These days, the future of the muscle car genre is in danger, with the segment's survival being linked to electrification (the recent dissolution of FCA's SRT division under the new Stellantis umbrella certainly didn't lift the spirits). Of course, until we find out more on what the Big Three are planning, die-hard aficionados can enjoy a good old drag race, as the adventure that brought us here is an example as good as any.
We're dealing with the rivalry between the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro, which has been fueling races for over five decades now.
In the Blue Oval corner, we have a 2019 Ford Mustang GT, which mixes the best tech assets brought by the pony's latest major revamp, namely the Gen III Coyote V8 and the ten-speed automatic.
As for the Golden Bowtie corner, it is occupied by a sixth-gen Camaro SS, albeit with the Chevy packing the six-speed manual. This begs an obvious question: how much of a drawback will the clutch work prove for this race? The piece of footage at the bottom of the page will definitely deliver the answer. While we're on this topic, please keep in mind not to use such street fights as examples, as the drag strip provides a safe environment for sprinting confrontations.
Of course, with both muscle monsters approach the end of their life cycles, there's a plethora of aftermarket examples out there. The machines we have here have been taken to the gym prior to the race. To be more specific, Can I Be Frank, the YouTube label that captured this shenanigan on camera, mentions a few details about the machines in question.
It seems that the 6.2-liter V8 animating the Camaro has been gifted with full bolt-on mods, while an aggressive E85 tune is also on the menu. And, to keep things competitive, at least on paper, the same can be said about the 5.0-liter V8 of the Mustang.
It's no secret that the 'Stang GT performs best in the upper rev range and you'll bee able to see its driver take full advantage of this for the start of the rolling battle.
Note that the clip also involves a bonus race, which sees two Japanese heroes that are as different as they come duking it out. We're talking about a second-generation Mazda RX-7, with the rotary toy battling a Nissan 370Z that has been taken down the turbocharging route.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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