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GT350 vs 2017 ZL1

IMSAFAN

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Wow wasn't expecting the GT350R to be dead nuts even with my SS 1LE since it was notably faster than the SS 1LE at Laguna Seca. I will always be jealous of the FPC cool factor, but I love that my SS 1LE will hold its own against a GT350R for Focus RS money!

I am a little surprised the ZL1 wasn't a few tenths faster. Can't wait to see the video when its released to non subscribers. I think I would choose the GT350R over the ZL1 just for the engine alone. Should be interesting to see what happens with the new ZL1 1LE and GT500 match up. I'm still holding out for a non R GT350 and SS 1LE head 2 head, but I don't see that happening.
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Mikes5.0

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Cant wait to see a H2H with the GT500 vs ZL1 1le but really want to see a H2H with the GT350 vs SS 1le. The new ZL1 is a great car that runs with with Fords amazing track car on the road course but can also hang with the Hellcat. Thats a lot of car for the money.
 

Hack

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I think this shows how good of a deal and how much more of a balanced and attainable car the 1LE is.
They didn't run the 1LE, but I would say that this test shows that the Mustang basic interior/chassis/etc. is superior to the Camaro's. It also shows that the GT350 as well as base Mustangs are great buys.

I was one of those that thought the Camaro was going to be faster by a wide margin on the track.

But I did say the 350R would win if it "felt better"

Someone else mentioned the 350R had the same time as the SS 1LE. If so that is impressive for the 1LE, but that also means the SS 1LE is right on the heels of the ZL1?
I also expected the Camaro to do better. I think we need to wait for the 1LE and ZL-1 to run on the same day at the same track. I'm sure the ZL-1 is a lot faster than the 1LE. The 1LE time that looks so good must be deceptive for one reason or another. No way could the 1LE with less power and less tire be virtually the same time as the ZL1 around a track.

I don't think there was anyone with hurt feelings. If it were the other way around then Ford fanboys would be saying a win is a win and the Chevy fanboys would be saying exactly what you're saying. It might have been a small margin at this particular track, but on other tracks like Nurburgring, the margin is much wider. And by your logic, if the GT350R is better despite it's loss, then how many cars has the GT350R beat by a small margin that we could say the same thing. I mean in the quarter mile, the 1SS does the same time as the GT350 and is only about 1-2 tenths slower than the GT350R despite the HUGE price gap. So is the GT350 and GT350R technically inferior. I mean, if you can compare 1 track and 1 race between the ZL1 and GT350R and say that a small margin win means the GT350R is better, then you can do the same and say the 1SS is better than the GT350R...right? See to me that is ricer math when you lose but try to work the numbers so your loss doesn't sting as much. You can compare all the things you want. But what really counts is who wins the race and if you want the faster car then you want the ZL1.
Nurburgring is a good exception to call out if you are a Camaro fan boy and are really worried about being able to say your favorite is faster. Most road courses are smaller and the GT350 will have an advantage.

If I owned a GT350 R I would be more than willing to put my car up against a ZL1 at a road course. The small time difference means that it becomes more of a driver's race, which is all I would ask for. The same goes for my GT350. I drive at a somewhat smaller road course and I bet I wouldn't be dominated by someone in a ZL1 unless they are a much better driver than I am.

The SS 1LE is supposed to be up there with the GT350. The ZL1 is supposed to beat the GT350R. And both cars have done what they were created to do. And now you have the ZL1 1LE coming out. I don't think the SS1LE or the GT350 is as close to the ZL1 as you think. As far as the GT350R, I think on other tracks the ZL1 is really beating it by quite a bit. Some tracks the margin won't be as bad. Which is why I think certain tests will use certain tracks and certain fanboys will use results from certain tracks instead of others. The GT350 and GT350R in their own rights are very respectable and impressive. But the ZL1 IS a better performing car.
The test reveals that the basic Camaro design is inferior to the Mustang. Even with significantly more HP, it will be a driver's race on most road courses. And the Mustang is better inside and out as a daily driver and just for basic enjoyment.
 

Hack

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Cant wait to see a H2H with the GT500 vs ZL1 1le but really want to see a H2H with the GT350 vs SS 1le. The new ZL1 is a great car that runs with with Fords amazing track car on the road course but can also hang with the Hellcat. Thats a lot of car for the money.
The ZL-1 is not quite as good as the Hellcat at straight lines, though.

And it's roughly equal to the 3 year old Mustang platform on a road course.

Seems like a fail all around to me. Time for GM to go back to the drawing board.
 

9secondko

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Anyone quoting an ss1le track time similar to the R is forgetting different track conditions on different days and driver skill.

The MT TEST WITH THE R and the ZL is a telling comparison.

While the SS1LE is not nipping at the heels of the R, the R is with the ZL1.

However, the ZL1 is the faster car. The R may have better handling, but the supercharged Camaros power makes up for it. It's not as big s difference as I thought. But it is faster and not just in a straight line.

The ZL1 is new and the 350 is a few years old now, so that's part of it and it makes sense. And while it isn't an apples to apples fair comparison, it is fun to see how they compete. Kind of like when a smaller fighter puts on Weight to fight the big names in higher weight divisions in MMA or boxing. It's not natural or really fair, but it's entertaining.

That said, they should run the best NA Camaro against the 350. And when the 500 replacement is out, run that with the ZL1 and see how they do.
 

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Mikes5.0

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The ZL-1 is not quite as good as the Hellcat at straight lines, though.

And it's roughly equal to the 3 year old Mustang platform on a road course.

Seems like a fail all around to me. Time for GM to go back to the drawing board.
Every race Ive seen shows the ZL1 pulling away from the Hellcat?
The mustang might be a measly 3 years old buy the Zl1 beats the best mustang you can buy from ford right now?
How is this a fail? I dont see what the big deal is, The Camaro is a faster car for less money. Do i care? No I prefer my Gt350. If i wanted a faster car I would have gone with another Z06 but I have two kiddos now I like being able to take with with me.
 
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02gtnh

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The ZL-1 is not quite as good as the Hellcat at straight lines, though.

And it's roughly equal to the 3 year old Mustang platform on a road course.

Seems like a fail all around to me. Time for GM to go back to the drawing board.
How are coming up with a 3 year platform. The gt350 came out almost exactly a year before the zl1. The zl1 beat a track focused car 200lbs lighter. Yes it has more hp and torque, but the voodoo is a race high redline engine made for the track. The win was more based on exhaust sound outside and inside. They said the zl1 felt more like a luxury car while the R felt like a race car with all the noise and vibrations. And I don't remember anyone saying the zl1 would smoke it. Most thought it would be close especially on a tight track.
 

saf1

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Put the cars on a Dyno and look at their respected RPM range and power. I think that will explain a lot.

Personally if I was GM I would have reworked the engine just a tad more, stayed naturally aspirated, and focused in the power band. They have a more than decent suspension package but still crappy dated engine with cabin visibility issues.
 

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ls6-m22

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I also expected the Camaro to do better. I think we need to wait for the 1LE and ZL-1 to run on the same day at the same track. I'm sure the ZL-1 is a lot faster than the 1LE. The 1LE time that looks so good must be deceptive for one reason or another. No way could the 1LE with less power and less tire be virtually the same time as the ZL1 around a track.
The 1LE has the exact same tires as the ZL1.
 

4V Mayhem

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I also expected the Camaro to do better. I think we need to wait for the 1LE and ZL-1 to run on the same day at the same track. I'm sure the ZL-1 is a lot faster than the 1LE. The 1LE time that looks so good must be deceptive for one reason or another. No way could the 1LE with less power and less tire be virtually the same time as the ZL1 around a track.
I thought the Camaro did very well considering the price point and in comparison to the price of the competition and what the competition does.

Nurburgring is a good exception to call out if you are a Camaro fan boy and are really worried about being able to say your favorite is faster. Most road courses are smaller and the GT350 will have an advantage.
But isn't that exactly what you're doing. Camaro fanboys will call out a track where there was a wider advantage just like yu're talking about a track where the advantage wasn't as wide. Even on the small courses the ZL1 is going to have an advantage.

The test reveals that the basic Camaro design is inferior to the Mustang. Even with significantly more HP, it will be a driver's race on most road courses. And the Mustang is better inside and out as a daily driver and just for basic enjoyment.
See I don't think it is inferior. I think they are both on the same level with the Camaro being the better performer for now. Every car on every track is gonna excel in some areas and not soo much in other areas. The goal sometimes is to have their strong points make up for their weak points. For example, saying the Camaro doesn't handle as well but makes up for it in brute speed is true. But that is also like saying the GT350R is underpowered but makes up for it in the corners. Same thing. And I don't really think it is a driver's race. I think the ZL1 is just faster. A good driver in a GT350 will beat a bad driver in a ZL1 and vice-versa. But with equal drivers I think the ZL1 will still come out on top.
 

ls6-m22

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I also am so amazed that Motor Trend said that the GT350R won as aren't they suppose to be Chevy Biased??
 
 




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