Formula51 said:The GT500 would certainly best the GTO in handling, but you have to remember that the GT500 has bigger and better tires as well as a more sport tuned suspension than the "touring sedan" GTO as some have called it. I mean come on, what muscle car has 235 series tires in this day and age!?!
I would bet the GTO rides nicer over bumpy roads and pavement changes though. Nothing wrong with a stick axle on smooth roads, but it can be a bit scary during high speed corners on bad roads. It will not be long until the Mustang has an IRS as the competition will have them and the public will demand the ride quality.
If you cannot tell, it's late, I can't sleep and I am very bored. hehe.
In the last One Lap of America a private sponsored GTO was up against the Ford sponsored "pre-production" GT500. I went to Roebling Road racetrack to see them in action and my buddy was the owner of the goat. The goat had H/C/exhaust (430rwhp), brake upgrades, suspension & wheel/tire upgrades and safty equipment. The GT500 had some "non-production mods" to include a rear end cooler, brake ducting all around, saftly equipment but some mods were undisclosed. By the track times it was very close. The did skip the dragstrip event due to rain but that would have helped on the power comparison.
These guys were back and forth from track to track within 10ths of each other until the GTO had a bolt back out on the after market shifter and give them a DNF at VIR which put the GT500 1st and the goat 2nd. In my opinion the GTO was set up like it should have been from the factory with 245/275 rubber, slightly stiffer suspension, ect but eveyone is not like me!