C&D Test: Camaro vs. Challenger vs. Mustang

fiveoh2go · 05-29-2009, 09:43 AM

Full story: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison_test/coupes/2010_chevy_camaro_ss_vs_2010_ford_mustang_gt_2009_dodge_challenger_r_t_comparison_test/(page">http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/com ... test/(page</a>)/1

Which one should have won or was the Mustang rightfully crowned?

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***Jake*** · 05-29-2009, 11:37 AM

I really wanted to like the Challenger. It looks great in pictures. Then I saw one in person, parked next to a mid-90s Cherokee. It's almost as tall. If they shrank it back down to about 90% of the current size, I'd like it more.

Camaro I need to see in person before judging. I did sit in a 2010 Mustang, and it's definitely nicer than the 05-09s by a fair margin.

Obviously, I'd like to drive all three of these cars before passing final judgement. Not sure how I can arrange that, as most dealers see me as a college kid who's not serious about buying, so no test drives Sad

D_Eclipse9916 · 05-29-2009, 11:40 AM

Sadly I agree even though I persoinally like the looks of the camaro better. What kind of day is it when we have the "lightest of the group at 3600lbs on a solid rear axle, front strut, rear wheel drive, with a plastic interior (dont attempt to say it isnt, ive ridden in a few). And for fucking 30 grand. Sorry, that kind of moolah buys some other much nicer cars.

Evan · 05-29-2009, 12:47 PM

30k doesnt buy much anymore. Even an STi is 6k over that and certainly doesnt have any better of an interior.

I was actually surprised how small the challenger was in person. I expected it to be Charger or GTO sized.

personally I think the mustang won because Ford is in better economic shape than the other two and thus a better bet for struggling C&D to snuggle up with :p

(btw, people still read car mags?)

fiveoh2go · 05-29-2009, 02:39 PM

D_Eclipse9916 Wrote:...30 grand. Sorry, that kind of moolah buys some other much nicer cars.

What new cars are you thinking of that turn in similar performance figures?

***ViPER1313*** · 05-29-2009, 03:52 PM

fiveoh2go Wrote:
D_Eclipse9916 Wrote:...30 grand. Sorry, that kind of moolah buys some other much nicer cars.
What new cars are you thinking of that turn in similar performance figures?

<DJ>It doesn't matter - DSM for life!</DJ>

**JustinG** · 05-29-2009, 05:47 PM

new body mustang looks like poo, prefer the other retro version, love the challenger and camaro, but ultimately the camaro would be my choice

ScottyB · 05-29-2009, 11:07 PM

i want to love the challenger but it is just too tall, looks really disproportionate and way under-tired. 4000 lbs. too...yikes.

the camaro looks good from some angles but it's just such a bigass car as well.

one thing that gets me is that all the wheel sizes are gigantic. buying tires for these things has to suck mightily. i miss cars that looked good on 17's and 18's and didn't need cartoon proportions to be stylish.

***Jake*** · 05-29-2009, 11:49 PM

ScottyB Wrote:one thing that gets me is that all the wheel sizes are gigantic. buying tires for these things has to suck mightily. i miss cars that looked good on 17's and 18's and didn't need cartoon proportions to be stylish.

17s and 18s are huge for me. Stock Miata wheels are 14s! I know the Crossfire has 18s front and 19s rear. I'm glad Dad gets to foot the tire bill for that car and I don't. A new set of Azenis for the Miata is going to cost $400, mounted and balanced and everything. Something tells me larger tires will cost more...

Hell, the Toyota friggin' Venza comes with 20s. Stock. Something is wrong when soulless refrigerators come with that large of wheel.

fiveoh2go · 05-30-2009, 12:15 AM

Jake Wrote:17s and 18s are huge for me. Stock Miata wheels are 14s! I know the Crossfire has 18s front and 19s rear. I'm glad Dad gets to foot the tire bill for that car and I don't. A new set of Azenis for the Miata is going to cost $400, mounted and balanced and everything. Something tells me larger tires will cost more...

The cost to replace one OE 19" Pirelli on a Mustang equipped with the Track Pack (this package is due out this summer and is on all the Mustang GT press cars Ford has out right now) is $439 on TireRack.com.

F that.

I'm waiting to see what happens once the new 5.0 comes out. If the Coyote V8 is as great as all the insiders say it is, and the Track Pack works like the magazine guys claim it does the 2011 Mustang GT should be pretty sweet.....minus that ugly ass rear end.

More on the '11 five point oh: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/18/return-of-the-5-0-ford-exec-confirms-400-hp-coyote-v8-coming/">http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/18/retu ... v8-coming/</a>

WRXtranceformed · 05-30-2009, 07:57 AM

The Mustang won because it handled better right?

I like the newer Mustangs but I would buy a Challenger or a Camaro SS over one because they are better power modding platforms imo and are more rare on the street. I see at least sixty Mustangs a day here.

HAULN-SS · 05-30-2009, 08:55 AM

I thought I read a similar article that was comparing an RS v6 camaro to the mustang and it pwned it. Held more on the skidpad, was faster in a straightline, everything. I kind of agreew ith evan

ScottyB · 05-30-2009, 09:27 PM

HAULN-SS Wrote:I thought I read a similar article that was comparing an RS v6 camaro to the mustang and it pwned it. Held more on the skidpad, was faster in a straightline, everything. I kind of agreew ith evan

i think that car had the SS 20 inch wheels though. they use the $$$ pirelli tires which make a big difference. IIRC they put up .93g

the standard V6 tires are not in the same league as the mustang (w/track pack)

HAULN-SS · 05-31-2009, 09:35 AM

well you'd still ring in like 4 grand cheaper to get the camaro and bling out the wheels and tires

fiveoh2go · 05-31-2009, 10:05 AM

HAULN-SS Wrote:well you'd still ring in like 4 grand cheaper to get the camaro and bling out the wheels and tires

True, but a V6 doesn't make the right noises.

CaptainHenreh · 05-31-2009, 12:47 PM

fiveoh2go Wrote:
HAULN-SS Wrote:well you'd still ring in like 4 grand cheaper to get the camaro and bling out the wheels and tires
True, but a V6 doesn't make the right noises.

This is something I never quite understood. Yes, V8>V6, but when your V6 makes 300hp out of the box, the sound has go to come in behind that, at least a little.

ScottyB · 05-31-2009, 03:01 PM

the sounds clips of the v6 that i've seen make it sound really pretty awesome for a v6....way better than the genesis or mustang v6 at least.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55xQLOJl8Tc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55xQLOJl8Tc</a>

fiveoh2go · 05-31-2009, 03:17 PM

CaptainHenreh Wrote:
fiveoh2go Wrote:
HAULN-SS Wrote:well you'd still ring in like 4 grand cheaper to get the camaro and bling out the wheels and tires
True, but a V6 doesn't make the right noises.

This is something I never quite understood. Yes, V8>V6, but when your V6 makes 300hp out of the box, the sound has go to come in behind that, at least a little.

The classic formula for a pony car has always been a 2-door/4 seat platform with a long hood, short deck and a V8. I'm old school in that regard that it should fit those loose criteria. I can fully appreciate the value the V6 Camaro offers, no doubt it does, but if you're buying a Camaro as a performance vehicle why not play with the big boys and buy the SS? Plus resale value on any pony car with a V6 is lousy.

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