Here is the latest :

Chevy challanges Ford to a muscle car fight
Jalopnik morning shift today November 17th. Looks like Ford is chicken.

http://jalopnik.com/5859957/the-shel...e-la-auto-show

1st Gear: Chevy Challenges Ford To Muscle Car Fight, Ford Takes Bat, Goes Home
After Ford brought out its potentially ZL1-killing 650-horsepower 2013 Shelby GT500, Joel Ewanick, global vice president of GM marketing, decided to drop the gauntlet down at the feet of Ford. "We should take a Camaro, Ford brings a Mustang, we each pick our drivers, and see who has the best time on the Nürburgring," Ewanick said to Scott Burgess of the Detroit News. Jim Farley, who heads Ford's global marketing, wasn't taking the bait despite professed claims to a desire to "take a bat" to Chevrolet. "I wish we could," he said, after hearing about Ewanick's challenge. "Who wouldn't want to do that?" Huh. Sounds to us like maybe Ford's chicken. Hey, Farley — bawk-bawk-bawk-BA-****!


and the insurgents bashing over at crapmaro5:

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182892

 

LOL same tactic they used with the super duties.

 

To defend Ford I think they are still dialing in the finishing touches on the car since we just found out about it. How long have we known about the ZL1?

 

Such concern, such insecurity, such childishness. Someone has to convince those cowboys being number two is not that bad.

We should give them bad boys a test. We'll keep it simple. How about a multiple choice test?

1) The team that wins is the one which has the most fun
2) Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing
3) I drink to forget I drink
4) All of the above
5) None of the above
and the likely favorite...
6) Please elaborate further on the choices

 

They knew Ford wouldn't take the bait, Chevy is trying everything possible to get back in the limelight and generate buzz for their car again. They'll be put to all sorts of comparisons soon enough with the media. Ford doesn't need to resort to these junior high bullying tactics, especially playing 'Ring around the Rosie. Ford brought their A game and Chevy got embarrassed, plain and simple. Just take your 'rolling start' ZL1 and go home. What's next, is big Al going to knock on Mulally's door and make him apologize for being mean?

 

The GM brass must be in total damage control mode. The Camaro Chief Design Engineer has literally published an open letter on Camaro forums to restore some hope to the ZL1 crowd that their car is still gonna kick GT500 butt.

Crazy how he claims Mustang has been trying to play catch-up ever since the Camaro came back. Sounds like the non-truths politicians utter to muddy the water cuz they're trying to cover-up some screw up.

Camaro Nation:

As you know, the blogs lit up with the announcement of the new 650-horsepower Mustang GT500, and I wanted to give you my perspective on the latest challenge from Dearborn.

The Mustang has been playing catch up ever since the moment the fifth-gen Camaro arrived in 2009. Since then, Camaro has been the best-selling sports car in America, indicating that consumers know which car offers the best performance, style and safety.

It is no coincidence that Mustang has introduced three 100-horsepower increases to keep pace with Camaro: First their V-6 was bumped to 305; then their V-8 went to 412, and now the GT500.

Even with the 100-hp increase, the 2013 GT500 will still not match the technology and sophistication of the 2012 Camaro ZL1.

The days of “no replacement for displacement,” are over, and it’s not enough to be fast in a straight line. With the Camaro ZL1, we set out to deliver integrated performance, and be equally good at acceleration, braking, grip, and turning. As you will soon see, that’s why the Camaro ZL1 will set the performance benchmark for the segment.

Our approach was to make every Camaro ZL1 fully track-capable, from the factory. As we announced today, the ZL1 Coupe will start at $54,995 with standard Magnetic Ride Control, standard Performance Traction Management, and standard track-capable equipment such as a rear-differential cooler, brake cooling ducts, and an engine and transmission cooler.

None of our customers will have to buy extra options – or modify their ZL1 – for track-day usage. That is not the case for the current GT500, or their new car.

For Mustang fans, you’re welcome. Clearly the Camaro has encouraged Ford to throw everything they can at us.

For Camaro fans, trust me, we are always listening to your feedback, and working hard to keep the Camaro in the lead.

 

2013 Shelby GT500>2011 ShelbyGT500

Peter

 

Agree 100% :no pot to stir:

 

GT5005?

 

I love how he suggests that the 5.0 and 3.7 where the responses to keep up with the Camaro. Yet any magazine test shows that both outperform the Camaro. This guy claims HP numbers are not that important yet Chevy had the V6 re-certified from 305 312HP for 2011.... with no actual change to the engine

I love this... I remember in late 09 when the first Camaros were hitting the streets and how cocky the 10 Camaro owners were bashing 05-10 GTs I guess once again the bragging right were short lived!

on a side note I wonder if the GT500 will have a gas guzzlers tax again?

 

No gas guzzler for the 2013 due to its "low" weight and Gas Mileage

 

I think it was stated as, with the cars lower weight they hope to continue to avoid the gas-guzzler tax. Seems as it's not set in stone but they are being optimistic.

 

The 2012 is 3820, 2013 is 3850.

3850 > 3820.

 

I just thought of something...with the 650hp and 202mph stats, GT500 and Ford have just become household names to euro and Asian tuners/fanboys across the globe (not to mention those in the US that would have never given a Mustang a second glance). I think with the new license plate frame and Nurburgring testing, Ford is fully planning on taking this car to Europe, maybe even DTM racing. Think about it, how many 200+ mph American cars are for sale in the US, and how many of those are ONLY sold in the US? There's no where to go 200mph here!

 

Perhaps at camaro5?

 

"When this thing hits 202mph, you're gonna see some serious ****"

 

And gearing in the tranny as well as going back to a 3.31 rear.

 

Weight has nothing to do with actual tax but keeping weight down helps with fuel economy and performance. The gas guzzler tax is for vehicles that have a combined Fuel Economy of 22.5 MPG or less (combined value is based on 55% city driving and 45% highway driving) *August 2011, EPA*

 

All this talk from the lead Chevy engineer about the ZL1 Camaro being better than the 2013 GT500 has made me determined to head out to the local drag strip and stomp on the ZL1 Camaros with my 2013 GT500. I will just have to do what I did in 1971 with my Mach 1 429 SCJ. In 1971 I took my Mach 1 to a dragstrip after putting 600 miles on my Mach 1 and proceeded to outrun six of GMs finest muscle cars to win the trophy in NHRA D/S class. I was not the best or most experienced driver, but I let the Mach 1 make up for lack of driving skill. The 429 was a much underated car by most people in 1971.

 

^^
Do it as apparently the 2013 GT500 should spank the chevy similar to what your 429 did.

I did some web searching last night and came across a Ford site that has a guy there with apparently a connection to the SVT guys. He knew about the main specs before the reveal @LA so I believe him when he says that the ZL1time of 12 flat @119 won't stand up to the GT500 time of high 11s in the low 120's. The 285's out back keep the times close. He said if you give both cars more traction with DRs then the gap will widen.

Also, interestingly he claimed the stock tune on the 5.8 is very conservative. That seems to be corroborated by the SVT Forum saying that 15psi of boost comes stock. I'd say this is great for 2 reasons 1) chevy can't pull a fast one and bump up the ZL1 power just before cars start rolling out as Ford could easily counter by upping their conservative tune 2) aftermarket gains with just a tune will be very nice.