Battle On The High-End

[Mr CLuTcH]

Alright, I really would prefer for this threat not to be merged into the Mustang 5.0 vs SS thread which is already 394223984 pages long because I never actually get answers concerning this topic.

Now, everyone knows the 2010 Camaro SS has been put up against it's closest rival the new Mustang 5.0 in many magazine test, some report the SS as being faster in the 1/4 mile, other report the 5.0 as being faster, but in the end viewers can safely say "it's a drivers race". The cars both have great power for they're class, one has a weight advantage, the other a slight horsepower advantage, but in what way would one be able to determine which car really is FASTER?

Motor Trend Magazine performed a 1/4 mile drag-race of the big 3, the Mustang 5.0, the STR8 Challenger, and the Camaro SS, the Mustang won, the Camaro came in second and the heavy Dodge ran third. Interesting enough, what many Camaro fans pointed out, towards the end of that 1/4 mile drag race the Camaro SS appears to be "getting ready" walk past the 5.0, but abruptly the race ends, leaving you wondering what would have happened next. Some believe the Camaro would pull harder on the high end...so with that being said:


With equally good drivers, who would win.....a one mile drag race between the Camaro SS and Mustang 5.0? I hung onto my seat during Motor Trends drag race as I seen the Camaro appear to make it's way neck and neck with the Mustang towards the end of the 1/4 mile, it only leads me to ask if the race prolonged, would the Camaro have eventually walk past the Mustang? I ask because I don't know the answer to this question,....can some experienced drag-stars shed some light on this match-up? Motor Trend has done many match-ups of some of the top super-cars in 1 mile drag races because it seems to be that most of them finish the quarter in similar times, but past the quarter mile it becomes a pure horsepower race and the car with the most hp usually wins and leaves the lesser behind,...so hopefully you can see why I wondering about the Camaro vs 5.0.

[VetteMaro]

Good question. I would expect the 5.0 to keep a slight advantage till maybe 120 mph. Then MAYBE after that the SS might have a chance.

Waiting for other opinions.

[Coolew82]

I think the SS would start pulling ahead because of the hp advantage. But im not an expert.

any other thoughts?

[ULTRAZLS1]

Two different reviews (cant recall at the moment) have published two different tests. One was 0-120 and the other 0-130.

The camaro was 1 second faster 0-120 in one review. And it was 1.8 seconds faster 0-130 in the other.

[Mr CLuTcH]

Originally Posted by Coolew82

I think the SS would start pulling ahead because of the hp advantage. But im not an expert.

any other thoughts?

Well, it seems indicative in the Motor Trend video, towards the end of the 1/4 the SS is shown nearly neck and neck with the 5.0 then the race ends. It would be entertaining to see the 1 mile drag race.

The SS has more horsepower, but a disadvantage of more weight, yet the 5.0 has less horsepower an advantage of lesser weight. It seems close but I'd imagine the SS pulling past the 5.0 at around the 120+mph mark. Motor Trend should make this race happened.

But then again I dunno,....perhaps the 5.0's weight advantage is just too much for the SS' horsepower to overcome, ....even on the top end. I love wondering.

Two different reviews (cant recall at the moment) have published two different tests. One was 0-120 and the other 0-130.

The camaro was 1 second faster 0-120 in one review. And it was 1.8 seconds faster 0-130 in the other.

Interesting!! I do know which one your referring to also! I had the link somewhere but I can't find it now!

[Bob Cosby]

Weight has a huge effect on acceleration, not so much on top speed. Once you get into the triple digits - and talking acceleration - it is all about horsepower and aerodynamics. When determining top speed, gearing also plays a big part.

That said, I have no idea who would win a one mile race. Never found a drag strip that long.

EDIT: I would add one thing....Mustang's 5th gear is 1:1. 6th gear is .65. That is really big drop, so once you get out of 5th and into 6th.....ouch. With Camaro, 4th gear is your 1:1, and 5th is .85 - that's a HUGE gearing advantage over Mustang. Would make a difference at stupid(er) speeds.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Bob Cosby

Weight has a huge effect on acceleration, not so much on top speed. Once you get into the triple digits - and talking acceleration - it is all about horsepower and aerodynamics. When determining top speed, gearing also plays a big part.

That said, I have no idea who would win a one mile race. Never found a drag strip that long.

EDIT: I would add one thing....Mustang's 5th gear is 1:1. 6th gear is .65. That is really big drop, so once you get out of 5th and into 6th.....ouch. With Camaro, 4th gear is your 1:1, and 5th is .85 - that's a HUGE gearing advantage over Mustang. Would make a difference at stupid(er) speeds.

Odds are, the Mustang won't use 6th gear at top speed. The higher gear means lower RPMS and would likely cause a situation where power drops below the drag limits, and would therefore slow down. Same thing happens to the Camaro. And these speeds are 170 mph+, which is higher than the tires are rated for either car.

Anyway, back to the original question ... a 1 mile race would probably favour the Mustang. The small hp edge the Camaro has gets offset by its slower initial acceleration as well as the aerodynamic edge that the Mustang has.

[Bob Cosby]

With 3.31s or 3.55s, you're right about not using 6th. With 3.73s....maybe. Top of 5th would be ~150 mph. Don't know if there is enough power on tap to pull any more speed out of it or not in 6th gear (.65).

[8cd03gro]

The mustang is governed at 155 or somewhere around there anyway.

[Bob Cosby]

Yup. And though I have no reason nor intention of going that fast (or faster), the governer is easily removed with tuning software.

[Captain Awesome]

'scuse me, but for a top end race, wouldn't it be easier to accelerate at those speeds in the heavier vehicle because the extra mass translates into more inertia for drag to overcome? Wind resistance is stupid strong at those speeds, so an help to overcome it would be huge.

Think of it this way, it's easier to throw a baseball farther than a wiffle ball. Since the wiffle ball is lighter it doesn't necessarily make it easier to throw a great distance.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Captain Awesome

'scuse me, but for a top end race, wouldn't it be easier to accelerate at those speeds in the heavier vehicle because the extra mass translates into more inertia for drag to overcome? Wind resistance is stupid strong at those speeds, so an help to overcome it would be huge.

Think of it this way, it's easier to throw a baseball farther than a wiffle ball. Since the wiffle ball is lighter it doesn't necessarily make it easier to throw a great distance.

No, all weight would do is cause it to coast farther in neutral, given equal drag and speed.

Think of it like this: can you run faster with a 75 lb sack of rocks on your back, or without the sack of rocks? And how long will it take you to get to your top speed, with and without?

[8cd03gro]

Originally Posted by Captain Awesome

'scuse me, but for a top end race, wouldn't it be easier to accelerate at those speeds in the heavier vehicle because the extra mass translates into more inertia for drag to overcome? Wind resistance is stupid strong at those speeds, so an help to overcome it would be huge.

Think of it this way, it's easier to throw a baseball farther than a wiffle ball. Since the wiffle ball is lighter it doesn't necessarily make it easier to throw a great distance.

Now imagine if you put a bottle rocket on the baseball and the wiffle ball. That same inertia that allows the heavier vehicle to coast longer will also have a negative effect on its acceleration. More inertia simply means more resistance to acceleration, whether that acceleration is positive or negative. More weight is never, ever a good thing when you're talking about acceleration. The only time it can have a positive effect at all is if that weight in turn changes something else like weight distribution, downforce, aerodynamics, etc.

[KungFuHamster]

i knew there was more to this board than pure disdain for the Mustang...i got my physics lesson today