A Mustang, a Camaro, and a Challenger Walk Into a Bar – Which One Would You Take Home?

We’ve seen them challenge each other to countless drag races over the years, in all possible configurations, but which one is your absolute favorite of the three, and why? We’ll get to that in a few moments, but first let’s remind ourselves about the trio by concentrating on the most powerful variants available.

Since it’s the most popular sports coupe on the planet, we’ll start with the sixth generation Ford Mustang. It has been around since 2014, albeit with a few updates, and looks more menacing compared to the Camaro, and softer over the Challenger, this writer thinks.

The Blue Oval has offered it in numerous editions, including the Shelby GT350, Bullitt, and Mach 1, in addition to the normal V8-powered GT. On top of that, this is the first-ever Mustang to rock a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine too, in the EcoBoost variant, which is pretty much the model of choice on the right side of the Atlantic Ocean, due to the obvious tax-related reasons.

However, the hottest spec that one can get is the new Shelby GT500. This one tops even the GT supercar in terms of sheer power, with 750 hp produced by the supercharged 5.2-liter V8. The incredibly powerful model takes a whopping 3.1 seconds to hit the 62 mph (100 kph) mark, and is a 10-second car down the quarter mile, on a good day.

Chevy’s sixth-gen Camaro entered production a little over a year after the ‘Stang. Thanks to the brilliant chassis setup, the bowtie brand’s model has often been compared to a sports car rather than a muscle car, because it can actually handle corners. The visibility might not be its strong point, but with the optional blind spot monitoring, it’s definitely not an issue for any petrolhead.

Like its direct rival from Ford, the Camaro is also offered in different configurations, including a controversial 2.0-liter four-banger, and it is the ZL1 that holds the top spot. A whining 6.2-liter V8 engine lies under the hood of the range-topper, with 650 hp, 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 3.6 seconds, and a quarter mile time that takes around 10 seconds.

While Ford and Chevrolet both have more modern muscle cars in their portfolio, Dodge couldn’t be bothered with that. The third generation Challenger originally entered production back in 2008, and has seen a few updates over the years. It too can be specified with different powertrains, but a turbo-four isn’t among them.

As for the most powerful variant, that would be the SRT Super Stock. A supercharged 6.2-liter V8 lies at the heart of this version, developing a phenomenal 807 horsepower. The indirect replacement of the Demon takes less than 3.5 seconds to sprint to 62 mph (100 kph), and it is also a 10-second car, though mastering all that dizzying thrust isn’t for the faint of heart.

In terms of pricing, the Camaro ZL1 is the most affordable, with an MSRP of $63,000 at the time of writing, followed by the Mustang Shelby GT500, from $72,900, and Challenger SRT Super Stock from $82,465.

So, which one would you go for? The sleek Camaro, ultra-popular Mustang, or old-school Challenger? If it was for showoff purposes only, then the Dodge would probably be my first choice, but in the real world, I’d rather live with the Chevrolet, and as much as I like the Mustang, the lack of steering feedback would probably keep me away from it.