Let's talk about the C8 vs the GT500

[Eritas]

So, the thing about comparing the GT350 to the C8 Z51 is that the GT350 now has what I would call "cheater tires". Those Cup 2 tires that throw rocks all over the car and wear out super quickly. If I were buying a new GT350 I would want to replace the tires right away with something more practical. That's an additional cost if I considered a 2020 GT350, which I really wanted about 6 months ago before I learned about all the changes Ford made to the car (tires and interior changes really turned me off the most. I love the swing and I thought I wanted the green color on St. Patrick's day).

The C8 Z51 has 4S tires, I believe, which are the better choice for street + track driving in my opinion.

It sounds like the GT350s Cup 2 is designed to perform just like the old PSS:

It's FAR more than just the Cup 2 tires (which are closer to the bespoke PSS that they replace than the GT350R's Cup 2). It also performs in the wet very similarly to the PSS (vs. the GT350R's cup 2) so it's very similar in terms of daily-driveability to 2015-18 GT350s.

I don't see people complaining about the PSS on a daily driver. You can't assume all Cup 2s are the same.

Sponsored

 

[martinjlm]

C8 Dry Weight = 3,366. Adding fluids and tank of gas....let’s call it 200 lbs, so 3,566
GT500 Curb Wt @ 4,000 - 4,100

Still 400 - 500 lb mass advantage.

The other thing that keeps getting skipped over is what does mid-engine provide. Let’s look at Porsche. Yes, 911 is rear engine, not mid engine, but in all honestly, over the years the engine location has been creeping forward to the point that it is only a couple inches from being considered mid. The 911 Carrera S is rated at 443 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. But it rips off 0-60 in 3.3s and a quarter mile in 11.3. Those are ZL1 numbers at 207 less hp and 260 fewer lb-ft. Why? Traction. And the numbers I am quoting are the RWD version, not the AWD 911 Carrera 4S. With so much mass over the rear wheels, mid engine will provide C8 enough traction to allow the lower horsepower car to out-accelerate higher hp front engine cars that have trouble hooking up.

Likewise, a Cayman GT4 (which IS mid engine) with only 414 hp and 309 lb-ft can rip off 4.2s 0-60 and lap the Ring in 7:28. Mid engine provides significantly better transient handling behavior in a road course and allows the car to utilize much more of its performance potential. GT500 will need every one of it’s 760 ponies to catch a C8 coming out of road course curves. Some courses will give it enough straight to do that, some courses won’t.

 

[ALUSA]

I'm sure you also believe Lightning Lap results too.

The PP2 is as fast as an SS 1LE for 1 lap. The new GT350 smokes both of them and the C7 Z51 but probably isn't as fast as a Grand Sport. The base C8 is slower than the C8 Z51, how much faster the C8Z51 is to the C7Z51 is to be seen.

I don’t care about the lightning lap results? Were they same day same driver? My comparison was same day same driver. There is nothing funny about this. Give us an example of your new, I don’t know how new you are talking about, GT350 smoking those cars on a same day same driver comparison. GT350 is way overpriced, GTPP2 doesn’t have proper coolers, and the upcoming GT500 is priced similar to a C7 ZO6 and possibly the upcoming C8 ZO6. There is nothing funny about this.

 

[DekiDoo]

This sums it up.

 

[roygriffin2020]

Look at the Ariel Atom and what light weight has done for it with low horsepower.

https://www.arielna.com/arielatom View attachment 381793

 

[jake_zx2]

I think at $60k base the C8 wins almost any comparison you can come up with. If I weren't a die hard 3 pedal guy, I would be saving my money for it right now.

Heck, I'm hoping and praying that a manual option will come around in a few years. If it does I will want it.

Agreed. After hearing the price, I'm just waiting on Chevy to say something about a manual being added. The second there's a manual available, I'm buying one

But goddamn, this car is so good that it has me considering a DCT. I'm going to test drive it and see whether or not it'd really bore me like I think it would

He went faster in a ZR1 that's heavier, smaller, less sticky tires, less downforce, worse weight distribution around that track than the GT350R that has more downforce, better weight distribution, lighter, wider tires, and stickier tires. He & MT aren't credible to me.

Literally every single bit of this is wrong

ZR1:

"Heavier"- 3600 for the ZR1, 3750 for the GT350
"smaller"- technically correct, but stated as a downfall of the car in a performance setting, which is absolutely incorrect
"less sticky tires"- Both cars run Pilot Sport Cup 2s, but the ZR1has 20mm wider rear tires
"less downforce"- ZR1 rear wing alone produces almost 1000lbs of downforce to the GT350R's 300
"worse weight distribution"- 51/49 for the ZR1, 54/46 for the GT350

And this is even before considering the carbon-ceramic brakes on the ZR1, the faster shifting and closer ratio transmission, and the extra 230hp. There should be no doubt in ANYONE'S mind that the ZR1 is faster than the GT350 on track... I mean, unless you're a blind Shelby fanboy, which is quite clearly the case here

 

[Stuntman]

ZL1* (not ZR1). Everything else is correct in that poor excuse of a back to back test.

 

[jake_zx2]

ZL1* (not ZR1). Everything else is correct in that poor excuse of a back to back test.

The ZL1 was BARELY faster, and could easily be attributed to the extra 120+ horsepower and nearly 200ft-lbs of torque advantage it has. It's easily believable, especially with Pobst as the driver, who self admittedly prefers a car that favors understeer (Camaro) and can use high horsepower to it's full potential on track (Camaro)

 

[roygriffin2020]

This looks good.

 

[roygriffin2020]

All the colors

 

[Stuntman]

The ZL1 was BARELY faster, and could easily be attributed to the extra 120+ horsepower and nearly 200ft-lbs of torque advantage it has. It's easily believable, especially with Pobst as the driver, who self admittedly prefers a car that favors understeer (Camaro) and can use high horsepower to it's full potential on track (Camaro)

Read the article and look at the provided data. ALL of the time gained over the GT350R by the z"L"1 was in the corners. If it were the straights, I would agree. But since it was all in the corners, MT and Randy lost all credibility.

 

[DekiDoo]

Read the article and look at the provided data. ALL of the time gained over the GT350R by the z"L"1 was in the corners. If it were the straights, I would agree. But since it was all in the corners, MT and Randy lost all credibility.

Maybe it's just set up better.

 

[Stuntman]

Maybe it's just set up better.

Then a GT500 should have no problem beating a C8.

 

[DekiDoo]

Then a GT500 should have no problem beating a C8.

I was saying the ZL1 was set up better. Gt500 is not touching a c8 unless it's on a 2 mile runway, and maybe not even then, looking at the fact it's limited to 180.

 

[airjonny]

Can't go wrong either way. If you got small kids, the GT500 may be the one to go with. But pulling up with the C8 on date night would be a killer. I'm taking the latter.

Sponsored