Camaro SS 1LE vs. Mustang GT Performance Pack Drive Review
Oh, This Thing Sounds Good
See, I told you that I would need to revisit the way this thing sounds. The Mustang GT, like the Camaro SS, is best experienced by changing the drive mode (or the exhaust setting independently) to Track. While the Camaro’s sound resonates in your chest, the Mustang is different. It sounds like a vintage Trans Am race car; husky, mechanical, and kind of tinny. It’s raw, and it’s really, really good. Oh, and, as previously mentioned, it sets off a lot of car alarms at night, even from two blocks away. I tested it.
The sound from that Coyote V8 does a good job of making up for several other notable powertrain quirks. While the Chevy and its 6.2-liter V8 have torque on tap, the Mustang has to be spun hard to make the power. So, while the Mustang has a five horsepower advantage over the Camaro, 460 versus 455, the Chevy has a lot more torque at 455 lb-ft versus 420 lb-ft. This would be totally fine if the power delivery was more linear. However, while the Camaro builds steam in a smooth, linear fashion; the Mustang has a few lumps and bumps along the way in the power curve. California’s horrid 91-octane fuel may perhaps cause the higher strung Mustang to pull timing through the rev range.
The Coyote engine is, overall, a net positive for Mustang. The real issue is the transmission. It’s junk. Seriously, there exists an entire aftermarket ecosystem devoted to swapping out the maligned MT-82 transmission for something more stout, like the TR6060 used in the Chevy. The shifter is plasticky and cheap, missed gear changes were regular occurrences as well as the occasional gear lock out during hard shifts. Then there is the wonky clutch, which is oddly sprung, non-linear, and hard to predict. The Mustang was universally panned through the office for this.
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Combine the transmission woes with the rev hungry engine and you have a much harder muscle car to drive. The non-linearity continues with the fact the Mustang has a minor case of rev hang. Push the clutch in and the revs linger a bit before dropping. This means there is a notable pause between gear changes and some timing work involved to not have the Mustang buck, like, well, a wild mustang. It’s not terrible, like some cars, but compared to the Chevy, it’s annoying.
It’s a Performance Pack, Not a Track Pack
Remember that whole bit about the Camaro being hooked up and confidence-inspiring? Well, the Ford feels like a wild pony in the corners, by comparison. It’s down on footprint compared to the Camaro, with a 255/40 and 275/40R19 tire package, and it’s a touch heavier, as well.
However, more than that, it feels like Ford needs more time to develop the new independent rear suspension in the Mustang. Despite also having MagneRide shocks, the Mustang is notably more skittish and nervous through the canyons than the Camaro. I got unintentionally sideways a few times in the Mustang at speeds that were already a few ticks lower than what I was doing in the Camaro. However, it’s worth noting that sometimes the Mustang would default to understeer, and other times it would quickly transition to snap oversteer, without much provocation.
Credit where it’s due, this makes the Mustang feel way more lively at low speed. While some could fault the Camaro for feeling a bit lifeless at low speed due to it’s extreme poise, the Mustang is more than happy to do rolling burnouts in first and second gear. Just hope, for your sake, you can hang on to the reins and control it.
Indeed, the character of the Mustang isn’t as a track toy masquerading as a daily driver, but, instead, it’s a brute wearing a more finely cut suit. Think of the Performance Pack Mustang as the fun street cruiser pack, and it starts to make more sense. When you slow things down, and just enjoy the loud stereo, even louder exhaust, and masticate in the moment of driving a muscle car, that’s where the Mustang shines. You don’t mind the fact that the seating position is too high, or the fact that the transmission sucks at the limits. It all blends into the background.
The question that remains is whether that fun personality is enough to match the Camaro and it’s incredible poise and performance.
Continue reading about the Camaro SS 1LE and Mustang GT Performance Pack on the next page.
