C8 Corvette v. Shelby GT500: Which is Really Faster at the Strip?
How does the $15k cheaper C8 manage a faster 1/4-mile time than the Mustang that has 265 HP more than it?
The endless story of the battle between American horsepower will never stop. We really hope it doesn’t either. Why? Because the competition is healthy. It pushes manufacturers to make the best possible products they can. As a result, we, the consumers, win. Who is at it this time? You guessed it. The new mid-engine C8 Chevrolet Corvette is going head to head with Ford’s latest flagship pony car: the 2020 Shelby GT500.
The ultimate test for both of these American icons is the drag strip. It usually is the place where you are able to put your money where your mouth is. Speaking of money, let’s not forget that the GT500 costs approximately $15,000 more MSRP and it is being directly benchmarked with the new cheaper and lower horsepower C8 Corvette. When Car and Driver tested the C8 initially, they managed to run an 11.2-second quarter-mile at 122 mph. When they tested the GT500, the Ford ran an 11.4 at 132 mph. However, a YouTube video featured in their article showed very different results. Let’s explain why.
In this video, the C8 managed to only run an 11.5 second time at 120 mph and a 10.8 second at 132 mph for the GT500. So what changed? Well, to start it is important to remember two critical things: “As always, the driver and track conditions are critical, and our two-run average is far more repeatable than any one-off run at a drag strip.” When Car and Driver did their initial test, it was not done on a prepped road surface like at the drag strip. Rather, it was done on the street (where 99.9% of the owners of these cars will be using them).
During this test, the 760 HP Mustang struggle to keep traction off launch and its times hurt as a result. However, people have been running comfortably into the 10’s at the strip with GT500s. So what exactly does this mean? When Car and Driver tested the C8 Corvette, it didn’t struggle for traction. This most likely due to its superior rear weight bias and its mid-engine nature. This is how it was able to run a faster overall time than the Mustang, even if it has close to 300 HP less.
So while the GT500 Mustang might be faster at the strip, the C8 base model is still faster on the street from what we know. That’s with nearly half the horsepower and $15,000 dollars less. We can’t imagine how embarrassing times are going to look for the GT500 when the Z06 and ZR1 models come out. Until then, we’ll get the popcorn ready.
Photo: Ford; Chevrolet
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