With the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 back for 2020, it only makes sense someone would pit Ford’s fiercest snake against its domestic predators. Edmunds pitted the GT500 against two powerful contenders – the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye and the Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE. Collectively, they’re America’s affordable sports cars, though all three have as-tested prices above $75,000. Thankfully, none breach the six-figure mark.
On paper, none match the Dodge’s potent engine – 797 horsepower (594 kilowatts) and 707 pound-feet (958 Newton-meters) of torque. The GT500 is a close second with 760 hp (566 kW) and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of torque while the Camaro lags behind both with 650 hp (484 kW) and 650 lb-ft (479 Nm) of torque. The Dodge has one downside – weight, tipping the scales at 4,527 pounds. That’s 500 pounds heavier than the Mustang and 600 pounds more than the Camaro.
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But who races on paper? No one, which is why Edmunds took the three to the track. This is where the Challenger’s extra girth is a detriment. All three struggled for grip out of the hole with all three using launch control. However, once the tires connected, the GT500 was off to the races, leaving the other two behind. After several runs, the results remained the same – the Mustang first, Camaro second, and Challenger third.
The Mustang recorded the quickest time with 11.3 seconds at 130.7 miles per hour (210 kilometers per hour). The Camaro finished in 11.6 seconds at 122.4 mph (196 kph), with the Challenger crossing the finish line in 11.7 seconds at 127 mph (204 kph). While all three have heaps of available horsepower, putting that power to a cold, untreated surface proved challenging for the three, which were equipped with performance rubber. But for now, it appears Ford has a new crown to wear for now.
