Not too long ago, you needed tuners to enjoy the kind of muscle delivered by the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the C7 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. And since the aftermarket the industry has progressed, it's only natural for the two slabs of America to be taken down this pathway. And what sweeter way to compare such gym-visiting beasts than a race?
We're looking at what is probably the most powerful S550 GT500 out there, while its Chevy opponent has received plenty of work to remain competitive for social media stunts like this one.
Interestingly, the 'Stang and the Corvette (owned by YouTuber Street Speed 717, who brought us this adventure) duked it out on two levels, with their drivers only unleashing full power for the final battle.
Round One
The first fight saw the 5.2-liter supercharged V8 of the pony, which produces 765 crank hp in factory form, running on full E85, albeit without sipping on nitrous, and that meant the engine delivered around 1,000 hp at the rear wheels (that would be close to 1,200 hp at the crank).
As for the also-blown 6.2-liter V8 animating the Corvette, which is rated at 755 crank horsepower from the factory, this ran on pump gas, making 850 wheel horsepower (around 1,000 hp at the crank).
Round Two
This part of the confrontation saw the Mustang using nitrous and thus boosting the output to 1,100 wheel horsepower (approximately 1,300 hp). As for the C7 ZR1, it switched to MS109 race fuel, which brought its muscle number to 910 wheel horsepower (north of 1,050 crank hp).
Note that the Ford's dual-clutch tranny is quicker than the automatic unit of the Chevy, but, according to the owner of the ZR1, shifting into fifth gear under full power (on MS109) sometimes leads to slippage.
We must also mention that the Corvette ZR1 is over 650 lbs (300 kg) lighter than the Mustang Shelby GT500.
Sure, these two raced on the street, but please don't use this as an example and head over to the track when you feel it's time for competitive hooning - the sprinting action kicks off at the 6:52 point of the video below.
PS: The adventure also features bonus stunts, namely racing the two machines with passengers and a fight between the ZR1 and a modded Suzuki Hayabusa (10:07 timestamp).
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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