2013 Mustang GT500 MEGA THREAD

[Betiwin]

Originally Posted by SlingShot

You can't base how good the BRAKES are on one bonzi BRAKE run. With performance brakes only in the front and standards in the back, the brakes won't last on a road course. Without being a pro driver, the suspention on a road course will be a problem with wheel hop braking hard for corners.

Remember sometimes you have to slow down to go faster...

I absolutely agree with the above but nowhere do we have any proof that the brakes are not up to the task. The road Atlanta reviews all gave glowing reviews to handling and braking and of course all out power. It does show to stop harder in bonzi test as fact show. The only negative thing any of us read is one editor left not wanting the car as it was almost boring and not involving alot of effort to drive a monster around the track. As many have stated we need a compare test same day at a decent track so all the guess can be taken out. To say the GT500 has not proven itself or it's accomplishment won't be used tho is just being biased. I love GM, was really looking at a ZL1 but I now believe the GT500 has one this round. As far as what I will be buying in te next 6 months it will be GM and the Z's close cousin. CTS-V coupe. The DNA of the best camaro built an the best luxury for the money. It just when you look at what it does I don't see wear for 60K you can't find a better all around sport, muscle, grand tourer than the GT500. I wont have a 13 in my garage as my next purchase is not from the blue oval but you have to tip your hat at what they have done.

[VADER SS L99]

With all of this road course talk i'm really wondering how many Mustang and Camaro owners have actually taken their car racing at the track vs racing in a 1/4 strip. I am also wondering how many Camaro/ Mustang owners really care what their car would run at the road course. These are not Sports cars like the Vette. These are pony/muscle cars and should be better at straight line acceleration over any other catagory.

[proxemics]

^^^
even corvettes go to the strips more than tracks.
track numbers means nothing. HP numbers and 1/4 times is what sell

[HumanWiki]

I'm betting that most people yammering on about 'ring times and how it handles on a road course would go four wheels off on any hardcore track.. There's a lot of difference in driving hard on the street and driving it around a track.. I took mine around Road America not too long ago and as many people there said, it is in fact a ridiculously crazy track.. It is multiple 1/4mi tracks bonded together with multiple elevation changes, very sudden/fast 90° turns in to blind hills/corners, the pretty much 270° turn, etc.. It chews up tires, brakes, rotors, fluid and drivers.. I can tell you that running 149MPH and watching a sharp turn walk up on you will really pucker your anus and make you pray to the god of brake.

The fact of the matter is, that the large majority of races in the US will be light-to-light and/or 1/4 mi... They're what this country does primarily, it's what most people I know do and it's also the cheapest entry.. Road Courses in our area are 200-400 entry fees, where as the drags are 40.00ish.. Big difference there.. You also don't have near the worry in the 1/4 mile with taking your car in an off-track excursion like one does when there are high speed turns involved and more than 1 other car on the track with you.. There's also the matter of not needing to worry about upgrading parts on your car to help it stop fast and repeatedly without fail while traveling very fast.

Also, it's been proven that 'ring times aren't a sanctioned, rule abiding, consistent between vendors build out test to show exactly what it does.. There are plenty of instances of what most would call number fudging by tire shaving, extreme non-street alignments, etc. by various vendors that don't accurately portray the ability of what you get off the lot.

There's also that thought of... well, let's face it.. How many of you, not in Europe, are going to ship your car (and your rival) to Germany to have a grudge match vs. how many of you are going to red-light race, 1/4 mi race?

Yes, I know it's the overall performance of the car that's being tested on that particular track due to its demanding design and length.. But.. How many of you are seriously going to push yours to that limit in things not a straight line? In my local area, I'm one of a small group that does push the car just as hard in a curve as I do in a straight.. But, we are certainly not the majority.. and, I promise if you go about spouting 'ring times at a drag, you'll get laughed at.. and, if you go about spouting drag times at a road course, you'll get a "so? you did that only once? we do that 5 times per lap"

[BOOSTEDV6]

Originally Posted by HumanWiki

I'm betting that most people yammering on about 'ring times and how it handles on a road course would go four wheels off on any hardcore track.. There's a lot of difference in driving hard on the street and driving it around a track.. I took mine around Road America not too long ago and as many people there said, it is in fact a ridiculously crazy track.. It is multiple 1/4mi tracks bonded together with multiple elevation changes, very sudden/fast 90° turns in to blind hills/corners, the pretty much 270° turn, etc.. It chews up tires, brakes, rotors, fluid and drivers.. I can tell you that running 149MPH and watching a sharp turn walk up on you will really pucker your anus and make you pray to the god of brake.

The fact of the matter is, that the large majority of races in the US will be light-to-light and/or 1/4 mi... They're what this country does primarily, it's what most people I know do and it's also the cheapest entry.. Road Courses in our area are 200-400 entry fees, where as the drags are 40.00ish.. Big difference there.. You also don't have near the worry in the 1/4 mile with taking your car in an off-track excursion like one does when there are high speed turns involved and more than 1 other car on the track with you.. There's also the matter of not needing to worry about upgrading parts on your car to help it stop fast and repeatedly without fail while traveling very fast.

Also, it's been proven that 'ring times aren't a sanctioned, rule abiding, consistent between vendors build out test to show exactly what it does.. There are plenty of instances of what most would call number fudging by tire shaving, extreme non-street alignments, etc. by various vendors that don't accurately portray the ability of what you get off the lot.

There's also that thought of... well, let's face it.. How many of you, not in Europe, are going to ship your car (and your rival) to Germany to have a grudge match vs. how many of you are going to red-light race, 1/4 mi race?

Yes, I know it's the overall performance of the car that's being tested on that particular track due to its demanding design and length.. But.. How many of you are seriously going to push yours to that limit in things not a straight line? In my local area, I'm one of a small group that does push the car just as hard in a curve as I do in a straight.. But, we are certainly not the majority.. and, I promise if you go about spouting 'ring times at a drag, you'll get laughed at.. and, if you go about spouting drag times at a road course, you'll get a "so? you did that only once? we do that 5 times per lap"

[porcupinekiller]

Why is it that so many road race guys seem to dis guys that like drag racing? Drag racing also requires a high level of skill...especially in a 500+ hp manual transmission car on street tires. Taking a car that is capable of 11 sec 1/4 mile times on paper and translating that into real world actual track times is no easy task and to do it consistently is even tougher.

[HumanWiki]

I do both.. Don't know on that one... I'm 11s on the track on OE tires -- I don't have times on the Road Course as I'm still learning it -- but, I was able to overcome several cars while out (think my TQ and the long straights helped that one.. hehe)..

I guess it's not much different than people that hate Chevy, Ford or Dodge.. Just a hardcore preference..

[SlingShot]

Originally Posted by porcupinekiller

Why is it that so many road race guys seem to dis guys that like drag racing? Drag racing also requires a high level of skill...especially in a 500+ hp manual transmission car on street tires. Taking a car that is capable of 11 sec 1/4 mile times on paper and translating that into real world actual track times is no easy task and to do it consistently is even tougher.

Nobody is really dissing 1/4 mile tracks. The point is, just because a car is good in that venue doesn't automatically make it king in all venues.

I think most of us grew up going fast in a straight line. It just seems to me from the people I talk to and hang out with, the older you get the more you take into account the handling of the car for turning left and right. I guess it's just the priorities that change.

[SEVEN-OH JOE]

Originally Posted by SEVEN-OH JOE

Here's a lil heap we created about 8 years ago. World Challenge c/f Widebody, full 'cage, T-1 suspension, TT 346 with small turbos. 3175 Curb, with air and cruise and Bose. 598/590 @ the 335 rears. Ran 10.90s. And 1:20s on Michelin Sport Cups @ Road Atlanta.
[#2406 Page 97]

And what did the GT500 run @ HotLanta?

The basis for MY question, with NO apparent answer.

Yes, some people like to do it all.

And can.

[mlee]

Originally Posted by Truck Norris

Go check MPAA as they can use all the swear words and show full nudity minus the crotch in PG-13 films (Kate Winslet bare breasts in Titanic)

Oh Lord... someone takes this literal.. MPAA

Originally Posted by eolson

This forum has the highest volume, but is laughably touchy about criticism.

These comments about the GT500 out performing the ZL1 seem to be ignoring the fact that the ZL1 so far has shown what an amazing handling car it is and still has a standing 7:41 at the Nurburgring, and easily handed the Boss LS it's ass at the road course track, so to me, if you consider accelerating, breaking and handling, the ZL1 so far owns 66.6666% of the bragging rights for most amazing sports coupe.

The 2013 GT500 still has to show it's handling and breaking with some hard lapping, and the fact that there is no Nurburgring time from Ford, and the new cars figure eight time is .2 seconds off the 2012 model, we need to see this car pushed all the way on road courses pronto.

The ZL1 can easily be pushed up in HP by Chevy, but the GT500 can not just adjust their suspension with a simple improvement and increase cornering times unless they go to a new level of commitment IMO. Erik

Good post...^^^

Here's my take on the road course... I see this as more of a drivers race (I'm probably wrong..jmo)... sort of like golf where you're playing against yourself/best score (please don't bring PGA rules into this). You can match up against someone, but the real test is to improve lap times w/ your car and get tons of practice. Experience level of a non-professional driver is just as important as the car.

We are looking into purchasing timing equipment to set up and have autocross events here. Hope to get many laps in when that happens. Then bragging rights go to the person who runs the best time w/ the same exact car. No need to yammer or spout times..

That being said I think the ZL1 will be the easier drive for a novice like myself, but for an expert like HumanWiki the GT500 might be the better choice.

[HumanWiki]

Originally Posted by mlee

but for an expert like HumanWiki the GT500 might be the better choice.

.....not sure if serious.....

[LOWDOWN]

Mr. Lee, the BEST "mod" for the money?

Seat Time...always has been, always will be, regardless of innate ability or vehicle operated.

[Nicklongino]

You know the 2013 GT500 looks really good in my opinion. But why do they always never do anything good with the rear? It seems like they will never change that for awhile...

[8cd03gro]

Originally Posted by SEVEN-OH JOE

So is that, "No times given", or "No, I won't"?

As far as I'm aware Ford has never, and probably won't now, released Ford-tested lap or general performance figures other than hp, weight, etc. They hand it off to the magazines to do it.