http://m.motortrend.com/roadtests/co...k/viewall.html

Guess we choose the wrong pony!!

 

Its weird to me that Motor Trend is always taking "the wrong Mustang" when they're comparing it against the competition.

I remember when Challenger SRT-8 first came out - Motor Trend was comparing it to Mustang Bullitt instead of Shelby GT500.

When Camaro ZL1 came it, Motor Trend was comparing it to the Boss 302 instead of Shelby GT500.

And each time Mustang lost because it far less powerful and couldn't keep up (much, much later, they finally compared SRT-8 and ZL1 to Shelby GT500 and Shelby, of course, won each time).

Now they're comparing 1LE to GT Track Pack instead of Boss 302 ... why?

 

While I agree with you that MT has a history of choosing bad comparos, I think the 1LE vs track pack GT makes some sense based on price. The Boss is significantly more expensive than a 1LE.... and the track pack GT is pretty similarly priced.

Not a chevy fanboy or anything here, just calling it like I see it.

Edit, after reading the article, it sounds like Ford refused the Boss for comparison, and said that the track pack GT was the more natural competitor for the 1LE.

 

Have you read a hard copy of the magazine over the last couple of years? I think GM is basically keeping them afloat with ad dollars. I've seen 10-15 full pages of GM ads in one issue. For a while they'd have 6-8 page GM infomercials as a centerfold every month.

But I guess when you're spending government money stolen from taxpayers, you can afford to throw it around everywhere.

 

I actually have a large collection of Motor Trend magazines, from early 1950s all the way to the most current copy (including every copy from the past 10 years or so).

Although there is a lot of GM advertising in newer ones, I think Motor Trend has an issue with Ford in general, whether they're doing a comparison or just a coverage ... I mean, the reviews that they wrote on the new Explorer are ridiculous. According to them, its like the worst crossover on the market, despite the fact that its a best selling full size crossover.

 

Yeah, but add the thing or two on the Chevy and all the sudden that price is all of the sudden very similar.

I mean, Motor Trend did the same thing when they compared ZL1 to Boss 302 - ZL1 was almost $13,000 more expensive, but you take the fully loaded Boss 302 vs a base ZL1 and that difference is no longer $13,000.

 

I think motortrend needs to make up it's mind. They are so inconsistent with their reviews. Anything made by BMW, Honda or GM automatically takes the win. At one point the SRT8 is better than the GT500, the 3 series can be outperformed and overpriced but will win because of a nicer steering wheel.

I also hate how little the price is considered in the comparison. The camaro is significantly more expensive than the mustang it was compared to.

 

I'm a huge fan of them for actually comparing two nearly identical cars. The 1LE is to the Camaro as the Track Pack is to the Mustang. Both are V8 trims, with an optional handling/performance package designed for track usage. I do think, however, that MT is a bit short sighted in their reviews. They ranted about how the GT was the "American M3" but now it's chopped liver compared to the 1LE. Randy Pobst always comes across as a whiner in his video reviews when driving cars.

I'm continually impressed at how GM is able to make the Camaro handle. Would I own one? Nope. Sat in a 2013 ZL1 coupe at NAIAS and amazed how cheap it felt inside. Not a fan at all.

 

Wasn't it also Motortrend that tested the Boss against the Camaro SS when it first came out. That's not even a fair match.

Yes, price matters but in an enthusiast market... I would think for comparison sake, it should be done with the client's intentions.
ie: 1LE vs Boss, ZL1 vs GT500, SS vs GT, V6 vs V6.
Price aside... I'm pretty sure those are the intended competitions.

So yeah, when I saw this comparison, I knew the answer before I even watched.

Sadly, they compare the SRT-8 vs the GT and SS... I honestly think that's wrong. I would assume R/T vs GT vs SS.

But what do I know compared to what MT finds as a good comparison... I just have multiple subscriptions to C&D, R&T, and MT as well as watch almost all related videos....

 

I think these comparisons are based more on what cars are available. The ZL1 was compared to the boss because they couldn't get a hold of a GT500 at the time.
The SRT8 is compared because the R/T and V6 challenger are way behind the competition in terms of performance ( heaviest, least powerful) in every trim.

 

True, I guess IMO they should either wait for the correct cars for the comparison. And I think they should still throw the R/T in the mix so Dodge will finally realize it's way too far behind, performance wise. Make the SRT-8 step it up too with the bigger boys. Otherwise... who's competing with the R/T? the track pack V6?

 

Follow the money trail, sadly most buff rags base their criteria on who's paying the bills.

Also the GY G2F1 SC tires make a lot of difference in the two cars. Step up to an equivalent tire (same tire or say the BFG Rival - although you'd have to go with a 20" wheel in that case - seriously WTF Michelin, can we please get a decent range of sizes in your "enthusiast" line) and the Mustang would be much closer in performance.

 

So now I'm at a loss on my earlier statement of model match-ups...
I just read about the new Z/28 which I guess goes against the Boss LS... meaning the 1LE goes for sure with the GT Track Pack... even though I feel the Track Pack isn't as intense as it should be for that comparison. Oh well... So many options of models now! I kinda like it!

 

Yep everybody wins - the OEs because they make a nice profit off of SE's and enthusiasts because we get so many flavors to pick from, the only downside to cars like the Z/28 and Cobra R and GT3 are the price and quantity as well as the inevitable ADMs.

I'll admit if the Z/28 would have been priced right in the mid 40's and common enough I would have been down to the GM stealership with a bundle of money.

Now if ford could somehow manage a 500hp Boss 351. A Boss 429 would be cool but the only engine in Ford's inventory that can do that isn't very assembly line friendly (not that the original Boss 429 was), talk about beast though.

 

****, the current 302 with direct injection could easily match the power of the z28

 

Ford has said that the gain from DI wouldn't be as great as people would think so topping 500hp with DI might not materialize (not that peak HP is all that important anyways).

Larger displacement engines pound for pound (in this case employing the same technology) will always trump a smaller displacement engine when you have to utilize it through the rev range even if they have the same peak power since it produces more power through the rev range.

People most often express this as "torque" but its really just more average horsepower on the way to bouncing off the rev limiter, something a daily driver or a road course car can take better advantage of.

In any event there is something nice and anti-social about big displacement engines

 

Seems pretty plausible in my mind, currently ust a better tune puts you around 450-460.

 

Gotta think inoffensive super reliable OE tune, just look at the Boss red key tune - As I understand it the tune fattens up the power curve and improves throttle response yet takes a back seat to most aftermarket tunes on the Boss power-wise and the red key tune is considered off-road only by Ford.

In and of itself DI doesn't magically add power, if fuel distribution and detonation are really under control with the 5.0's port injection allowing the engine to run a high compression ratio despite being port injected then going to DI wont add a whole heap of power - not 60+ hp worth anyways, but an easy way to get 60hp would be to add 49+ cubes in conjunction with DI and avoid the whole tuned to the razor's edge issue altogether.

 

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Kevin, I don't agree. Where I live (Las Vegas), you cannot get a 1LE for less than $40k, realistically closer to $43k. Boss = $45k. Pretty similar. And, like others in this post, I do applaud GM for building the 1LE. With a better interior, better sight-lines, and a usable trunk, I might be driving one instead of my 2011 GT.

 

So you're a closet Bowtie camaro lover then?!? Banned!!!