Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 vs. Dodge Challenger Hellcat vs. Chevy Camaro ZL1 — Muscle Car Comparison

1. Go. ELANA: Wow, that's a lot lighter. CARLOS: Don't help him. ELANA: But he helped me. CARLOS: No... come on man. KURT: Good. ELANA: Sorry, you're alone, man. CARLOS: You get the advantage of carbon fiber wheels. It has a lot of interior space for a crushing weight. Therefore, the lack of a rear seat is an advantage here. ELANA: Yes. I think he will definitely be able to get two behind and one in front. CARLOS: Three wide. He could make a three in the backfield. I feel like a pitcher in a Sports Center. KURT: Can you guys shut up?

CARLOS: Oh, yes, he's going to make three back. ELANA: No. CARLOS: This is a real Happy Gilmore moment right here. ELANA: This is crazy. But what if it doesn't fit? CARLOS: Could actually... that's really... ELANA: If he doesn't fit in, he's... CARLOS: If he's going to do everything... oh! He closes the door, closes the door, closes the door! Not only did you get all four in... one minute, 16 seconds, but you did it faster than we could do it with the Challenger. ELANA: And you could bring a friend. CARLOS: But right now you were out of breath.

KURT: Shut up. CARLOS: You're not going to run any races. KURT: Oh no, I'm not. You are next. CARLOS: Oh boy. KURT: 3, 2 1. ELANA: Are we helping? CARLOS: This is going very bad. KURT: No. CARLOS: Very bad. ELANA: It's actually half as big as it looks from the outside, and it looks small from the outside. CHARLES: Ready. I think I have this. KURT: It's already at one. CARLOS: We'll all go to the track together, right? KURT: Yeah. What are you doing? That's my seat. CHARLES: Ready. Call it. KURT: One minute, 36 seconds. If you weren't last, we'd probably disqualify you.

ELANA: You didn't even close the door. CARLOS: He is inside the vehicle. There was nothing in the rules about closing things down or being able to leave. Camaro loses practicality test. ELANA: Yes, that's not practical. CARLOS: That is very impractical. KURT: It's one thing for these cars to look bad. But it's something completely different: they don't sound bad. CARLOS: We should measure this. KURT: Yes. CARLOS: I wish we had a sound expert. Doesn't accelerate above 3000 RPM? He is in neutral. I tried it in the park. This would not happen with a manual. ELANA: It will only get to 4000 and then it will just stop you.

I mean, how am I going to impress my neighbors with 4,000? KURT: Yeah, I don't have a limiter. It just let me rev up to 7500 RPM. CARLOS: Mustang handily wins the sound competition. ELANA: It's almost as if the Mustang engineers knew what people might want in a

muscle

car. CARLOS: Now we have a winding track behind us. And we're not going to find out how fast they are; We are not going to know the lap times yet. But we're here to find out how these things drive like cars. Should you be afraid of them? ELANA: I mean, I think a lot of people are afraid of them because they're so powerful.

But there is no reason to do so. I mean, they're surprisingly manageable. CARLOS: It's important to figure this out, because even if you go to a racetrack, you still have to drive there and you still have to drive home. So let's find out how they feel in that situation or on their favorite mountain road. ELANA: Is it a problem if my entire review of the Redeye is just driving and laughing? This car is very fun. There are many things that people can rightly complain about. But that is not all. Is big. I mean, every time I turn a corner I'm slowing down, probably a lot more than Carlos and Kurt will have to in the Camaro and the Mustang, because I can feel the full weight of this car.

But if you trust him, then he is like a hippopotamus in ballet slippers: he is able to surprise with grace. And also... oh my god. Whose idea was this? Sorry, I'm going to take this more seriously. Today, since there is no contemporary equivalent of, say, the Chevelle, pony cars have become

muscle

cars. And certainly, the Challenger meets the entire definition of a muscle car, as it is the company's largest engine in its class of mid-size sports car. This is a mid-size car and that's the biggest engine. 6.2 liters, a larger supercharger than some engines and, of course, 797 horsepower.

These seats are great. And they are huge. In fact, one of the things when you're on the right path is that you move on them a little bit. They are not tight. But when you're on the street, they're very, very comfortable and kind of luxurious. They also have heating and ventilation, which is a great luxury in a muscle car. As you turn this corner, visibility is not very good. This is a great pillar. It's better than, say, the Camaro. And it's almost the same as the Mustang. Neither of these cars are great to look at from the outside, because they are huge.

They have these really long hoods. In the case of these Performance versions, they also have very high hoods. I mean, I'm sitting pretty high up so I can see over the bulges on the hood. If you're familiar with any of the Hellcats, there are three modes. There is a kind of street mode. They call it automatic. A sports mode, which is actually more of a drag race mode. It gives you a lot more exhaustion in a straight line action. And then there's track mode, which tightens everything up and makes shifting really difficult. You can also create a custom mode, which is great, because if you like the sound and changes in track mode, but you like the steering better in straight mode, it's up to you, honey.

You can do whatever you want. This car actually works best if you let the automatic speed do all the work for you. Just don't try to guess the machine. Let the robot win. In terms of suspension and ride quality, the Challenger absolutely destroys the other two. Or rather, the other two will destroy your kidneys and lower back, and the Challenger will be like sitting on the couch. So yeah, this is huge. Compared to the other two cars, it's kind of a monster. But that has a benefit. And that benefit is a more comfortable ride and, obviously, more space.

I mean, the Mustang doesn't even have a back seat. And the Challenger... hell, do it on the road. I think if you put all three cars together and said which one best fits the definition of a muscle car, the Challenger would win, hands down. The other two at this point are almost sports. And then, of course, sports cars have become supercars. Where will it end? Never let this end. CARLOS: The Camaro ZL1 on a winding track. We'll treat this like a country road and talk about the things that make the Camaro ZL1 1LE fun to drive.

There is a lot to talk about in this regard. Yes, this car missed the sound quality tests and, you know, barely squeaked in the usability test. But the way it drives remains its main attribute. And I have to admit, with the exhaust and follow mode, when you're not trying to accelerate from idle, it sounds pretty good here. It's a deep baritone roar. There are not many nuances in the sound. It's a little loud, direct, brutal and broad. But you have to admit, that sounds good. And we have a 10-speed automatic that can shift that quickly. It's a strange situation because this supercharged V8 has a very wide torque delivery.

And yet, when you're really into it, the transmission shifts and the RPM drops in such small increments that it's a strange experience. You never expect a car with this kind of power and such a wide torque curve to be able to shift so quickly and for the RPMs to only drop so much. I mean, this engine could be more powerful and use that kind of different power characteristic. But I have to say that I enjoy this as it is. Although maybe I would enjoy it more if it had a manual. Hmm. So the 1LE Track package gives this car a lot of really nice driving attributes.

And all of them relate to the experience of driving on a mountain road. Of course, the tires must be at temperature. That's a major problem with these cars, because they are racetrack-oriented tires. When these tires are cold, they are uncommunicative and slippery. This morning, it was in the mid-30s as we drove to the track, and boy, did the tires have some trouble merging onto the highway and all that. But that's what you're getting into when you get a 1LE track package. You are purchasing the track package. You are opting for that experience. Alright. But when the tires are on, they start to work very well with these shocks.

These fixed spool valve dampers. The way the rest of the suspension is set up is highly adjustable for the weekend track we're on. But in the environment he is in now, it is also okay. Not compliant on the road. It's quite firm, especially over bumps. It doesn't have good adaptive shock absorbers to absorb and adjust for comfort. All of this is heavy use of the track. But it brings this whole car together. And you end up having a lot of confidence in this car, especially at the front. That's important, because you have a lot of power.

You have to be able to trust this thing to turn off the power and allow you to escape from corner to corner. It's very important. You get confident, very well-weighted steering. When the tires work, again, that's a caveat that we keep referencing, but when they work, it feels really good. The Camaro shows its disadvantages in normal driving. You got a glimpse of that in the interior usability tests or functionality tests, where we load these cars with wheels and tires. There was no free space left. And that's a problem with the Camaro. The trunk opening is tiny.

This interior space also seems small. Outward visibility is extremely poor. It's shocking how narrow the view can be from the outside of this car. Also, when it comes to daily driving, I have to say that the 10-speed automatic transmission comes into its own. This transmission works great when you push it really hard and when you're just cruising around town. It's when you're driving halfway that it's not as responsive as the Mustang's dual-clutch, which is very agile and crisp all the time. This is still a tremendous machine for track use. And one that, driving comfort aside, is still civilized enough for everyday use.

We still have heated and ventilated seats. I think this one also has a heated steering wheel. You still have good integration through your infotainment with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto. Although the screen looks like it's tilted inwards. That's always been a pain with Camaros. Still, the ZL1 1LE is the best Camaro of all time at its specific job: race track use. And to say that it's not as tiring as it could be on the road is a great testament to its many skills and attributes. But you have to know what you're getting into. There's a lot going on here.

And for the money, I think it's an incredible value. KURT: The new Shelby GT500. So it's one thing to ride around in a car like this and drive it like a punk. But most of the time people drive these cars, they're not really going to be in track mode like I am now. Maybe they'll be in sport, so let's leave that in sport, take it out of manual mode and let's just navigate and tell them what it's like to drive it. Obviously, it generates a lot of power. That 5.2-liter engine has a giant supercharger. Produces 760 horsepower.

And yes, it goes fast. There are no two ways to do it. But what's really impressive about this engine is how drivable it is. I mean, now I'm hanging around and it's still friendly. He is quick to respond. And I've driven this car in traffic, and it doesn't care that you're in traffic. He's happy to move on. And for an engine with this kind of power, I continue to be impressed with modern engines. This engine shouldn't be this easy to drive, and it is. Putting all this power to the ground is smooth thanks to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The other uses a more traditional automatic setup. But these are quick, clear changes and not abrupt or discordant. Still really responsive. Wow, listen to that. I mean, I want this in my everyday car. I'm going to put this on Normal mode now and just browse like a normal person. These are pretty good tires, they're Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. And that, compared to the ones on the Camaro, are pretty run-of-the-mill high-performance tires. I mean, you can find them on any old Porsche 911. But these tires speak to you. And they have good grip when it's cold and they have good grip when it's hot.

Every aspect of this car makes it a friendly car. And enough can't be said about it. In case you haven't noticed in all the other pictures of this car, it has massive brakes on the front. It has 16.5-inch brake rotors. And the calipers... yes, they're six-piston calipers, but they're giant six-piston calipers. A car like this shouldn't be so easy to drive at high speed. It shouldn't be so easy to drive at low speed. I think Ford really found the sweet spot with the GT500. I would say this is the best performing car of the group. You have comfort when you want it, you have speed when you want it.

You have sound, you havesilence, you have everything. And if you have the money, you should probably buy one of these. So we had a little fun. And pass by there, there is a racetrack. It's short, but it's fast. Should be fun. And I think we should do some time laps. ELANA: Well, if we do time loops, then we really need them to be consistent, so the same person should probably drive all three. CARLOS: Oh, okay. I can't fight the dibs! KURT: Come on, buddy. ELANA: You're right, though. You can't fight dibs. KURT: I hate it. ELANA: Carlos, are you ready? 3, 2, 1.

Hit it, baby. KURT: I'm surprised the car spun. ELANA: They worked hard at it. And it also has rubber rollers underneath. KURT: Is it? Can I say on the other end of the line? ELANA: Yes, do it. KURT: Is that a trademark? I have no idea if that's fast or not. ELANA: 38:37, Carlos. 3, 2, 1. let's go. KURT: He tried to be smart with launch control. ELANA: Do you feel like that worked for him? KURT: No. ELANA: I mean, I know he's tried to warm up these tires, because they're a lot more complicated. KURT: This seems a little faster.

ELANA: It seems fast. 36:11. KURT: 2.2 seconds faster. CARLOS: That launch control sucks. What happened? ELANA: That wasn't so good. CARLOS: It was great, then it was bleh! It was like, what? What's happening? ELANA: Do you feel like you need to try again? CARLOS: No, it's Chevy's problem. ELANA: Well, it was still faster than the Hellcat. CHARLES: Good. As physics would dictate. KURT: And it sounds decidedly less bad and the Hellcat does. CARLOS: But I'll tell you one thing. The best tires here. KURT: Yes. ELANA: Pony boy, are you ready? 3, 2, 1. Let's go! CARLOS: I love those seven speeds on the car.

ELANA: I like how there is a touch of supercharging. CARLOS: Yes. KURT: Woo. Don't let him know. You will just get great success in it. Camaro CARLOS: How did it go? ELANA: I think your car won because it was a time of 36:27. KURT: Should I ditch the Camaro now? CARLOS: Even with a bad throw? KURT: Yeah. Those tires, man. Those tires. CARLOS: Well, let's recap. Test numbers winner, Ford. Burnout winner. ELANA: I vaguely remember that the Challenger did quite well there. CARLOS: Utility, table. KURT: Soundboard. Mountain road fun? Three-way tie? ELANA: Yeah. I mean, I think we all had fun.

CARLOS: Three-way tie. Is it time to do hot laps? KURT: Oh, Camaro. That's his job. ELANA: Yeah, I don't think you have to be very good at math to realize that the Mustang takes us easily. And I would be mad... I mean, I wanted him to win the Challenger. It is fun. It should be celebrated for that. But it already had its moment. Top and if it inspired something as good as the Mustang, I mean, I'm proud of that. I don't think it takes anything away from the Camaro or the

challenger

to recognize how good the Mustang is.

CARLOS: Yeah, these three cars are really good at their specific jobs, right? The Challenger is a factory. The Camaro takes road racing very seriously. For people who really like to zip around race tracks and don't want to spend a lot of money, the Camaro 1LE ZL1 is an incredible value. But still, you have to recognize what the GT-500 offers. KURT: I'm surprised at how complete it is. I mean, previous iterations of the GT500 have been very fast and very loud, but they just haven't had the spaciousness, practicality and drivability that this new one has. And it's new.

Those other two cars have been around for a while. So Ford has had the opportunity to observe them and learn from them. But it's just... it's an awesome car. CARLOS: And not only is it the ultimate Muscle Car, but it makes you reevaluate what your expectations are for a Muscle Car. And that's why it easily wins in this

comparison

. ELANA: Yes, there is no doubt. KURT: Yes, I agree. CARLOS: So thanks for watching. Be sure to subscribe, like, and visit Edmunds for all your car buying needs, helping you choose the right car at the right price.

Do you remember the M4? ELANA: Vaguely. KURT: Oh, yeah. ELANA: Supra was not a car. CARLOS: It wasn't that long ago. KURT: No. CARLOS: AMX. I think they already make them. ELANA: Pontiac Firebird? KURT: Cuda.