DiscerningZ32

Lets put it this way, Road and Track got the newest GT500 to run a quicker time around Willow Springs than a ZR1.
At Laguna Seca, it is 1.5 seconds quicker than the Camaro SS, and at VIR it is 3.5 seconds quicker than the SS.

The newest GT500 is actually very good around a road course.

It'llrun

The 2011 GT500 weighs less than the 2010 and puts down around 20rwhp more along with about 11 lb-ft more torque. Suspension was also revised and the SRA was all but completely acclaimed for its stability.

Here's a comparison R&T did with the 2011 vs the Grand Sport... http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/co...d-shelby-gt500

I've read that the weight is down 168 lb, 84 lb and 102 lb... Idonno which is correct, but its lighter and more powerful, plus the revised suspension. The 2011 GT500 beat the 2010 by almost 2 seconds at VIT(West, I think) and also beat the Grand Sport Corvette according to one article.

The 2009 C&D Lightning Lap had the 2010 SS and 2010 GT500 in it. That was not a really close finish, GT500 lapping in 307.4 to the SS' 309.5. The 2011 GT500 ran the same lap in 3:04.0 and in the LL writeup, it says the previous GT500 ran it in 3:05.9, which I found weird. 2 different times for the same car on the same track, and the 2 weren't even close.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

Cool info, I was just trying to get at the fact that the current SS and the GT500 are still a lot closer than most people give credit to. It will be interesting to see how the '12 V8 cars do with the new electronic suspension/revisions ect. My gut feeling is that Camaro fans will be pleasantly surprised (except for chevy fans who hate everything about the new camaros-I'm still trying to figure that out ), and they will definately give the GT500 a hard time in the corners, even with the 200-400 extra pounds on the ZL1.

Time will tell

It'llrun

The two aren't really "close" in any aspect of performance. The GT500 easily outruns the current SS and on a road course, like VIR, it doesn't look like a good comparison since the GT500 is roughly 4-10 seconds quicker around the track, depending on driver. It has better handling characteristics and way more power/torque(when both are stock). In the test from R&T(I think it was theirs), the GT500 hung with the Corvette GS in some aspects(they gave it the win) and I don't think anyone is claiming the SS will do that while stock. If anyone does, they're wrong.

The Mustang GT and Camaro SS are quite close and while either is great for the average person, in all candor the GT500 hands either its ***.

The '12 cars will surely be close, but the GT500 is expected to get more power and that may hinder it in many ways. I'm expecting the ZL1 to beat the '12 GT500 in most aspects. For '13 or '14(whichever), the GT500 will likely get something entirely different, like IRS and who knows what will happen. Seems to me, the ZL1 powerplant will be much smoother for the average driver, and that will be a great advantage. The only problem will be weight, and I don't think that's as bad as many others expect. "Extra" weight could really help plant the car to the road and that will be a necessary evil with the power level it has. Traction is the issue for all these "power adder" cars.

LS1LT1

iTrader: (16)

I believe it was only a 10hp (crank, not rear wheel) increase and that 102 (or 120?) pounds was the weight savings from 2010 to 2011.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

youre pretty precise with your details.

LS1LT1

iTrader: (16)

Always.

It'llrun

I've read several weights, including 102 for just the engine... As for the hp, I saw a dyno test from a Ford dealership and the 2011 put down right at 20 more than the 2010 on the same dyno, but surely a different day. They made it clear though, the new one beat the old at any and all RPM.

LS1LT1

iTrader: (16)

Ok that is possible, I was merely going by the rated (crank hp) numbers, 550 up from 540. All GT500s (even the older ones) do make some serious power.

D3VIL

I totally agree, 4200... isn't that size of the charger? which is a massive 4door dedan? lol It's a shame that they couldn't make it the size of the GTO, which was only 3700ish

D3VIL

The 07 GT500(I've driven), are stupid pigs! 500hp and it gives you 12.7 1/4 time? That's sad, really really sad, the loud s/c is the only thing that makes the car sound/feel cool

nanokpsi

FWIW, my bone stock 2010 put down more power than a bone stock 2011 on the same dyno, about 20 minutes apart from eachother. Mine had ~6k miles on it at the time, and the 2011 had slightly more. The difference is certainly not 20whp.