Boosted Mustangs Go Head to Head in 2,000-HP Drag Race, There Can Be Only One

If you ever want to see how creative people can get with their cars, just go onto a Mustang owner group and ask the people there what kind of engine they're using: a naturally-aspirated or a boosted one? And if they're addicted to boost, have they chosen the turbocharger or the supercharger path? Now, one could go on for hours and hours about the benefits of each kind of setup, but what's going to be more effective when going in a straight line?

Today's drag race might provide an answer to that question. For starters, we're looking at a supercharged Mustang GT that's rated for about 980 horsepower and 730 lb-ft of torque. The car's running on a Stage 6 Whipple supercharger, which doesn't come cheap, but then again, we are talking about almost 1,000 horsepower here. Weighing in at 1,650 kg, this Mustang is not lightweight, but it should be quite fast going down the quarter-mile (402 meters).

Its opponent for the day is a twin-turbocharged Mustang GT. This one has about 30 less horsepower but some 70 lb-ft more when compared to its rival. Both cars have been built by the same company, weigh more or less the same and are using similar spec tires. The question we have to ask ourselves now is, will the extra torque make up for the horsepower disadvantage? For the first test of the day, both drivers will be aiming to hit 60 mph (96 kph) from a standstill, as fast as possible.

Traction levels are less than ideal, as the turbo Mustang finishes its first run in 5.35 seconds. Its opponent is slightly faster going off the line and comes up with a 4.91 seconds run. It goes on to complete the standing quarter-mile in 12.56 seconds, which is slower than you would expect from a car with these power ratings. Even so, it's still faster than the twin-turbo Mustang, which comes in 2nd place with a 12.88-second run.

You can't help but wonder if traction levels are really poor, if the drivers aren't going all out or if the dyno sheets for these two vehicles are slightly optimistic, to say the least. The head-to-head race should further shed some light on our initial question, but for now, the driver of the supercharged Mustang is in the lead. They're off to a relatively slow start, but it doesn't take long for them to get up to speed. Time and time again, the supercharger comes out on top, and the rolling drag race turns out to be just as exciting as what we've seen so far.