2018 Camaro SS Drag Races 2012 Mustang Shelby GT500, Not a Chance Is Given

Take the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, for example. Back in 2012, it had a larger engine (5.4-liter compared to 5.2-liter) and made less power (550 hp compared to 750) than the model's current iteration, showing how much things can change over a long enough period.

However, the car it competes against in this race was never its equal. The Chevrolet Camaro SS is not GM's alternative to the crazy-powerful GT500—in fact, the company doesn't even make one. The most powerful stock Camaro you can buy right now is the ZL1 with its 641 hp but, as you can see, it falls well short modern Shelby GT500's output of 750 hp.

The SS, on the other hand, makes 455 hp now, which is just as much as it did as a 2018 model year. The 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 does offer plenty of torque (455 lb-ft/617 Nm), yet it still isn't a match for its six years older opponent that has 510 lb-ft (690 Nm).

However, it's not the engine that loses the race for the Mustang, but rather a combination of the driver's slow reactions, a poor track surface that makes hooking up difficult, and a manual transmission that severely complicates matters, especially over the short distance of an eighth-mile race.

In the end, the 200+ hp handicap of the Camaro SS proved to be irrelevant as the more powerful Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 struggled to put down the power. Switching the lanes for a second run does improve the Mustang's performance as it goes down from 9.03 to 8.71 seconds with trap speeds of 85.41 (137.45 kph) and 91.16 mph (146.71 kph), respectively.

The Chevrolet Camaro SS doesn't put one foot wrong, finishing with a comfortable 8.08 seconds at 90.35 mph (145.40 kph) in the first race before nailing the start once again and winning the second one as well. So, it wasn't really any technological advancement or improved performance that helped the more modern car win the race, but just a more skilled driver.