Why does Mustang GT cost $5K more than Camaro LT1 ?

[Onewolf]

I have been thinking about buying a Mustang GT but what I want seems to be impossible to find so I will probably have to order one. I want manual tranny and I don't want black seats so that seems to eliminate 99.9% of the dealer ordered/stock cars.

So I started considering the Camaro LT1 just to open up the search boundaries. What I see is that configured equivalently the Camaro LT1 costs about $5K less than then a Mustang GT. I have not looked at the Camaro in person, so I'm not sure where that $5K extra is coming from for the Mustang. I have rented Mustang convertibles (GTs and Ecoboost) 4 times while visiting Knoxville so I am somewhat familiar with the Mustang.

I'm looking for a fun weekend/mountain road car, NOT a track car. Moving to east TN next month after 40+ years in central Florida, so I want a 2nd car that will be fun on those roads up there.

Thanks.

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[Seanuf99]

The extra $5k is so you don't have to drive a Chevrolet.

 

[AvalancheSVT]

its a better car.

 

[AvalancheSVT]

that was probably less than helpful so i'll clarify.

i compared the 2 cars before i ordered mine.

the camaro interior SUCKS BALLS and the mustang is pretty awesome.
the mustang has greater visibility which makes it easier to live with. another win for the pony.
the camaro's manual trans is better because i think its a tremec but they're about equal in terms of performance and the camaro is a little lighter.

the horrible interior made it a non starter for me. it looks alien and cheap.
the mustang feels like it has heritage with a touch of modernity.

 

[Seanuf99]

that was probably less than helpful so i'll clarify

Ok...made me feel bad for not being helpful. So I will also clarify.

As an 80's kid, I grew up hearing the adage "Camaros are like A...holes, everyone's got one." Couple that with everyone I knew that had a mullet drove a Camaro.

In all seriousness though, just never had any interest in Bowties, so I have nothing useful to add, sorry, just having fun.

 

[saleen367]

Since I'm a Ford rube, I'll be honest. The Camaro SS is actually a really good car ... add the 1LE option and its incredible, so I'm not going to dis it.

Some don't like the interior and others don't like the vision limitations. Others have told me its not that bad, but so much is subjective from one person to the next. I just don't like the Bowtie on the front.

They handle exceptional and the LS and Tremec are very good, but having never owned another brand with the exception of an orange `76 Vega back in the day, I'd never hear the end of it if I bought one.

$5k is nothing to sneeze at in this economic environment. Go drive one and see for yourself what you think. They are very similar but different for a number of reasons.

 

[DopamineQuest]

A simpler reason I think people are forgetting... it's just simple supply and demand. The last two or three years the Mustang has more than doubled sales of the Camaro. With the supply chain constraints becoming a problem the last few years, we're in a world where it's actually kind of tough to even find a Mustang GT with the options you want in some locations without ordering one.

TLDR: People want Mustangs more than Camaros, and we're in a time where these cars aren't exactly plentiful anymore.

 

[MAGS1]

Dopamine hit it on the head. I would also add that the LT1 doesn’t have all the options available that the SS does, but it does have the V8. SS to GT is very comparable in price, Chevy put the LT1 option to try to boost sales with a lower price point V8 option. Didn’t work as reflected in Camaro sales numbers.

 

[CrackedHorn]

LT1 is meant to be the entry level V8 camaro option to undercut the mustang GT pricing.

Both are great cars with pros and cons. No real wrong answer for most as long as you like the car.

As mentioned above, the alpha chassis on the camaro is really good and the manual transmission is pretty good but it has skip shift and some people get locked out of gear running hard.

The mustang is a better daily for most and the coyote motor is just pretty damn amazing, imo.

 

[willymo72]

Mustang is more practical and less polarizing of a design. As others stated, supply and demand also have Chevy trying to undercut the mustang on pricing yet that's still not helping..

 

[Cordero1]

For me when I was out shopping they were both in the running, but in the end, the Camaro's interior was just too hideous to overlook.

 

[OppoLock]

1LT = trim

LT1 = engine

seeing it repeated a few times ITT

 

[BluePonyGT]

I used to joke that the difference was the visibility from the driver's seat. I'd have to pay more to be comfortable in the car AND see cars in my blind spots.

In all seriousness the 1LE options made the Camero a real contender. It's actually a nice car once you get past all of the base model nonsense that GM really wants to sell you.

My wife really wanted one for a while, and we almost got one thinking we should leap before they stopped making the better performance options, etc. However, that's also a worry point. Dealing with maintenance issues, parts availability, etc. I've always had pretty good confidence in GM being able to deliver on crate motors, long blocks, upgrades, transmissions, etc., but they're going to suffer from the same thing as the rest of the manufacturers and their options for buying performance related parts is going to dwindle over time due to new regulations. I'd rather have myself dedicated to just one platform and not several. So we didn't get one.

 

[Johnnybee]

Could also be that it’s general knowledge that the Camaro’s time is up, as opposed to the continuing Mustang in S650 form. So Chevy may be pricing to ensure they have as few leftovers at the end as possible, knowing that those leftovers will have to be at fire sale prices to unload.

 

[compprep]

Mustang has NO OTHER chassis sharing in Ford or Lincoln world. Camaro shares with at least one caddy. So costs are spread over more models.

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