C8 Corvette vs. Shelby GT500 Acceleration Test Yields Obvious Results

20-inch tires that measure 305/30 up front and 315/30 out back come standard, and even though we’re talking about Michelin PS4 rubber, real-world acceleration leaves much to be desired. Specifically, launching off the line on a public road is a very different affair from a prepped drag strip.

GT500 owner Speed Phenom demonstrated how hard it is to race the Shelby on real roads, pitting his car against the C8 Corvette with the Z51 Performance Package. The mid-engine sports car posted 3.5 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), putting the torque down to the wheels with minimal spin. The Mustang, on the other hand, is “spinning the entire way."

4.7, 4.9, and 4.8 seconds are the numbers you’re looking for, more than a second off the See-Eight. In ideal conditions, however, the Shelby can launch in 3.6 seconds in the hands of Speed Phenom as opposed to 3.3 seconds according to Ford. The YouTuber also mentions the “built-in delay” of the dual-clutch transmission in launch control mode, hindering the zero-to-sixty performance of the GT500 against the ‘Vette.

The best time posted by the C8 is 2.7 seconds, but on the quarter-mile, the Chevy has nothing on the most powerful Ford ever made. At the drag strip, the Shelby posted 10.6 seconds and some people have even dipped into the 10.5s. For reference, the Ford Motor Company claims 10.7 seconds stock.

On an ending note, it wouldn’t be correct to say that the GT500 is superior to the Corvette or vice versa. These are extremely different machines that cater to extremely different people, and diversity makes the world go round.