And so it begins...
8/26/08, 08:45 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
And so it begins...
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...ive/index.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...review?cid=273
The Mustang can only dream of delivering handling at this level of performance and sophisitication.
The ride quality of the Camaro doesn’t even rate a comparison with the lesser Mustang, and it makes the Challenger’s handling feel plodding.
8/26/08, 09:49 PM
#4
Legacy TMS Member
To be sure... I thought the comments were funny... The MT review is nothing more than a love letter to the Camaro. I like the car and it does have IRS and it will handle better but please...
C&D I liked this...
"Even if those numbers are conservative, the 3800-pound V-6 Camaro should easily out-drag the V-6 versions of the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger, but it will eat the dust of a lighter Ford Mustang Bullitt, a V-8, and the more powerful Dodge Challenger SRT8, both of which cover the quarter-mile about a second quicker."
Last edited by 69CaliStang; 8/26/08 at 09:52 PM.
8/26/08, 10:21 PM
#6
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These two magazines officially have little to no credibility. Hooray for independent and objective journalism! Why not just let Chevy write the review themselves...oh wait, that's pretty much what they did.
And please stop comparing the future Camaro to the current Mustang. It's pointless.
And please stop comparing the future Camaro to the current Mustang. It's pointless.
8/26/08, 11:49 PM
#7
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These two magazines officially have little to no credibility. Hooray for independent and objective journalism! Why not just let Chevy write the review themselves...oh wait, that's pretty much what they did.
And please stop comparing the future Camaro to the current Mustang. It's pointless.
And please stop comparing the future Camaro to the current Mustang. It's pointless.
They always seem to leave out that the Mustang is already 5 years old...
8/27/08, 12:19 AM
#8
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8/27/08, 12:53 AM
#9
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By far my favorite comment regarding the Camaro so far: "If you squint, the back of the new car kinda looks like the front of the 1980's IROC" hahaha! Both articles stated that it sounded really high pitched and "un-muscle car" as well. I would not tolerate a fart can on my Camaro, that's for sure!
On a more serious note, it looks like they are trying to shoehorn the Camaro V6 in between the Mustang base and GT in terms of price and performance. I can see that working really well by getting them a slice of the performance oriented crowd without scaring off the more fuel/budget conscious, OR working against them by not really accomplishing either side of the spectrum as well as two separate models could. I know they will have the SS, but again that will probably sit in between the GT and Shelby and the same could be true in the higher bracket. It might be too expensive for those who want a reasonable and powerful V8, but not quite as tempting as other exclusive high performance models in that range. Just a thought.
On a more serious note, it looks like they are trying to shoehorn the Camaro V6 in between the Mustang base and GT in terms of price and performance. I can see that working really well by getting them a slice of the performance oriented crowd without scaring off the more fuel/budget conscious, OR working against them by not really accomplishing either side of the spectrum as well as two separate models could. I know they will have the SS, but again that will probably sit in between the GT and Shelby and the same could be true in the higher bracket. It might be too expensive for those who want a reasonable and powerful V8, but not quite as tempting as other exclusive high performance models in that range. Just a thought.
8/27/08, 01:32 AM
#10
MOTM Committee Member
On a more serious note, it looks like they are trying to shoehorn the Camaro V6 in between the Mustang base and GT in terms of price and performance. I can see that working really well by getting them a slice of the performance oriented crowd without scaring off the more fuel/budget conscious, OR working against them by not really accomplishing either side of the spectrum as well as two separate models could. I know they will have the SS, but again that will probably sit in between the GT and Shelby and the same could be true in the higher bracket. It might be too expensive for those who want a reasonable and powerful V8, but not quite as tempting as other exclusive high performance models in that range. Just a thought.
8/27/08, 05:31 AM
#11
Mach 1 Member
Camaro Interior. Ouch!!
The new Camaro's body shape is okay, but that interior is right out of the Sci-fi Channel!! After seeing this, Our GT/CS interior looks even better to me now!! And I loved that look from the get-go!! Very clean and smoothly functional. It was the deal maker for us! "Mustangs Forever". CalStang 
8/27/08, 06:02 AM
#13
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Ford has a couple good things going for them. 1.) The Challenger RT is slower than the current Mustang GT.
2.) The Camaro SS will be in the $37k-$40k range.
So people that want to only spend between $26k-$35k will still be looking & buying a Mustang GT. Then for 2011MY the new 5.0 will arrive with 350-400hp.
2.) The Camaro SS will be in the $37k-$40k range.
So people that want to only spend between $26k-$35k will still be looking & buying a Mustang GT. Then for 2011MY the new 5.0 will arrive with 350-400hp.
8/27/08, 06:02 AM
#14
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nice.. i actually like the space ship gauges.. not really feeling the center console/radio though (how am i supposed to fit a computer screen in that mess? 
)
)
8/27/08, 07:44 AM
#16
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It is an apples and oranges comparison. These journalists will always find IRS superior to the solid rear axle and they always hold it against the 'stang no matter how good the car is. GM needs some love and success with the Camaro -- because no matter how much we love Ford -- our economy needs GM too. Give them a year before the 2010-11 Mustangs roar back. I had a 69 firebird -- and the body lines of the Camaro are nice and reflective of the 69 F Bodies. However, I think that the S197's 67-68 Mustang reflections are as good or better.
IMHO.
IMHO.
8/27/08, 08:33 AM
#18
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Was surprised people didn't jump on these pre-prod reviews already. Given the various caveats about reviewing preproduction cars on limited drives, the Camaro does seem to be turning out reasonably well. But given how well the G8, which shares a similar chassis and drivetrains, this ought not to be too surprising. Sure, the Camaro may well end up costing more, but you're getting a lot more car too, so the value part of the equation may well favor the Camaro. I think that placing the V6 Camaro slightly upmarket, both in content and performance, from the bargain basement V6 Stang is wise and in fact may be seen in some aspects more as an affordable competitor to the G37 Coupe in terms of running gear.
The DI, DOHC VVT 3.6 motor on the Camaro is a good decade or two ahead of the hoary ol' mill grinding away under the Stang's hood, which serves little more than basic duty in getting the thing moving. I might reasonably expect that it will both outperform and out stinge the Stang even though the Camaro is hardly a svelte lightweight.
That it handles AND rides better than the Stang is a no brainer too given that the Stang is saddled with a 19th century, penny-pincher of a rear suspension. Perhaps Ford will either be humiliated enough to finally release the IRS or instead, seek refuge in the bargain basement bin of pony cars, pricewise.
Needless to say, this is all comparing the 5-year old Stang against the fresh Camaro. But Ford really hasn't done much to the Stang GT or V6 in those five years, with perhaps the exception of the Bullitt option on the GT (complacency? Nooooo.....), so that's all they have to compare at the moment.
That said, the '10 should be out not long after the Camaro hits the streets, so things may change very quickly. A 5.0 in the 400hp class backed by a six speed will at least equal the straight line performance, especially given the Stang's slightly smaller size and weight. My suspicion is that Ford will continue to cheap out with the lively axle and thus cede the other 359 degrees of the performance envelope beyond dead ahead. Brakes? Ford better either pony up for the GT500's Brembos or some other serious upgrade lest is cede's the 1-degree of the performance envelope involving whoa power.
And for the poor, forlorn V6, an infusion of Duratec 3.5 or, better yet (this is Ford's sole performance model line now) the 3.7, backed by a six-cogger, would bring the Stang up to the par here.
The DI, DOHC VVT 3.6 motor on the Camaro is a good decade or two ahead of the hoary ol' mill grinding away under the Stang's hood, which serves little more than basic duty in getting the thing moving. I might reasonably expect that it will both outperform and out stinge the Stang even though the Camaro is hardly a svelte lightweight.
That it handles AND rides better than the Stang is a no brainer too given that the Stang is saddled with a 19th century, penny-pincher of a rear suspension. Perhaps Ford will either be humiliated enough to finally release the IRS or instead, seek refuge in the bargain basement bin of pony cars, pricewise.
Needless to say, this is all comparing the 5-year old Stang against the fresh Camaro. But Ford really hasn't done much to the Stang GT or V6 in those five years, with perhaps the exception of the Bullitt option on the GT (complacency? Nooooo.....), so that's all they have to compare at the moment.
That said, the '10 should be out not long after the Camaro hits the streets, so things may change very quickly. A 5.0 in the 400hp class backed by a six speed will at least equal the straight line performance, especially given the Stang's slightly smaller size and weight. My suspicion is that Ford will continue to cheap out with the lively axle and thus cede the other 359 degrees of the performance envelope beyond dead ahead. Brakes? Ford better either pony up for the GT500's Brembos or some other serious upgrade lest is cede's the 1-degree of the performance envelope involving whoa power.
And for the poor, forlorn V6, an infusion of Duratec 3.5 or, better yet (this is Ford's sole performance model line now) the 3.7, backed by a six-cogger, would bring the Stang up to the par here.
8/27/08, 08:39 AM
#19
Needs to be more Astony
Better in what way? if you read the article the V6 camaro despite the 300+hp only does 0-60 in 6.1sec. over a sec slower then the current Mustang GT.
8/27/08, 08:55 AM
#20
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The same power with smaller engine and better fuel economy, IRS... ok it's slower than GT in 0-60 but
I see the camaro more complete and modern in price/qualit terms.
Ford needs to modernize Mustang (IRS, ABS and traction control standard on V6, brakes, more hp...)