2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 vs 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca
 

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 vs 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca - Comparison - Motor Trend

http://image.motortrend.com/f/351255...aguna-Seca.jpg

http://image.motortrend.com/f/361850...rack-chart.jpg

http://image.motortrend.com/f/361850...down-chart.jpg

Suddenly I care about the Camaro again.

edit: Wait, it's $56,000? Haha, false alarm.

Damn impressive the boss comes so close the the zl1

Yeah. Now I'm just waiting for the ZL1 vs 2013 GT500 comparo.

/\ this. wrong comparo and a loss for the chevy imo. Boss shouldn't have been so close.

/\ THIS is the comparo that I want to see (GT500 is going to mop the floor with the ZL1 I bet).

:iagree: apples to apples instead of apples to orange with black hockey sticks...or vice versa.

those cars look the same. :icon17:

Doesn't the boss come with basic slicks for tires

None Laguna Seca Boss 302 please.

:icon17:

Me too. Wanna see if that enormous piece of metal in the front will be able to handle Laguna Seca as well as the two cars in this comparo.

Wait...so you mean the car with a solid rear axle and little bitty tires might not be as good as a car with IRS and some real tires when it comes to the road bending and bumping?

We already knew how this would go. GM knows how to actually put a suspension and some tire under a car. Ford knows how to perfect the SRA, but they have yet to figure IRS out, unless you count the Ford GT, which was recalled for breaking all 6 control arms, and turned VERY poor lap-times at every track it was tested on, given its power/weight, or the previous generation IRS Cobra's that constantly broke half-shafts and wheel-hopped all over the place in the process.

Ford and their obsession with the outdated SRA remind me of a virgin that can't stop telling all the porn-stars in the room of how consummate his skill at beating off is. Great. The rest have moved on while Ford is still sitting there with their meat in their hand wondering why noone is impressed.

I think the mustang is a great car, but can Ford PLEASE! stop shafting its customers with it's SRA. Put an IRS under the car, bolt on some real rims/tires, and it might just do what it should have been doing all along!

Until then, it's a killer pony-car, but lets evolve it already!

*rant/off*

ETA:
This test wasn't just about lap-times. It was about comparing the two cars personalities and how they handle different situations. The mustang was obviously lacking in the suspension department, and the Camaro, although heavier, hit the corners harder and came out of them faster, and was far more controlled on uneven surfaces. There was no "loss" for the Camaro here, just a resounding reminder that even though Charlton Heston's chariot had a solid rear-axle and he had a load of fun in it, history has moved on. Will Ford please rejoin the rest of the group.

So you don't think the extra >100 hp on the Camaro had anything to do with it? I'll go way out on a limb and say the GT500 will destroy the Camaro......with the SRA.

If customers felt like they were being shafted they wouldn't buy the car. Trollololol.

No, I don't think the Camaro's extra >100hp had anything to do with it entering the corners, carrying more velocity through them, and being more composed over rougher sections of the track.

They are just willing to give up a bit to get a bit. The mustang is still the best car in its segment, the BOSS has just stuck its nose into the next segment, and the Camaro stooped a little to meet it.

The real comparo will be the GT500 vs. ZL1.

But if the GT500 laps faster than the ZL1 you're going to blame the extra HP, right?

No, I'm going to be very surprised.

On a long and fast track like VIR the GT500 with it's 100hp more and near identical weight MIGHT make up for the ZL1's superior handling, but we will have to look at the numbers. However, that remains to be seen. The point here is that the Camaro killed the BOSS in the corners. IT wasn't like the BOSS was holding its own until the straightaways. Look at cornering velocity upon entry/exit.

*I'm tired and going to bed now. I'm getting far too excited over this, lol

You almost have to wonder if the reason was the electronic nannies. You know, since randy struggles with rwd cars, he was probably jus faster in the one that drives for him.

For the unawares, that was sarcasm.

In all honesty, mrc is very effective. Its why ferrari is paying gm.

ZL1 is a nice car for what it is. it is modern, well equipped, tons of torque and power. Chevy is doing great jobs with their performance cars; vettes, camaro and cadi V cars. but damn! 580hp it traps less than 120? that is kinda sad. 4000lb is kinda porky and it isn't a engineering marvel like the GTR. it won't be able to hang with real sports cars on those road courses or highways.

too bad the boss lost. i got something coming my way that will wipe the floor with the ZL1 :tup:

The zl1 isn't Chevy's sports car. It is a pony car still, or maybe muscle car if you aren't too strict on the definition. As long as it beats the gt500, that's what counts.

that is true, ZL1 is a pony car. it might very well beat the upcoming GT500. there is no deny in Corvette's performance. however, the driving experience leave a lot to be desired. i spent fair amount of time behind the wheel of my friend's Z06, the steering felt nothing like a sports car. the car is poorly put together, it looks so cheap for something that cost 70-80k... i'll be shopping for a sports car in the summer, i have no desire to drive or own a chevy sports car.

on another note, i can't wait to get the new weapon and DD my boss :tup:

:ughdance:The interior is my only qc complaint. In 2008 steering got better. It's no BMW, but its not bad. The exterior is put togather as well as possible given the material used and the coefficients of expansion, etc in varying temps.

The car is definitely more about performance than Swiss watch precision, though.

I completely agree with you there. Z06 can definitely get you the most bang for your buck if you were strictly looking for performance numbers.

For one the Boss LS is over 8K less and gets FAR better mpg. The ZL1 is rated 19mpg HWY which is terrible to say the least compared to the 302's 26mpg HWY rating. This makes perfect sense when you consider the curb weights.

Second, the GT500 is the direct competitor to the ZL1 NOT the Boss 302 so the comparison really just show how awesome the Boss 302 is despite costing a lot less and being down 140hp.

Regardless the new GT500 is going to tear the ZL1 apart. Personally, I would rather spend ~ 44K on a none LS Boss 302 with Recaros/ upgraded LSD. I think it's probably the best compromise between daily driver comfort, performance, economy and so on.

I think you meant ZL1 camaro........the ZR1 is a corvette :p

Yeah obviously we're talking about the camaro typo is a typo. Was just going to correct it

I can't wait to see a comparison between the ZL1 and the new GT500. That should be a good one and a better comparison of similar Pony cars.

Nothing like a comparason to strike up a slow posting day....:excited:

+1

On a tighter track, I'm voting Camaro. Around the 'Ring, I am not sure. At VIR, very close.

Just my prediction.

Well there's little doubt the ZL1 wins when it comes to cost per performance. It's nearly 1/2 the price of a GT-R and nearly matches or perhaps in some instances exceeds the performance of the GT-R.

Camaro definitely has the full power with the V8 engine equipped on it. I also heard about the electric steering which provides efficiency....and most all all the exterior has undergone some mods, which truly signifies its beauty and performance....