[MakCamaro]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

No wife.

Don't say more! A blessed man

[Camaro fanboy]

it's my 2 boys that take most of our money not the wife. one eats non stop.
lays in bad all day when he gets the chance.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by Camaro fanboy

it's my 2 boys that take most of our money not the wife. one eats non stop.
lays in bad all day when he gets the chance.

...told you earlier about how I wouldn't pamper them to the extent you do

[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

No wife. No kids. Plus my career has been very good to me especially of late. Don't get me wrong, my job is very challenging, stressful, complicated, etc. And there is always a million things to constantly be aware of at all times. Some mornings I leave work and my head is spinning and I can't even think straight. Some mornings I come home and go to sleep and I sleep the entire day and evening. But I enjoy what I do. And my job allows me to have the cars of my dreams. So when it's going rough, I think about the stuff I have and that keeps me motivated.

Here’s a page from the script of a new movie I’m writing.

{Setting: The near future. New Jersey. A sunny, low humidity day. Zero chance of precipitation. Temperature in the high-70s / low-80s. Mild west to east breeze. A man steps out of his apartment, closes the door and gazes across the parking lot}

{Action! Roll tape!}

BW: Ok, so I need to meet this new chick for lunch. What should I drive? I’ll take the Hellca…no…maybe the ZL1. But I think I might have driven that yesterday. The GT. Yeah, the GT. Wait… there might be a crowd, so definitely not the GT. Haven’t driven the Shelby in a week. I should be able to make it there and back without having to replace the Cup 2s. Then again, weather’s perfect for a motorcycle ride…aww screw it. Eenie meanie miney moe

{fade to Blaq}

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

Here’s a page from the script of a new movie I’m writing.

{Setting: The near future. New Jersey. A sunny, low humidity day. Zero chance of precipitation. Temperature in the high-70s / low-80s. Mild west to east breeze. A man steps out of his apartment, closes the door and gazes across the parking lot}

{Action! Roll tape!}

BW: Ok, so I need to meet this new chick for lunch. What should I drive? I’ll take the Hellca…no…maybe the ZL1. But I think I might have driven that yesterday. The GT. Yeah, the GT. Wait… there might be a crowd, so definitely not the GT. Haven’t driven the Shelby in a week. I should be able to make it there and back without having to replace the Cup 2s. Then again, weather’s perfect for a motorcycle ride…aww screw it. Eenie meanie miney moe

{fade to Blaq}

Well, if moe comes out to the ZL1, I could even see this as a Camaro commercial, with the obligatory power slides and burnouts, ending in a smooth coast to the curb... then, once Blaq rolls down the window, the girl subtly comments on the lack of an air freshener and Blaq tells her "who needs that when you can burn some rubber"

#not_gonna_happen

[Gunkk]

[ZZL1USA]

Originally Posted by MakCamaro

Don't say more! A blessed man

Spoken by a man that married the wrong woman!

[BlaqWhole]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

Here’s a page from the script of a new movie I’m writing.

{Setting: The near future. New Jersey. A sunny, low humidity day. Zero chance of precipitation. Temperature in the high-70s / low-80s. Mild west to east breeze. A man steps out of his apartment, closes the door and gazes across the parking lot}

{Action! Roll tape!}

BW: Ok, so I need to meet this new chick for lunch. What should I drive? I’ll take the Hellca…no…maybe the ZL1. But I think I might have driven that yesterday. The GT. Yeah, the GT. Wait… there might be a crowd, so definitely not the GT. Haven’t driven the Shelby in a week. I should be able to make it there and back without having to replace the Cup 2s. Then again, weather’s perfect for a motorcycle ride…aww screw it. Eenie meanie miney moe

{fade to Blaq}

LOL, do I get to pick who plays the role of me??

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

LOL, do I get to pick who plays the role of me??

But of course. Will make a suggestion, though, I'm old school and "nominate" Denzel Washington

[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

LOL, do I get to pick who plays the role of me??

As long as we can keep it within budget. We don't have Netflix money to throw around.

[BlaqWhole]

So after a long two days of dealing with flight issues and not getting enough sleep, I finally got to Koon's and picked up the Shelby yesterday. My initial impressions...underwhelmed and disappointed. LOL, but keep reading.

So I started to think that I was not giving it a fair shake what after driving around my modded ZL1 all this time. I tried to factor in how the ZL1 felt on the first drive but it wasn't working. Then I started to think that perhaps from sitting for a month and a half that maybe the Shelby just needed to run a bit. So that's what I did. I had to make a bunch of stops and after driving it around and getting used to it a bit more and hammering down on the pedal and trying different modes and settings I can say that this car is indeed a beast.

On first look it is aggressive and angry. Initial start up was nice but it is definitely gonna need a catback. Interior feel is on par with the ZL1 and HC. These aren't luxury cars but they do have an interior that I would say is above what you'd expect. The Shelby does not feel anywhere near it's listed weight...at all. This is in stark contrast to the Hellcat which feels every bit it's weight. The Shelby is surprisingly deceptive and not just under acceleration either. It really hides it's weight well.

Other notes from initial visual inspection is man those are some huge rotors. Stopping will not be an issue at all. Acceleration is what I expected. It is a bit sluggish off the line but it moves out on rolls. Steering feel is good but you don't feel as much of a difference in steering modes as you do in the ZL1. And the ZL1 definitely feels like it has a tighter suspension and handles better.

When it comes to gauges and the cluster the ZL1 seems to be structured a bit better. But the Shelby has many different color combinations that you can use and switch while the ZL1 is stuck with red ambient lighting no matter what you select.

For the Infotainment unit, the ZL1 works better. I find that the MySync on the Ford is often prone to freezing or taking a bit longer for the buttons to work. And it even wouldn't play music from my phone thru the Bluetooth even tho it was paired, connected, and working fine earlier...the phone worked properly in the car but it just wouldn't play music.

Of course there are a bunch of things we already know like visibility, ease of getting in and out, storage space, etc. The Mustang of course wins out in these areas. In fact, if I had the ZL1 with me, there is no way my luggage would have fit in the car. And of course another well known issue is the gas tank. Man does this thing use up gas quickly. That 16 gallon tank is not up to snuff. I'm already almost halfway thru the tank and I maybe put a little over 100 miles on it. I'm definitely gonna have to fill it up for the trip home. The ZL1 of course has better distance with it's 19 gallon tank.


My ratings would go something like this.

Low end acceleration: ZL1
Off the line: ZL1
Top end acceleration: Shelby
Handling: ZL1
Braking: Not enough info just yet
Interior: Tie
Infotainmanet: ZL1
Exterior: Tie
Exhaust: Shelby
Features: Tie
Overall finish and quality: Tie
Storage/room: Shelby

I have to give it to the ZL1 as the better car overall. But I knew going into this that Ford had a mountain of a wall to climb and not enough time to climb it in. The ZL1 is just an amazing machine and it wowed me from day 1. The Shelby is also an amazing machine and for sure it is a good match for the ZL1 and Hellcat. But I just don't think it is as good as the ZL1 is.

I mentioned this before but I REALLY feel that the Shelby should have had a version of the A10 instead of the DCT. To me it feels like the DCT isn't sure of what it wants to do and a few times the revs hung a bit longer than expected before it finally decided. The shifts are lightning quick but I don't quite see how much quicker they are than the A10. I will need to give it a bit more time.

You can't take anything from the Shelby. It is right up there with the Hellcat and ZL1. Even tho I think the ZL1 is better they are very very close. It isn't like the ZL1 is far and away better or anything. If anything at this point it is just splitting hairs. I'll compare it to the HC next but for now I gotta get on the road and get home. It's been 6 months since I been home and I have a 3 hour drive. I'll review the Shelby again after the drive home and update you guys with a bit more info later today.

[L99BEN]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

So after a long two days of dealing with flight issues and not getting enough sleep, I finally got to Koon's and picked up the Shelby yesterday. My initial impressions...underwhelmed and disappointed.

My ratings would go something like this.

Low end acceleration: ZL1
Off the line: ZL1
Top end acceleration: Shelby
Handling: ZL1
Braking: Not enough info just yet
Interior: Tie
Infotainmanet: ZL1
Exterior: Tie
Exhaust: Shelby
Features: Tie
Overall finish and quality: Tie
Storage/room: Shelby

I mostly agree with your initial assessment, though I think in time you will warm up a lot more to the GT500. I loved mine much more after several months of ownership once understanding what it's about and it's nuances. After a year ownership Ive found the Shelby to be the most enjoyable weekend toy Ive ever owned.

BTW, the DCT shines most shifting it manually. Driving in auto mode like its an auto with a torque converter can seem underwhelming, as WOT often gives delay and not the optimal gear you're expecting at times... I rarely use it tbh. I'm usually in sport mode driving it like a manual.

The GT500 engine shines at 4500-5000 rpm+. If the car is in a lower rpm or too high of a gear it can feel underwhelming.
Utilizing the DCT in manual mode via the paddles is a much better experience than ANY torque converter auto/paddles manual mode that Ive ever experienced. I'd only want the A10 more for daily driving, that and its way cheaper to fix lol. Besides that I greatly prefer the DCT for spirited driving on the back roads and highway pulls.

When comparing theses cars, in the end its do you generally prefer driving a mustang or a camaro...

[MakCamaro]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

So after a long two days of dealing with flight issues and not getting enough sleep, I finally got to Koon's and picked up the Shelby yesterday. My initial impressions...underwhelmed and disappointed. LOL, but keep reading.

So I started to think that I was not giving it a fair shake what after driving around my modded ZL1 all this time. I tried to factor in how the ZL1 felt on the first drive but it wasn't working. Then I started to think that perhaps from sitting for a month and a half that maybe the Shelby just needed to run a bit. So that's what I did. I had to make a bunch of stops and after driving it around and getting used to it a bit more and hammering down on the pedal and trying different modes and settings I can say that this car is indeed a beast.

On first look it is aggressive and angry. Initial start up was nice but it is definitely gonna need a catback. Interior feel is on par with the ZL1 and HC. These aren't luxury cars but they do have an interior that I would say is above what you'd expect. The Shelby does not feel anywhere near it's listed weight...at all. This is in stark contrast to the Hellcat which feels every bit it's weight. The Shelby is surprisingly deceptive and not just under acceleration either. It really hides it's weight well.

Other notes from initial visual inspection is man those are some huge rotors. Stopping will not be an issue at all. Acceleration is what I expected. It is a bit sluggish off the line but it moves out on rolls. Steering feel is good but you don't feel as much of a difference in steering modes as you do in the ZL1. And the ZL1 definitely feels like it has a tighter suspension and handles better.

When it comes to gauges and the cluster the ZL1 seems to be structured a bit better. But the Shelby has many different color combinations that you can use and switch while the ZL1 is stuck with red ambient lighting no matter what you select.

For the Infotainment unit, the ZL1 works better. I find that the MySync on the Ford is often prone to freezing or taking a bit longer for the buttons to work. And it even wouldn't play music from my phone thru the Bluetooth even tho it was paired, connected, and working fine earlier...the phone worked properly in the car but it just wouldn't play music.

Of course there are a bunch of things we already know like visibility, ease of getting in and out, storage space, etc. The Mustang of course wins out in these areas. In fact, if I had the ZL1 with me, there is no way my luggage would have fit in the car. And of course another well known issue is the gas tank. Man does this thing use up gas quickly. That 16 gallon tank is not up to snuff. I'm already almost halfway thru the tank and I maybe put a little over 100 miles on it. I'm definitely gonna have to fill it up for the trip home. The ZL1 of course has better distance with it's 19 gallon tank.


My ratings would go something like this.

Low end acceleration: ZL1
Off the line: ZL1
Top end acceleration: Shelby
Handling: ZL1
Braking: Not enough info just yet
Interior: Tie
Infotainmanet: ZL1
Exterior: Tie
Exhaust: Shelby
Features: Tie
Overall finish and quality: Tie
Storage/room: Shelby

I have to give it to the ZL1 as the better car overall. But I knew going into this that Ford had a mountain of a wall to climb and not enough time to climb it in. The ZL1 is just an amazing machine and it wowed me from day 1. The Shelby is also an amazing machine and for sure it is a good match for the ZL1 and Hellcat. But I just don't think it is as good as the ZL1 is.

I mentioned this before but I REALLY feel that the Shelby should have had a version of the A10 instead of the DCT. To me it feels like the DCT isn't sure of what it wants to do and a few times the revs hung a bit longer than expected before it finally decided. The shifts are lightning quick but I don't quite see how much quicker they are than the A10. I will need to give it a bit more time.

You can't take anything from the Shelby. It is right up there with the Hellcat and ZL1. Even tho I think the ZL1 is better they are very very close. It isn't like the ZL1 is far and away better or anything. If anything at this point it is just splitting hairs. I'll compare it to the HC next but for now I gotta get on the road and get home. It's been 6 months since I been home and I have a 3 hour drive. I'll review the Shelby again after the drive home and update you guys with a bit more info later today.

Thank you for the comprehensive and, most importantly, unbiased review/comparison of the two cars.

[BlaqWhole]

Originally Posted by L99BEN

I mostly agree with your assessment, though I think in time you will warm up a lot more to the GT500. I loved mine much more after several months of ownership once understanding what it's about and it's nuances.

BTW, the DCT shines shifting it manually. Driving in auto mode like its an auto can seem underwhelming, as WOT often gives delay and not the optimal gear you're expecting at times... I rarely use it tbh. I'm usually in sport mode driving it like a manual.
The GT500 engine shines at 4500-5000 rpm+. If the car is in a lower rpm or too high of a gear it can feel underwhelming.
Utilizing the DCT in manual mode via the paddles is a much better experience than ANY torque converter auto/paddles manual mode that Ive ever experienced. I'd only want the A10 more for daily driving, that and its way cheaper to fix lol. Besides that I greatly prefer the DCT for spirited driving on the back roads and highway pulls.
When comparing theses cars, in the end its do you generally prefer driving a mustang or a camaro...

Here is my rating between the two:

Low end acceleration: ZL1
Off the line: ZL1
Top end acceleration: Shelby (this is a very big deal to me personally)
Handling: ZL1 - not by much though, the ZL1/camaro suspension chassis is a bit more well sorted, but the Shelby is PLENTY capable however
Transmission: Shelby - though the ZL1 A10 is easier to daily drive in traffic
Braking: Shelby
Interior: Shelby - mainly because of the visibly, roomier cabin feel, thicker steering wheel, reclining seats
Infotainment: ZL1
Exterior: Tie
Exhaust: Shelby
Features: Tie
Overall finish and quality: Tie
Storage/room: Shelby

I feel that in each category neither car is walking away with an easy win. Again it feels that in each case it is just splitting hairs.

So after my 3 hour drive I have some more input.

On the highway just cruising this car is comfy and has power ready to use. I stayed at the speed limit (55-65 depending on location) and kept it in cruise control for the majority of the ride. The only things I noticed that were bad is that it did tramline a bit, no heated steering wheel, no power recline seats, and the seats do not grab and hold you in place like the ZL1. The Nav worked flawlessly and even rerouted due to heavy traffic. And the Bluetooth skipped a couple times but it wasn't anything crazy. The car really grips the road in normal to spirited cornering.

I agree with you that the more I drive it the more I will like it because I already am liking it more and more. Although now I am starting to feel the weight of the car. It is nowhere close to how heavy the Hellcat is. But I can feel it more now. Still tho it moves like it is much lighter. Maybe they were able to save a lot of weight by ditching the heated steering and power recline.