[ULTRAZLS1]

Originally Posted by Evan J. Smith

Good afternoon everyone, this is my first post and I came on here to clear the air. First and foremost, anything I write, post, or publish is based on fact. I test cars and share the results. I have done this for over 20 years. My background is drag racing—I've been going down the strip since I'm 17 and have raced NHRA Stock Eliminator since 1994.

While I spent most of my time working for Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords magazine, I've tested other brands of vehicles, too. Frankly, I love cars so it doesn't matter to me whether I'm behind the wheel of a Camaro, Mustang, Vette, Viper or whatever, I give it my all to get the best possible elapsed time. Sometimes I find excellent track conditions, sometimes it's 95 degrees out there.

In this case, I ran a fully loaded 2018 Performance Pack GT and I did so without so much as removing a floor mat. The weather hovered just above sea level, front tire pressure was raised to 45 psi, rear TP was between 26-28 depending on what run I made. Engine temp was between 160 and 185. I provided video and reported my every move in a story published here:

http://www.mustangandfords.com/how-t...18-mustang-gt/

I did in fact spend mostly all day testing the car in stock trim. Why? I tested launch rpm and the car required a minimum of 30 minutes of cool down for it to maintain peak performance. I also spent time doing photos, including a few magazine cover-style burnout shots, which required setup time.

Here's a few facts: Ford test cars do not come directly from Ford. They are maintained and delivered by a service that deals with the media. Next, was the car a ringer? Some may say yes, but I say no. We all know about tuning, and the folks in the PR department don't have access to "tunes" created just for the media. This is not 1970, where the manufacturer sends a "tuning guru" to the track with the car.

Well, that's about it. I'd be glad to field any questions.

Evan

Interesting about the cool down. I said the same thing about this being one advantage of a track rental. The ford guys didn't want to hear it. I cant imagine it was a ton of difference from hot to cold. Id say about a tenth at most?
All ive argued from the beginning is that a rental in good conditions with a good driver is an advantage and will produce above average times. Not that they are impossible or fake. Most of my test and tune nights I walk away pissed off from prep and or waiting in the staging lanes constantly and heating up. Some of these internet heroes don't understand those things.

How did you run the car? drag mode? TC off etc? im not familiar with the GT just wondering about best launch procedure. And im sure others are too.

Did you run the manual car? details on that? what did those slips look like?

A 4 tenth delta on the same day is quite large. The A10 and 3.55 gears must really be the ticket.

Lastly....when you ran the ls1 back in the day. Was it stock? plenty in the ford crowd maintain to this day that car was a ringer. Seen a guy on mustang 6 swear up and down he had inside information and the car was modded. That in fact a stock ls1 was absolutely not capable of 12s. Whats your opinion on that?

[BlaqWhole]

Originally Posted by GossipSquirrelJelena

So what exactly are you saying. That Evans a liar? Or you believe the car is a ringer and a processional racer wouldn't know it?

I personally have no problem calling BS when I smell it. Nothing personal, but I'm not gonna hold my tongue if I have something to say. Could Evans go to a random dealership, buy a random 2018 GT, go to the track, and then bust off an 11.8 again at any time of the year? Absolutely not. This all seems very carefully planned out as a marketing tactic. And it works. Heck it even worked for our forum here considering that C6 is now probably the most popular forum on the internet...considering all the trolls coming in and all of M6G watching what we say and flooding other social media sites with quotes from us, lol!! So yea, I'll call it as I see it. What we're supposed to have some sort of fear of him or something? LOL, give me a break.

[TEEZYSS]

Originally Posted by big hammer

Because of the 5.0's feminine powerband, a sticky tire and a stock auto can make a 60' worse. Controlled wheel spin can make it better, although very inconsistent and hard to replicate the best pass. In that situation you "may" get a poorer 60' with a DR although it will be much more consistent. The lt1 is a little different as it has gobs of low end power and can utilize the traction of a drag radial with a stock converter

Ok if that’s the case then why did ecobeast on street tires and 20’s using drag mode cut a 1.93 60ft to Evans 1.88 60ft but only manage a 7.97@93.2 vs 7.72@95.2 ???? How did Ecoboost car trap the same using the same drag mode in negative Da vs positive DA run .31 slower??

That’s what I’m saying!!! Every other car is doing similar things. This one Ford Pr car comes along for a MMFF mag and Blows everyone out of the water?

[GossipSquirrelJelena]

Originally Posted by TEEZYSS

I think Evan is a driver and editor. I didn't think he needs to lye about anything but that also doesn't mean he knows if the car has been tweaked here or there from ford before he got. Again its about marketing the new car

I think that its odd that ford made claims about the car that only this car and this car alone has met. A car the FORD PR sent to the editor of MMFF. I think it is interesting that every other 18 that has been tested by other shops whether it be on a drag radial , modded and/or with weight reduction or in some cases all 3 hasn't been either the same 60ft on street tires but more importantly the 1/8 mile et/mph.

Seems odd that lighter cars that have equaled or bettered his 60ft in NEGATIVE DA cant get the same 1/8 mph or ET. Cars that laid down 420-430whp before lighter wheels were added to his 20's.


The problem here is that everyone wants to make this ford vs chevy. It doesn't bother me what the 2018 GT runs. I don't hate ford or the mustang. You don't own 8 of them if you did. But when you watch the patterns of cars and what they do.....then one stands way out compared to others. Then you look a little closer.

You could say 60ft!!!! because PRO DRIVER!!! Ok well drag pack cars have met his 60ft...Where is the 11.84?

You could say good DA for the mph in the 1/4... ok well positive 400 verse negative -600 to -1300.. guess DA means nothing?

But what do you say when everyone is trapping 92-94 mph in the 1/8 on lighter wheels and tires in negative DA and 60ft'ing what he did???

Tell me how his driving skills in a A10 bettered all the other shop cars and other cars tested in a heavier car on 20's???

Is it really to much to think that FORD did some tweaking...trans tuning or torque management adjustments before the car made is MAG appearance.


I'm not taking away from EVAN or his driving skills. Just saying everyone else is on par....vmp's 18 GT was at the same deal and their car modded didn't run the times.

LOL ok. I'm going to post the top five stock camaros right from Camaro6's fast list. Explain the variations in trap speed? Sixty foot? I'm sure you'll agree. There is some wild differences from one car to the next on your list. Was that because of monkey business? Did you guys have some cheaters that your willing to over look? Or is it just different driver, different track, different track prep, different weather conditions?

[ULTRAZLS1]

Originally Posted by big hammer

Because of the 5.0's feminine powerband, a sticky tire and a stock auto can make a 60' worse. Controlled wheel spin can make it better, although very inconsistent and hard to replicate the best pass. In that situation you "may" get a poorer 60' with a DR although it will be much more consistent. The lt1 is a little different as it has gobs of low end power and can utilize the traction of a drag radial with a stock converter

Excellent point.

For this reason. Especially in drag mode...the GT may best the SS auto vs auto on street tires. If the SS cant use its advantages it wont catch the GT if the 60 is bad. Id be surprised if the manual GT can match or beat the manual SS though.

A DR only drag test would be awesome between the big 3. Throw the scat pack in there too as it never gets a fair shake with its garbage stock tires. They can run hard with traction.

[TEEZYSS]

Originally Posted by GossipSquirrelJelena

LOL ok. I'm going to post the top five stock camaros right from Camaro6's fast list. Explain the variations in trap speed? Sixty foot? I'm sure you'll agree. There is some wild differences from one car to the next on your list. Was that because of monkey business? Did you guys have some cheaters that your willing to over look? Or is it just different driver, different track, different track prep, different weather conditions?

The 6th gens are no secret... there gaps come from DA. There are guys that have trapped 112-113 in 2500 DA and 116-117 in negative da with the same car no changes and same track.

But right now all the 18’s have been being tested on similar DA or in most cases +600 to -1300.

And the top is what .10 difference??

And the mag cars didn’t even run those times.

[GossipSquirrelJelena]

Originally Posted by TEEZYSS

The 6th gens are no secret... there gaps come from DA. There are guys that have trapped 112-113 in 2500 DA and 116-117 in negative da with the same car no changes and same track.

But right now all the 18’s have been being tested on similar DA or in most cases +600 to -1300.

And the top is what .10 difference??

And Evan runs what in -1500 to-2000atco DA? In ecotards car? Not the hopped up one that ford sent? Seams like you want things both ways. you got guys on your list with DR like sixties on inferior tires to the Mustang. Better sixties than a professional driver. But that gets glossed over.

[TheReaper]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

With all due respect, I'm skeptical as hell when it comes to just about everything. I learned to be skeptical from reading MM&FF magazines and all the very highly improbable stuff I saw in that mag. And I will just say, anyone can make a profile on here with your name and write stuff. But putting that aside, if you are who you say you are, then you would have to admit that it seems a bit suspect that you did that much better than other pro-level shops and tuners, some of whom were on a tire and another who had a tune only. And you have to admit that people lie about performance all the time. I could write a book. All of this seems like a grand marketing plot by Ford. If it is then kudos to them for thinking this idea up first. I bet we'll see more and more of this in the future. But, we all know that the point of marketing is to sell stuff even if it means stretching the truth or even lying. MM&FF, their job is to sell magazines. And "2018 GT does 11.8 in the quarter mile bone stock" is a hell of a headline and will sell a hell of a lot of mags. So I think all of our criticisms and skepticisms are justified. Especially since Ford seems to have made it a point to get these cars in the hands of tuners and testers first and those tuners/testers went straight to the track with them. Again, all of this is very odd.

All in all, I highly doubt the GT will beat the SS in a H2H. And I highly doubt that your runs will be duplicated. And even if the run is legit then when talking absolute capability they both are tied from what I see with the SS having the advantage. If the GT manages a win then it still won't really matter nor will it upset any of us in the slightest. Especially since it took a mid-Generation extreme makeover like we've never seen Ford do before just to become competitive. If Ford was really that great then all of this we're seeing the GT doing now should have been done in December of 2014 for the 2015 MY launch of the S550.

Ford cares about car sales and the 2018 Mustang will be a big seller.

[TEEZYSS]

Originally Posted by GossipSquirrelJelena

And Evan runs what in -1500 to-2000atco DA? In ecotards car? Not the hopped up one that ford sent? Seams like you want things both ways. you got guys on your list with DR like sixties on inferior tires to the Mustang. Better sixties than a professional driver. But that gets glossed over.

Evan ran in +400 DA
ECOBEAST -1300 DA

EVAN 1.88 60ft
Ecobeast 1.93 60ft

Evan 7.72@95.2mph
Ecobeast 7.97@93.2mph

Mind you both used drag mode

Evan 11.83@119
Ecobeast 12.18@119

And the best part!!!!!!!! Ecobeast had more back half!!!!!!!! So it wasn’t like his car wasn’t rolling out!!

[big hammer]

Originally Posted by ULTRAZLS1

Excellent point.

For this reason. Especially in drag mode...the GT may best the SS auto vs auto on street tires. If the SS cant use its advantages it wont catch the GT if the 60 is bad. Id be surprised if the manual GT can match or beat the manual SS though.

A DR only drag test would be awesome between the big 3. Throw the scat pack in there too as it never gets a fair shake with its garbage stock tires. They can run hard with traction.

That's why we've seen 11.5-11.6 tire only 6 gens. For a 5.0 auto to do that with the stock converter is unlikely

[GossipSquirrelJelena]

Originally Posted by TEEZYSS

Evan ran in +400 DA
ECOBEAST -1300 DA

EVAN 1.88 60ft
Ecobeast 1.93 60ft

Evan 7.72@95.2mph
Ecobeast 7.97@93.2mph

Mind you both used drag mode

Evan 11.83@119
Ecobeast 12.18@119

And the best part!!!!!!!! Ecobeast had more back half!!!!!!!! So it wasn’t like his car wasn’t rolling out!!

Understood. So what does Evan run in -1500 Atco DA? Ecos had more back half. But evans car had a cheater tune? Just trying to keep up.

[big hammer]

Originally Posted by TEEZYSS

Evan ran in +400 DA
ECOBEAST -1300 DA

EVAN 1.88 60ft
Ecobeast 1.93 60ft

Evan 7.72@95.2mph
Ecobeast 7.97@93.2mph

Mind you both used drag mode

Evan 11.83@119
Ecobeast 12.18@119

And the best part!!!!!!!! Ecobeast had more back half!!!!!!!! So it wasn’t like his car wasn’t rolling out!!

Different tracks, different days. Can't really compare

[2Bowties]

Originally Posted by big hammer

Different tracks, different days. Can't really compare

Ecobeast doesnt have mag ride

[GossipSquirrelJelena]

Originally Posted by big hammer

Different tracks, different days. Can't really compare

That was the point I was trying to make when I posted your top 5 fast list.