested price of $94,665 is nearly $19,000 more than the Camaro. The base price is $73,995, but our Velocity Blue test car was equipped with the $18,500 Carbon Fiber Track Package, which includes 20-inch carbon-fiber wheels, Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires, adjustable carbon-fiber wing, leather-trimmed Recaro seats, and adjustable front strut top mounts for aggressive camber settings. Don't bring the kids; the package also deletes the Mustang's rear seat.Chevy's supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 is down 110 horsepower from the Ford, but its price is also considerably lower. The small-block has half as many valves activated by pushrods a single camshaft tucked into the block. The 6500-rpm redline and 650 horsepower don't quite light up the spec box like the GT500, but its 650 lb-ft of torque is superior, and it hits at a more accessible 3600 rpm.
On the Road
With nearly 200 pounds less mass and with a weight distribution closer to 50/50, the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE is just as quick as the Mustang despite making less horsepower. At the test track, it beats the GT500 to 60 mph by .2 second, 3.4 seconds versus 3.6. However, the Ford's rear tires eventually hook up, and its horsepower takes charge. It then outruns the Camaro to 100 mph by .3 second, and by 150 mph the gap is stretched to more than 4.0 seconds.
But these are muscle cars, and it's the quarter-mile that really matters. In that race, it's essentially a dead heat. A tire-smoking, fighting-for-traction dead heat, with the Mustang's 11.4-second run at 132 mph just besting the Camaro's time of 11.5 seconds at 124 mph.
Even with its 2.85:1 final drive ratio, the Camaro averaged a fuel economy of just 14 mpg, a single mile per gallon ahead of the Mustang, which has 3.73 gears. Its range, however, is far superior to the Shelby's. The Mustang's fuel tank is only 16 gallons, so it's sucked dry after only 200 miles of highway driving.
At the test track, the Camaro also outgripped and outstopped the Mustang, with a 1.17-g skidpad performance and stops from 70 mph in 137 feet and from 100 mph in 268 feet. The Mustang trailed but not by much. Its 1.13-g skidpad performance is impressive considering it carries 56.6 percent of its 4059 pounds over the front wheels. It stops from 70 mph in 142 feet and from 100 mph in 279 feet.Both the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE live up to the hype. Either will put a big dumb smile on your face while shredding an expensive set of summer tires in the process. But these are sophisticated cars. Their ability to turn and stop are only surpassed by their unbridled power and tire-destroying skills. But we pick winners here, and the winner is the Camaro. It's biggest advantage is that it's simply a better value. There's a lot we love about the GT500—the ride quality, interior design, and its more sophisticated powertrain—but the more affordable ZL1 1LE manages to match or surpass the Shelby's performance while offering a much longer list of features. Spend the stack of money saved on gas and Goodyears. You're going to need them.
On the Road
With nearly 200 pounds less mass and with a weight distribution closer to 50/50, the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE is just as quick as the Mustang despite making less horsepower. At the test track, it beats the GT500 to 60 mph by .2 second, 3.4 seconds versus 3.6. However, the Ford's rear tires eventually hook up, and its horsepower takes charge. It then outruns the Camaro to 100 mph by .3 second, and by 150 mph the gap is stretched to more than 4.0 seconds.
But these are muscle cars, and it's the quarter-mile that really matters. In that race, it's essentially a dead heat. A tire-smoking, fighting-for-traction dead heat, with the Mustang's 11.4-second run at 132 mph just besting the Camaro's time of 11.5 seconds at 124 mph.
Even with its 2.85:1 final drive ratio, the Camaro averaged a fuel economy of just 14 mpg, a single mile per gallon ahead of the Mustang, which has 3.73 gears. Its range, however, is far superior to the Shelby's. The Mustang's fuel tank is only 16 gallons, so it's sucked dry after only 200 miles of highway driving.
At the test track, the Camaro also outgripped and outstopped the Mustang, with a 1.17-g skidpad performance and stops from 70 mph in 137 feet and from 100 mph in 268 feet. The Mustang trailed but not by much. Its 1.13-g skidpad performance is impressive considering it carries 56.6 percent of its 4059 pounds over the front wheels. It stops from 70 mph in 142 feet and from 100 mph in 279 feet.Both the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE live up to the hype. Either will put a big dumb smile on your face while shredding an expensive set of summer tires in the process. But these are sophisticated cars. Their ability to turn and stop are only surpassed by their unbridled power and tire-destroying skills. But we pick winners here, and the winner is the Camaro. It's biggest advantage is that it's simply a better value. There's a lot we love about the GT500—the ride quality, interior design, and its more sophisticated powertrain—but the more affordable ZL1 1LE manages to match or surpass the Shelby's performance while offering a much longer list of features. Spend the stack of money saved on gas and Goodyears. You're going to need them.
