Your humble E-I-C has already driven the new C7 in anger around a road course (of sorts), and I’ve also driven the current-gen GT500. The C7 is just brilliant, but at least four out of the five times I consider the issue I think I’d rather have the Mustang. Now we have the two cars going head-to-head where it really matters: the streets, yo.
Compared to the stuff our friends in the auto media have been hyping-up lately, this is pretty tame, but I wish to reiterate that TTAC does not support street racing and that most of us retired from street racing years ago. ‘Cause we went legit, homie. Why’s the race go down the way it does? It’s simple. The Vette has an automatic transmission and more tire underneath it, so it isn’t until aero and horsepower start to become really critical that the Shelby pulls it back. This race is probably a bit longer than a standard quarter-mile, but look for both cars to easily turn elevens in the hands of skilled operators.
I ejoyed driving the C7, but I’d rather have the Viper SRT.
I enjoyed driving the Viper SRT, but I’d rather have the McLaren F1.
I’ve never driven a Mclaren, but I’d sell my neighborhood into slavery for a Veyron Supersport.
+1
BTSR is always good for some crimes against humanity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity
I enjoy driving a lot of high-performance vehicles at the track, but I will have to wait until I win the powerball to owne one.
I wonder if the Shelby used launch control? Its to bad the earlier cars didn’t benefit from that technology. The comparatively poor front/rear weight ratio and the torquey tall deck MOD V8 and HEaton blower make the Shelby a real handful to launch.
I’ve been able to eek out mid elevens in my car on a prepped surface and some suspension mods albeit with a crappy 60′ time.
I love the new “Trinity” Shelby GT500 and it’s beastly, the new Corvette is a masterpiece, save for the non-Corvette tail lights, but what if they made a ZR1 model of it….
I saw one drive by me today, this car looks much much better in person.
The exhaust on the C7 is amazingly loud for a stock vehicle. Surprised they were able to get away with that.
Pretty fast sounding shifts as well for a conventional automatic.
I was going to say…the C7 is an automatic….SLOW! Of course the Shelby is around 600+ horsepower.
That C7 sounds great to my ear.
Love the selfie in the Vette’s reflection there. :)
A friend of mine has an original ’01 CObra Mustang. It’s similair in performance; not too quick off the line but has incredible torque to catch up and just climb up the MPH with no end in sight.
Interesting that you say that, a lot of Mustang guys consider the naturally aspirated Cobras to be comparatively soft on torque. Ford did a much better job in that regard with the late model Mach 1.
Its a shame the 5.4 from the 2000 Cobra R wasn’t considered for production but I suppose the Terminator program with its supercharged V8 was well on its way when they rolled out the R.
“for which you have been waiting” vs. “what you have been waiting for.”
Thank you, EIC, for using the former and not the latter. The English Proctor in me heartily approves.
Well, the pedagogue in stares askance at your screen name: “thats (sic) one fast cat”
That’s not good.
May be a software limitation – No apostrophes allowed in name? Nevertheless, he could’ve used “That is one fast cat.”
I see “for which you’ve been hoping”, not “waiting”. Heh.
Old joke
Redneck touring Yale gets thirsty. “Can you tell me where the water fountain is at?”
Tour guide: “here at Yale we do not end our sentences in prepositions.”
Redneck: “can you tell me where the water fountain is at, asshole?”
The planet just warmed 0.00001°C from the CO2 released by their little stunt. They should be arrested.
.
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Please post another update when a C7 makes it into one of those “when corvettes attack” montages.
Saw my first C7 the other day, it was driving by going the opposite way. I am still not sure how I feel about the styling. I am waiting until I see one up close.
I know this is just a street race but having the windows down in both cars has to affect performance, at least a little.
The C7’s GM brought to Hot August Nights were enough to convince me that it’s not just the camera adding bulk to that backside. It looks ungainly and *fat* viewed from it’s 6.
Oh Jack, Jack, Jack. For how long must we wait (nod to thats one fast cat) to finally see the C7 review that you have promised us? I keep searching the R&T site. By the time we read your take on it, other than “I think I’d rather have the Mustang”, the C7 will be old news!