ZR-1 vs Shelby

[32valvesftw]

Originally Posted by G8nightman

True should compare a 90 mustang to a 90 Z :-)

Having owned a 90 mustang 5.0 and now a 91Z there is not much too compare. For 1990 the Stang was pretty fast, and ZR-1 were so rare on the road I never ran across one to play with, but it would not have been much of a contest. Stock for Stock the V-8 Camaros would run the Stang.

[8cam]

There isn't really a contemporary American factory car you can compare the ZR-1 with. The better comparison would be a 90 Ferrari 348 or Porsche turbo, both more expensive than the Z. These days the Porsches have gone stratospheric, most Ferraris have gone up, but for some reason the 348 has stayed relatively affordable.

I still say that new Shelby is a flat amazing machine. Kudos to Ford.

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by 8cam

There isn't really a contemporary American factory car you can compare the ZR-1 with. The better comparison would be a 90 Ferrari 348 or Porsche turbo, both more expensive than the Z. These days the Porsches have gone stratospheric, most Ferraris have gone up, but for some reason the 348 has stayed relatively affordable.

I still say that new Shelby is a flat amazing machine. Kudos to Ford.

I too say Ford engineering is to be commended for having the balls to build that car; THAT motor. Right on, it is the equivalent of the LT5 in its day, far as domestic makers go.

We all know how much 'hate and discontent' was poured all over the ZR-1/LT5 by the jilted 'not invented here' people at GM. I wonder how the FPC'ed 'Stang is going to fair?

Anywayz...I agree: KUDOS to FORD!

[Bob Eyres]

Although it's silly to compare styling 30 years apart, I think the Ford is a more successful 21st. Century version of the Mustang look than the C7 is to the C4.

I don't expect many to agree, but I haven't seen a Corvette since the ZR-1 that I like better, body design wise. A no frills Classic. JMHO.

[Hog]

We are talking about a car with a power rating of 526hp@7500rpm with 429hp@4760rpm from 315 cubes "Voodoo" DOHC engine with a 12.0:1 compression ratio weighing between 3760lbs-3798lbs. I would hope that it would outperform a car with 121-151hp less sae net horsepower.

That new 2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 has a coefficient of drag of 0.310 while the C-4 is 0.340(but put the headlights up and that gets destroyed down to 0.402) which is surprising considering how much of a boat the Mustang looks like in comparison. So a record attempt wouldn't be out of the question aerodynamically speaking.

It would be great to be in the Ford engine development tent over the last few years. I wonder what the actual power differences between the 315 cube "Voodoo" flatplane engine and a 315 cube version of a similar engine with a crossplane crank. As with any car, there is a lot of marketing at play, but they could spend a few dollar to make the engine compartment look at least a little appealing.

I guess I'm just not a Mustang guy, but I do appreaciate the engineering that is involved. Ford has taken the Mustang and made wayyyy too many models available. Keywords Mustang, Ford 500 350, GT, Cobra, Shelby, Boss, etc etc etc. Even Chevrolet has done this in the Corvette IMO.

One mistake with the 2nd iteration of the ZR-1 from 90-95 was that there wasn't much visual differentiation between the "run of the mill" L98/LT1 cars and the LT5 version, esp. in a car that effectively doubles the sticker price when you check the rpo ZR1 box.

The technology marches on and I really do love it application to performance vehicles. As time goes on though, it seems that this evolution isn't entirely a positive change. Some of this technology allows automakers to "improve the process of polishing a turd". Engineered obsolescence and thin or cheap materials seems to be a theme. Powertrains seem to get better and better, but the bodies and certain "feel" of some cars is plain y cheap. Maybe some ideology of the way cars used to be built coupled with the technology of today, would make for a great vehicle. The bottom line and making money seems to be king nowadays.


I can hardly wait to take a rip in a 5.2 liter Shelby sounds like a fun car. Hows the off idle torque? Whens the power start to come on?
Thanks

[d15b7]

hi Hog! I just got to drive a GT350 (a regular street version, not the R) at VIR racetrack last month (I'm a pro driving coach and my client had just taken delivery of it and we spent two days down there). the car is amazing (I can't believe how much better than the older mustangs; back in the day I owned a 96 Mustang Cobra, and tracked it occasionally; this new GT350 is incredibly better in every possible way). anyway, powerwise, it's decent off idle but fairly soft til about 3000 rpm, where it begins to wake up and pull. but at 6k rpm? boy howdy! it pulls HARD to 8200!!!! this motor is in it's happy place from 6k on up.

btw it wasn't the engine that impressed me the most; the suspension tuning and the incredible brakes are mind boggling; this car was as good on track as the new GT4 Porsche. simply amazing that its a ford mustang!

my ZR-1 is bone stock -- and powerwise on the street the Z feels like it isn't THAT much off the GT350. especially because we have much more torque down low. normal everyday driving the Z will feel almost as fast to 'regular' folk. but the Z's suspension and brakes aren't even in the same galaxy as the Shelby, given stock for stock. and on the racetrack the GT350 would run away from it.

oh and one last thing - I think my Z sounds fantastic stock. but the Shelby with the electronic cutout engaged? orgasmic above 5k!!!!!!!!

[Hog]

Originally Posted by d15b7

hi Hog! I just got to drive a GT350 (a regular street version, not the R) at VIR racetrack last month (I'm a pro driving coach and my client had just taken delivery of it and we spent two days down there). the car is amazing (I can't believe how much better than the older mustangs; back in the day I owned a 96 Mustang Cobra, and tracked it occasionally; this new GT350 is incredibly better in every possible way). anyway, powerwise, it's decent off idle but fairly soft til about 3000 rpm, where it begins to wake up and pull. but at 6k rpm? boy howdy! it pulls HARD to 8200!!!! this motor is in it's happy place from 6k on up.

btw it wasn't the engine that impressed me the most; the suspension tuning and the incredible brakes are mind boggling; this car was as good on track as the new GT4 Porsche. simply amazing that its a ford mustang!

my ZR-1 is bone stock -- and powerwise on the street the Z feels like it isn't THAT much off the GT350. especially because we have much more torque down low. normal everyday driving the Z will feel almost as fast to 'regular' folk. but the Z's suspension and brakes aren't even in the same galaxy as the Shelby, given stock for stock. and on the racetrack the GT350 would run away from it.

oh and one last thing - I think my Z sounds fantastic stock. but the Shelby with the electronic cutout engaged? orgasmic above 5k!!!!!!!!

Hi d15b7,

Sounds like the Shelby is a whole lot of fun to drive around, esp. when involving some curves/corners to navigate.

Thanks a lot for your input. Take care.

[32valvesftw]

[oh and one last thing - I think my Z sounds fantastic stock. but the Shelby with the electronic cutout engaged? orgasmic above 5k!!!!!!!![/QUOTE]
I had n E39 M5 with DOHC V-8 with aftermarket exhaust, That car had the best sounding exhaust of any car I ever heard. I cannot seem to get close to it with the ZR-1. My ZR-1 is LOUD but lacks the refinement. Hard to explain.

[gmonsen]

The GT350 engine is fantastic. Maybe the best engine being made today anywhere. I drove one the other day for a short test drive. Not enough to tell much about the handling. Hate the size of the thing, though. It's HUGE.

G