Chevrolet Camaro Z28 vs. Ford Mustang GT - Car and Driver
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s Our prime combatants (the V-6s are detailed in a sidebar) were well-equipped versions of the 228 and Mustang GT, both 1999 models. Although a base Mustang GT and a standard 228 are priced almost identically $21 ,395 versus $21 ,405 -our testers were separated by almost $1500$24,341for the Chevy vs. $22,855 for the Mustang, due to the Camaro's $1591 pre-
-
ferred equipment package (including power goodies. remole entry. and an
alarm-all
standard on the Ford). For the Camaro. 1999 isn't much of change from 1998. The only signifi-
a
pound, a fancy way of saying Plastic, rather than sheet steel). There are bigger side scoops ahead ofthe rear wheel wells (although their function continues to be purely decorative), a new front fascia with wraparound headlights and an expanded grille, bigger taillamps, and sharper definition to the fender flares. The widened (by 1 .4 inches) rear track brings the wheels out closer to the edges of the bodywork. All in all, there's an engagingly edgy look to the new package that was missing
cant update is the 228's standard
I
with 2 p_assengers
Zexel forsen limited-slip differential. But it's a different story for the '99
Mustang, which has undergone its first serious makeover in five years.
l-9.1D-^-.^^-
For example, although the basic shape is familiar. almost all the skin is new,
be
it ferrous or nonferous (the
new
seemed tame c 305 hp and 33
So for'99, chos got serior
almost a dead heat. So how'd they do that? We were less than impressed when Ford rePlaced
4.6-liter V-8 h lift cams with
the Mustang's old 4.9-liter pushrod V-8 with the current 4.6-liter SOHC V-8 in 1996. Amid the corPorate hosannas lauding technoprogress, we noted that the peak output figures for the modern new engine were exactlY the same as the antiquated old one's: 215 horsepower and 285 Pound-feet
ease.of
3
I
i:
rll
gear' iI
top
50-70
mph I
intake runners
tion. Two
since the heyd loadholding,
I
speed, speed' top'mph
mph
r
braking,
I
| 70-0 mPh' feet i
3.(
exhaust back important,lenr exhaust note, sounds we've
300-foot skidpad, g
I
I
158 (governed)
s,o
t
I
ir
FORD
MUSTANG GT
tq.s @ 98 mph
transmission/
gear ratiosil / maximum test speed' mph/ axle ratio:1
price,
basel as tested
CHEVROLET GAMARO z,28
of torque. For from the 4.6
If
the 228 hadn't Posted an improvement of its own-5.2 seconds vs. 5.4 back in '93-it would have been 1993).
acceleration, seconds street start, i top gear' 5-60 mph | 30-50 mph
104 mph
I
ffi
under that resculptured hood, enough to chop the Mustang's 0-to-60-mph time to 5.5 seconds,0.6 second quicker than the last GT to take on aZ28 (C/D, December
Subjectlve ratings in both categories were assigned by 2 editors on a 1-to's scae (5 being best).
i
CAMARO 228
'
I r I r |
i 0_60 i 0_100 i 0_130 ii r/a-mile i| I mph r mph I mph 13.8 @ i 5,2 i tg.a
CHEVROLET
on the previous version, as well as a suggestion of more brawn to go with it. And that's a suggestion that should be taken seriously. There are many more ponies
rear decklid is made of sheet-molded com-
|
\ I I I
$21,405./ $24,341
pushrod 1 6-valve V-8, 346 cu (5665cc), alumlnum block and heads, GM engine-control system with port fue njection I
I i
n
i
rSOHC 16-valve V 8, 281 cu 'n l(4601cc), lron block and aluminum i heacls, Lo,d EEC-V engine'control s/cTer wirh por. fuel 'njectior I
| 305 bhp @ 5200 rpm/ i 335 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
tl ll tl
|
i
manual/ t 66, ir8;l,50; .oo, 0 74, o,bo/ 49, 73, 99, 129,158,144/ 3.42 6-speed
1
| 260 bhp @ 5250 rpm/t, 5-speed manual./ I 300 lb ft @ 4000 rpm i 3.37, 1.99, 1,33, 1.00, 0.67l 40, 68, 02, 1 35, 1 38.i
curb i
weight
weight, I distribution, pounds i o/o front/rear |
3443 | I
|
I
|
I
i
dimensions
I
i
55.9/44.1
I
i
56.1 ,/43.9
183.2
1
3.27 CAR and DRIVER
FEBRUARY
1
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Gheurolet Gamaro Z:28 Highs: Face-distorting thrust, slick good looks, six-speed gearbox.
Lows: Ponderous feel, choppy ride, poor seating.
The Verdict: Dated in a number of ways, but still an untouchable blast for the bucks.
ll
Bacl
New
deter
comparecl
Guess lvh:
overall appearance were already old l0
remarked that the 228's behavior was "floppy" and that there was "not much grip." Later, in a slightly shaky hand, the same author added, "Oversteers, too." In contrast, the Mustang's conduct through the cones was recorded as "very secure. no dramatics, balanced." We planned to augment these obser-
years ago. On the other hand, the Mustang has some magic that the Camaro seems to lack. Although we were evenly divided on which of these two cars looked the best-the chunky, muscular style of the Mustang or the Camaro's shark shapethe folks we encountered during our two weeks with these cars didn't even want to know about the 228. All the queries concemed the latest Mustang, and they were uniformly enthusiastic. Comments
vations in the controlled environment of a road-racing circuit and accordingly saddled up for a trek from Ann Arbor
to GingerMan Raceway, a
very
thoughtfully designed (read: forgiving) new track a few miles from the eastem shore of Lake Michigan. Alas, as we drew close, the gray skies made good on their threat of rain, a gentle drizzle that lasted the rest of the day. We slithered around the track for a while, an activity that told us that even with traction control these cars tend to oversteer in damp conditions and that anti-lock braking is indeed a good thing. Dulr. Since neithel of these
findings falls into the realm of blinding revelation, we splashed off homeward, leaving our high-speed-handling comparisons for the lightly traveled back roads we normally use for our annual lOBest com-
oetition. When the dust had settled, our initial
impressions
of the Mustang's
agile
like "Wow!" and "Cooll" were
heard
more than once.
Add that kind of popularity to
itseif to the true enthusiast. The Mustang's seats came in for a number of negative comments-flimsy bolsters and marginal padding. We also found the action of the five-speed shifter somewhat stiff and its placement a bit too far forward. Similarly, placement of the brake and throttle pedals-too much separation, both vefiically and horizontallymade it all but impossible to execute proper heel-and-toe downshifts. unless the driver happened to have an ankle equipped with
handling. and its quick. accurate sleering.
an extra Heim joint or two. And we
were tempered by persistent complaints about understeer. Even though this trait
devoutly wish Ford would update this car's audio controls. The tiny buttons and the
up a notch or two, plus a clear edge in comfort, and it's clear the Mustang has a new lease on life.
The challenge in forming a rational opinion of the 228 lies in seeing past its prodigious power. For the uninitiated, this will probably require a minimum of two hours behind the wheel-or perhaps two years, who knows?-before some of the not-so-endearing elements become tangible through the red haze of small-block V-8 thrust. Small is a relative word here, of course. The 228's 5.7-liter LS 1 V-8a sliehtlv detuned version ofthe Corvette's CAR and
uhen
DRIVER
1
E"Cort When
c,per
of its X\
a
lnuatlY
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how
tet
does ei
f,lFahe, Should
Per-
formance that's definitely been clicked reduces the chance of drivers making truly disastrous errors, it's not one that endears
the six ner All oth
detr
tested are s from the sar they were sr Valontir
detecto
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ANIOJ AS
'sFIr uBr{l uEcrrorrfv-IlE orour qcnlu lo8 t6usoop tI :JC SuBlsnI I prod 'sl* BGZ orEIuBS f,req3
'ulEnu 'nu ,H1|UI! OJ ErilE3 seuas 6uo1 E u! ZJ'o1r;
s Our prime combatants (the V-6s are detailed in a sidebar) were well-equipped versions of the 228 and Mustang GT, both 1999 models. Although a base Mustang GT and a standard 228 are priced almost identically $21 ,395 versus $21 ,405 -our testers were separated by almost $1500$24,341for the Chevy vs. $22,855 for the Mustang, due to the Camaro's $1591 pre-
-
ferred equipment package (including power goodies. remole entry. and an
alarm-all
standard on the Ford). For the Camaro. 1999 isn't much of change from 1998. The only signifi-
a
pound, a fancy way of saying Plastic, rather than sheet steel). There are bigger side scoops ahead ofthe rear wheel wells (although their function continues to be purely decorative), a new front fascia with wraparound headlights and an expanded grille, bigger taillamps, and sharper definition to the fender flares. The widened (by 1 .4 inches) rear track brings the wheels out closer to the edges of the bodywork. All in all, there's an engagingly edgy look to the new package that was missing
cant update is the 228's standard
I
with 2 p_assengers
Zexel forsen limited-slip differential. But it's a different story for the '99
Mustang, which has undergone its first serious makeover in five years.
l-9.1D-^-.^^-
For example, although the basic shape is familiar. almost all the skin is new,
be
it ferrous or nonferous (the
new
seemed tame c 305 hp and 33
So for'99, chos got serior
almost a dead heat. So how'd they do that? We were less than impressed when Ford rePlaced
4.6-liter V-8 h lift cams with
the Mustang's old 4.9-liter pushrod V-8 with the current 4.6-liter SOHC V-8 in 1996. Amid the corPorate hosannas lauding technoprogress, we noted that the peak output figures for the modern new engine were exactlY the same as the antiquated old one's: 215 horsepower and 285 Pound-feet
ease.of
3
I
i:
rll
gear' iI
top
50-70
mph I
intake runners
tion. Two
since the heyd loadholding,
I
speed, speed' top'mph
mph
r
braking,
I
| 70-0 mPh' feet i
3.(
exhaust back important,lenr exhaust note, sounds we've
300-foot skidpad, g
I
I
158 (governed)
s,o
t
I
ir
FORD
MUSTANG GT
tq.s @ 98 mph
transmission/
gear ratiosil / maximum test speed' mph/ axle ratio:1
price,
basel as tested
CHEVROLET GAMARO z,28
of torque. For from the 4.6
If
the 228 hadn't Posted an improvement of its own-5.2 seconds vs. 5.4 back in '93-it would have been 1993).
acceleration, seconds street start, i top gear' 5-60 mph | 30-50 mph
104 mph
I
ffi
under that resculptured hood, enough to chop the Mustang's 0-to-60-mph time to 5.5 seconds,0.6 second quicker than the last GT to take on aZ28 (C/D, December
Subjectlve ratings in both categories were assigned by 2 editors on a 1-to's scae (5 being best).
i
CAMARO 228
'
I r I r |
i 0_60 i 0_100 i 0_130 ii r/a-mile i| I mph r mph I mph 13.8 @ i 5,2 i tg.a
CHEVROLET
on the previous version, as well as a suggestion of more brawn to go with it. And that's a suggestion that should be taken seriously. There are many more ponies
rear decklid is made of sheet-molded com-
|
\ I I I
$21,405./ $24,341
pushrod 1 6-valve V-8, 346 cu (5665cc), alumlnum block and heads, GM engine-control system with port fue njection I
I i
n
i
rSOHC 16-valve V 8, 281 cu 'n l(4601cc), lron block and aluminum i heacls, Lo,d EEC-V engine'control s/cTer wirh por. fuel 'njectior I
| 305 bhp @ 5200 rpm/ i 335 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
tl ll tl
|
i
manual/ t 66, ir8;l,50; .oo, 0 74, o,bo/ 49, 73, 99, 129,158,144/ 3.42 6-speed
1
| 260 bhp @ 5250 rpm/t, 5-speed manual./ I 300 lb ft @ 4000 rpm i 3.37, 1.99, 1,33, 1.00, 0.67l 40, 68, 02, 1 35, 1 38.i
curb i
weight
weight, I distribution, pounds i o/o front/rear |
3443 | I
|
I
|
I
i
dimensions
I
i
55.9/44.1
I
i
56.1 ,/43.9
183.2
1
3.27 CAR and DRIVER
FEBRUARY
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Gheurolet Gamaro Z:28 Highs: Face-distorting thrust, slick good looks, six-speed gearbox.
Lows: Ponderous feel, choppy ride, poor seating.
The Verdict: Dated in a number of ways, but still an untouchable blast for the bucks.
ll
Bacl
New
deter
comparecl
Guess lvh:
overall appearance were already old l0
remarked that the 228's behavior was "floppy" and that there was "not much grip." Later, in a slightly shaky hand, the same author added, "Oversteers, too." In contrast, the Mustang's conduct through the cones was recorded as "very secure. no dramatics, balanced." We planned to augment these obser-
years ago. On the other hand, the Mustang has some magic that the Camaro seems to lack. Although we were evenly divided on which of these two cars looked the best-the chunky, muscular style of the Mustang or the Camaro's shark shapethe folks we encountered during our two weeks with these cars didn't even want to know about the 228. All the queries concemed the latest Mustang, and they were uniformly enthusiastic. Comments
vations in the controlled environment of a road-racing circuit and accordingly saddled up for a trek from Ann Arbor
to GingerMan Raceway, a
very
thoughtfully designed (read: forgiving) new track a few miles from the eastem shore of Lake Michigan. Alas, as we drew close, the gray skies made good on their threat of rain, a gentle drizzle that lasted the rest of the day. We slithered around the track for a while, an activity that told us that even with traction control these cars tend to oversteer in damp conditions and that anti-lock braking is indeed a good thing. Dulr. Since neithel of these
findings falls into the realm of blinding revelation, we splashed off homeward, leaving our high-speed-handling comparisons for the lightly traveled back roads we normally use for our annual lOBest com-
oetition. When the dust had settled, our initial
impressions
of the Mustang's
agile
like "Wow!" and "Cooll" were
heard
more than once.
Add that kind of popularity to
itseif to the true enthusiast. The Mustang's seats came in for a number of negative comments-flimsy bolsters and marginal padding. We also found the action of the five-speed shifter somewhat stiff and its placement a bit too far forward. Similarly, placement of the brake and throttle pedals-too much separation, both vefiically and horizontallymade it all but impossible to execute proper heel-and-toe downshifts. unless the driver happened to have an ankle equipped with
handling. and its quick. accurate sleering.
an extra Heim joint or two. And we
were tempered by persistent complaints about understeer. Even though this trait
devoutly wish Ford would update this car's audio controls. The tiny buttons and the
up a notch or two, plus a clear edge in comfort, and it's clear the Mustang has a new lease on life.
The challenge in forming a rational opinion of the 228 lies in seeing past its prodigious power. For the uninitiated, this will probably require a minimum of two hours behind the wheel-or perhaps two years, who knows?-before some of the not-so-endearing elements become tangible through the red haze of small-block V-8 thrust. Small is a relative word here, of course. The 228's 5.7-liter LS 1 V-8a sliehtlv detuned version ofthe Corvette's CAR and
uhen
DRIVER
1
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c,per
of its X\
a
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percent rar VaIen,ti
how
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does ei
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Per-
formance that's definitely been clicked reduces the chance of drivers making truly disastrous errors, it's not one that endears
the six ner All oth
detr
tested are s from the sar they were sr Valontir
detecto
"This
is
