Gentleman, this is the comparison test you've been waiting nearly four decades for and trust me that even you weren't born yet, if you are a motoring enthusiast, you've been waiting, because behind me are three of America's most iconic pony cars and they only just been resurrected as a trio to fight again in the 21st century. To my left, the Ford Mustang, that never went away, but for 2010, it's been freshened with some new body work. Under the hood is a 4.6 liter V8 making 315 horsepower, made it to a five-speed manual transmission.
In the center, the one that we haven't seen since 1974, the Dodge Challenger returned last year, but for 2009 is available in a new RT package with 5.7 liter Hemi V8 making 376 horsepower, and made it to a six-speed manual transmission. Great looking body kit too, I must say. And of course, the one everybody has been waiting for since 2002, the F Car that disappeared, the all-new 2010 Chevy Camaro. This is the SS, with 426 horsepower, 6.2 liter V8, made it to a six-speed manual transmission. We have got all three today together for the first time here in America and we are going to find out for the 21st century which is the pony car that rules.
Now we are in the Dodge Challenger RT. This one is the big bruiser of the bunch, weighs over 4100 pounds, big broad shoulder car, real man's car. It has got a nice 376 horsepower, 5.7 liter Hemi under the hood. It goes down the road very, very nicely, I must say. It is not however as sharp edged as the Ford Mustang GT and it doesn't have the overall power and pious of the new Camaro SS. All three of these babies are fast. The Dodge Challenger RT weighs almost 600 pounds more than the Ford Mustang and a good 300 pounds than the Camaro SS.
Nonetheless, the big Dodge rips to 60 miles an hour in just 5.1 seconds. It knocks down the quarter in 13.6 seconds at 104.9 miles per hour. Not surprisingly, with all that weight, the broad shoulder Challenger finished last in our handling test, steering up just 0.82 gmax and needing 27.5 seconds at 0.63 average g to negotiate our Figure-8 test. Braking performance follows a similar pattern, the big Challenger RT needing a full 135 feet to rein in forward motion from 60 miles an hour. No one could predict this one.
In this test, it finishes third, but it's hardly last place. This is a very friendly down cruising car. It has got great straight-line speed and it is kind of car you would like to take across the country in a long trip. Lots of room inside, very comfortable ride and as I mentioned this is a fantastic power train; lots of torque, very effortless to drive.
On the negative side, interior is a little bit familiar. We have seen this before in the Chrysler 300, the steering wheel is almost exactly the same. Outside however the Challenger is extremely successful. I think of the three cars here this one is the one that most channels in the cars of your, you can almost see in that banded grill, the Challenger raced till vanishing point. It's a very faithful reincarnation of the original Challenger and yet it does look modern. It's not an exact copy.
Editor-In-Chief Angus MacKenzie sums up so well about the Dodge Challenger. It's got a hugely endearing personality. Even though the Challenger starts to fall apart dynamically above seven tenths, you can't help but like the big guy. It's sort of like the Heritage Softail Harley Davidson, a carefully crafted, easy to own reminder of a simpler sunnier America.
Well, this new Ford Mustang GT really is the embodying none other word pony club. It feels a good 25% lighter than the Camaro and about 50% lighter than the Challenger, of course it is not, but it has that very lively feel that a pony car should have. In fact this maybe one of the finest handling once we go to drive it.
With this track package on the GT, the Mustang really bites in hard, almost like a race car, when you're going through turns. Very, very impressive, all of us have commented on that driving it through the mountains up here and in fact it surprised us how good this old platform is performed.
Mustang GT carries the least impressive on paper physique. Just 4.6 liter is making 315 horsepower. But like a balancing weight it packs a hell of a punch. Nearly 600 pounds lighter than the Dodge, Ford's pony rockets to 60 miles an hour in a mere 4.9 seconds and it holds that edge through the corner, nipping the lights in 13.5 seconds and a trap speed of 104.2 miles per hour. The wearing only conventional binders, the low mass Mustang GT hammers to a stop in 60 miles an hour in just 108 feet.
The lightweight, Track Pack-enhanced Mustang GT posts the defining stats on the handling tests. Maximum grip is a neck-wrenching 0.95 g, and the GT circled our figure eight in just 25.5 sec at a 0.70g average. Of course the Mustang as you all know has a live rear axle compared with the independent rear suspension of the Camaro for instance. But it doesn't seem a huge detriment.
Yes, when you are going over some of the really rough stuff, the Camaro is just a little bit better setup than the Mustang, but the Mustang is pretty good, and as I said, the front-end grip is so impressive, but you turn in, you see I just made a bare breathe on a steering wheel and it just takes a set, it doesn't under-steer and it is a real joy to drive fast.
Some of the negatives about it; although we love the look of the interior, and Ford has done a great job making this very stylish place to do the business of driving; not put together as well as couple of the other cars in this test, the Challenger and the Camaro. Basically there is as a terrible wind leak right here, the door seal is not -- the window glass is not sealed against the door well, and the way the trunk fits frankly, this is just not up to power. There is big gaps in the body panels and you wouldn't have expected of a finished production car.
But overall, this remains a very, very attractive piece, and frankly we're just amazed that how good Ford has made this old technology work. The Mustang with Track Pack blew us all away with its sublime steering, incredible front-end grip, stylish cockpit, and beauteous V8. As our Ed Loh notes, That's what most impressed me: Ford's two competitors had the advantage of sampling 45 years of Mustang DNA, yet they still couldn't pull out a runaway win.
I think what strikes me most about driving this new 2010 Camaro SS is how grown up it is. It's got a lot of kick obviously, 426 horsepower, great 6-speed manual transmission. But it's also a quite a refined car. Nice steering feel, good ride, the engine is very smooth, very attractable this as a car, I can definitely see myself cruising across to the country end, quite comfortably. But when you hustle it hard it really comes into its own. Voice is just a little bit better than the Mustang. I notice that, when the road is getting unsettle, the bit forward driving up the mountains, the Mustang might step out a bit here and there where as the Camaro would stay planted. But, the Mustang has a little bit sharper front-end feel.
The Camaro just roll in a little bit more, but it takes a good set. It holds on hard, it is very rewarding to drive fast. It is probably -- that's 3859 pounds more than the Camaro's useful pre-existing Jetta structure. 0-60 miles an hour, it takes a mere 4.7 seconds. Quarter miles, just 13 seconds flat at 111 miles per hour, Wow!
The Camaro SS trails the Mustang GT in our handling test, but it is close behind. Maximum lateral acceleration, 0.9g and it runs through our cones at 25.82 seconds, at 0.80 average g. Blessed with four big Brembo brakes, the Camaro SS though heavier than the Mustang notches up the breaking wind, stopping from 60 miles an hour in just a 105 feet. The interior is quite nice on this Camaro too. Materials are a little bit higher grade than in the Mustang. It is very well executed, maybe not quite as overtly stylish as the Ford, but got to admire the way that GM has put this car together. All in all, a very impressively done interior.
So we've been to the test track. We've driven all three cars on highways, mountain roads as full repertoire of driving environments, and we've pick the winner. My unanimous choice, as the 21st century pony car the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS.
Considering all the ways GM could easily have got the Camaro wrong. It's nothing short of a triumph how unquestionably the company got it right. The Camaro might trail the Mustang in handling sharpness, and there's no doubt it finishes last for cabin and trunk volume, but, you don't pick your pony for the size of its saddlebags. Graced with massive power, excellent fuel efficiency, unfailing refinement, and show-stopping good looks, the Camaro SS nails every essential for its segment. What's more, it's priced to steal.
Base sticker for the 1SS manual: just $30,995. And that's why, 35 years after the Dodge Challenger, the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang last met, the Chevrolet Camaro comes out on top.
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