Mustang vs ZLE

[Flyhalf]

I'll take some pics of the inside ofnmy ZLE. I thinkntheybare better then my 301a mustang.
Also bunch of electronics (blind spot car distance alert and the projected HUD in the front) make life easy with the smaller visibility.
The possibility to change the colours of the lights inside the cockpit is cool too.
The seat is great confort (heated and cooled) .as also the steering wheel.
Another nice option (which i dont have) is the video recorder that also overlap data directly.
Last the BOSE sounds great!
My mustang isn't premium so i also compare to a "cheaper" s550

Sponsored

 

[Jmtoast]

I'll take some pics of the inside ofnmy ZLE. I thinkntheybare better then my 301a mustang.
Also bunch of electronics (blind spot car distance alert and the projected HUD in the front) make life easy with the smaller visibility.
The possibility to change the colours of the lights inside the cockpit is cool too.
The seat is great confort (heated and cooled) .as also the steering wheel.
Another nice option (which i dont have) is the video recorder that also overlap data directly.
Last the BOSE sounds great!
My mustang isn't premium so i also compare to a "cheaper" s550

i test drove 2. A loaded 50th and a LE1. The 50th was a manual and just about drove itself. The LE1 was like a pistol with a hair trigger from the throttle to the clutch. I sent it sideways taking off at a light. The 50th was very tame. I was Interested in something boosted like a Roush, Hellcat,’or a ZE1. In the end the visibility and my fiancé was the deal breaker. She hated it. Not sure why because she’s a chevy girl but she didn’t like it. She wouldnt even drive it. 2 weeks later she went to buy a gt500, lol.

 

[Hack]

Yeah I think on the outside they look better once you get into the Higher trims like the LE1. That LE1 had me really conflicted with my GM discount. Unfortunately though life is in the inside and that was not my cup of tea

Does GM really have a 1LE and an LE1 as different options on the same car? Or is this a typo?

 

[Flyhalf]

Typo.

 

[16EcomustangDIB]

No one has ever proven to me that Camaro has a better chassis than the Mustang. From what I can tell, Mustangs all across the board are set up with a more compliant suspension than the Camaro. And that is the biggest difference. Mustangs are set up more for comfort on the street. Actually more than I would prefer, until you get to the GT350 setup. That IMO is a nearly perfect amount of stiffness for everyday driving. And from what I understand the GT500 is more compliant than the GT350 and still is extremely quick on track.
[/QUOTE]

This might help prove that a great chassis makes a big difference.


https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15099586/chevrolet-camaro-1le-at-lightning-lap-2016-feature/

 

[Flyhalf]

first side by side test.
Mustang : final 1:36.3 on 7th heat cycle Hoosier ,Aero, Coilovers,485whp . overslowed many turns.( end of the day ) Low 1:35 doable
ZLE : final 1:36.8 First time On track with her. Stock with track camber and DCT70 pads Lots to learn . Coasting on turn 5( for sound) did cost me 6 tents. also overslowed in many turns . still learning the car.
ZLE is of course a faster car. especially in track like Laguna where is all about acceleration.

2020 season starts in 10 days for me. Mustang is the car i'm tracking. but i will still bring the camaro sometime at the track too.

 

[Adamone92]

No one has ever proven to me that Camaro has a better chassis than the Mustang. From what I can tell, Mustangs all across the board are set up with a more compliant suspension than the Camaro. And that is the biggest difference. Mustangs are set up more for comfort on the street. Actually more than I would prefer, until you get to the GT350 setup. That IMO is a nearly perfect amount of stiffness for everyday driving. And from what I understand the GT500 is more compliant than the GT350 and still is extremely quick on track.

the stock rear IRS feels very sloppy in the mustang, with any model. The camaro does not. after pouring a few thousand into suspension/chassis mods for my mustang, it still felt no where near as good and planted as my ss 1le camaro. There is a reason pretty much everyone recommended the irs braces as some of your first mustang mods. From what ive seen, the chassis isnt even a comparison. Thats pretty obvious if you drive them side by side; as evidenced even by a multitude of car review channels.

and from what i read in your link..it seems they agree the camaro chassis is superior...no?

 

[16EcomustangDIB]

the stock rear IRS feels very sloppy in the mustang, with any model. The camaro does not. after pouring a few thousand into suspension/chassis mods for my mustang, it still felt no where near as good and planted as my ss 1le camaro. There is a reason pretty much everyone recommended the irs braces as some of your first mustang mods. From what ive seen, the chassis isnt even a comparison. Thats pretty obvious if you drive them side by side; as evidenced even by a multitude of car review channels.

and from what i read in your link..it seems they agree the camaro chassis is superior...no?

Yeah that was Hack's post that I quoted but for some reason it omitted his name.
Yes that link I posted shows that a 300 hp V-6 Camaro 1LE which is just a regular SS suspension can run and be faster than the V-8 GT PP1 on a road course due to its superior chassis balance.. Just a quick look underneath both cars and you'll quickly see which company put more of your purchase money back into making a better engineered car.

 

[Hack]

This might help prove that a great chassis makes a big difference.


https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15099586/chevrolet-camaro-1le-at-lightning-lap-2016-feature/

Not sure how that proves anything about the chassis. I can put sticky tires and stiff springs on virtually anything and it will be fast around the road course.

the stock rear IRS feels very sloppy in the mustang, with any model. The camaro does not. after pouring a few thousand into suspension/chassis mods for my mustang, it still felt no where near as good and planted as my ss 1le camaro. There is a reason pretty much everyone recommended the irs braces as some of your first mustang mods. From what ive seen, the chassis isnt even a comparison. Thats pretty obvious if you drive them side by side; as evidenced even by a multitude of car review channels.

and from what i read in your link..it seems they agree the camaro chassis is superior...no?

I think people say the alpha chassis is good because it has aluminum in it. It's possible the Camaro has a stiff chassis from having small window and trunk openings. Or it's due to having a small interior. I don't know. I've never seen any information comparing Mustang and Camaro chassis stiffness.

I didn't think the IRS seemed sloppy in my GT350. And I never heard professional reviewers say anything about that either. So I'm not sure you are correct with that. And I doubt the GT500 IRS is sloppy either.

Yeah that was Hack's post that I quoted but for some reason it omitted his name.
Yes that link I posted shows that a 300 hp V-6 Camaro 1LE which is just a regular SS suspension can run and be faster than the V-8 GT PP1 on a road course due to its superior chassis balance.. Just a quick look underneath both cars and you'll quickly see which company put more of your purchase money back into making a better engineered car.

I don't think you can prove "superior chassis balance" is doing something. Tire grip and suspension stiffness mean a lot.

Look in the engine compartment and you will see which company put more of your purchase money back into making a better engineered car.

 

[Adamone92]

Not sure how that proves anything about the chassis. I can put sticky tires and stiff springs on virtually anything and it will be fast around the road course.



I think people say the alpha chassis is good because it has aluminum in it. It's possible the Camaro has a stiff chassis from having small window and trunk openings. Or it's due to having a small interior. I don't know. I've never seen any information comparing Mustang and Camaro chassis stiffness.

I didn't think the IRS seemed sloppy in my GT350. And I never heard professional reviewers say anything about that either. So I'm not sure you are correct with that. And I doubt the GT500 IRS is sloppy either.



I don't think you can prove "superior chassis balance" is doing something. Tire grip and suspension stiffness mean a lot.

Look in the engine compartment and you will see which company put more of your purchase money back into making a better engineered car.

You may be right with the gt500, but im pretty positive ive seen gt350 owners do the same mod. Could be wrong though.

The gt350 i drove felt nice, but not the same as the alpha chassis imo. Savagegeese seemed to prefer the alpha chassis over the gt350 for the track as well. Maybe not as a DD (for the zle).
The ss 1le performs as well as the gt350 on the track. Thats saying something for a car that is what..20k cheaper minimum?

 

[Flyhalf]

Fyi
An ss 1le stock is waaay faster than a pp1. Similar but still slighlty better than pp2. And same level of 350.
So the tires of course are important. (Main difference between the mustangs above) however. I thinknthe camaro is just a better 'whole system' .
The combo between the chassis magnaride and the rest of the suspension components is just..better.
Yes you can upgrade stuff in the mustang. But mustamg is generally more expensive and still need some extra to reach a closer level to a stock camaro ss 1l1e.
Fpr reference
Ss 1le does 1. 54 at buttonwillow with normal tires. And 52 with 3R goodyear. Same laptime of a 350R on same 3R. Both excellent drivers.

 

[Adamone92]

Look in the engine compartment and you will see which company put more of your purchase money back into making a better engineered car.

You mean like the hood prop vs hood struts?

 

[Hack]

You may be right with the gt500, but im pretty positive ive seen gt350 owners do the same mod. Could be wrong though.

The gt350 i drove felt nice, but not the same as the alpha chassis imo. Savagegeese seemed to prefer the alpha chassis over the gt350 for the track as well. Maybe not as a DD (for the zle).
The ss 1le performs as well as the gt350 on the track. Thats saying something for a car that is what..20k cheaper minimum?

Rear subframe lockouts cost so little. I did them on my GT350. Not sure how much of a difference they made.

Almost every review I've ever seen says they prefer the GT350 over any Camaro.

You mean like the hood prop vs hood struts?

60's Ford engine design vs. modern DOHC V8 sports car engine. I love how GM improved the small block Chevy by making it like an older Ford engine. Good stuff.

 

[Adamone92]

Rear subframe lockouts cost so little. I did them on my GT350. Not sure how much of a difference they made.

Almost every review I've ever seen says they prefer the GT350 over any Camaro.



60's Ford engine design vs. modern DOHC V8 sports car engine. I love how GM improved the small block Chevy by making it like an older Ford engine. Good stuff.

The fact you have to do something to it vs the 1le should explain everything.

Every review ive seen says camaro 100% on track. Hit or miss on which one for a DD. But thats more "visibility issues" rather than performance related. They also talk about how bland the gt350 interior looks vs its exterior.

The LT1 has been proven to be an amazing engine. Its an improvement and overhaul of the LS engine which is extremely popular. I probably prefer the coyote, but one being great doesn't mean the other isnt great as well. The LT1 is also in the c7 corvette, another great performance vehicle. I dont think the "older ford design" had 455hp 455tq from the factory (more for the corvette)..but ok. The hood props vs hood struts was kind of a side jab.

 

[16EcomustangDIB]

Not sure how that proves anything about the chassis. I can put sticky tires and stiff springs on virtually anything and it will be fast around the road course.



I think people say the alpha chassis is good because it has aluminum in it. It's possible the Camaro has a stiff chassis from having small window and trunk openings. Or it's due to having a small interior. I don't know. I've never seen any information comparing Mustang and Camaro chassis stiffness.

I didn't think the IRS seemed sloppy in my GT350. And I never heard professional reviewers say anything about that either. So I'm not sure you are correct with that. And I doubt the GT500 IRS is sloppy either.



I don't think you can prove "superior chassis balance" is doing something. Tire grip and suspension stiffness mean a lot.

Look in the engine compartment and you will see which company put more of your purchase money back into making a better engineered car.

The V-6 1LE tires are just the regular SS run flat tires and SS suspension and probably not any stiffer than a GT. I don't know what it is but with the 130+ hp disadvantage and with a pretty basic suspension bits and be able to outpace a GT PP1 at VIR proves it to me. That's just me though.

And yes, I can tell who put back more of our dollar building the car even before I can take a peek in the engine compartment by the weight of the their hoods.
Always loved the mustang but I know when to give credit where credit is due.

Sponsored