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Shelby GT500 Takes on C8 Corvette in Drag Race and Track Battle

The Chevy Corvette has always faced strong opposition from the muscle car segment. But does switching to a mid-engined layout finally solve that problem, or does the C8's higher price put it right in the crosshairs of the legendary Ford Mustang Shelby GT500?
Shelby GT500 Takes on C8 Corvette in Drag Race and Track Battle 5 photos
Photo: Throttle House/YouTube screenshot
Shelby GT500 Takes on C8 Corvette in Drag Race and Track BattleShelby GT500 Takes on C8 Corvette in Drag Race and Track BattleShelby GT500 Takes on C8 Corvette in Drag Race and Track BattleShelby GT500 Takes on C8 Corvette in Drag Race and Track Battle
On the face of it, these two shouldn't have anything in common. One is an American take on precision and the other a powerhouse with a legendary racing name. But they somehow end up costing similar money, and Throttle House reviewers immediately want to point out the tires are the same as well.

Beyond that, the power gap is massive. Even with the Z51 performance package, the C8 Corvette only makes 495 horsepower. Meanwhile, the Shelby GT500 is Ford's current most powerful machine at 760 hp.

You'd think the Mustang with way more power is faster, but as we've seen in a recent drag race, the Corvette puts its power down perfectly. Maybe Chevy engineers were right when they said the C7 had reached the limits of what could be done with front-mounted V8s.

But owning one of these is about so much more than just putting your foot down and going fast... it's also about putting your foot down and hearing a V8 engine. In that regard, the supercharged Shelby track toy is superior. And while the proportions of the C8 are cool, there's just something special about Shelby racing stripes.

If you'd like to see what a Mustang might look like if it were mid-engined, we've got a few renderings for that. However, the proportions of the super-pony are still to be celebrated and enjoyed. Obviously, since it's the flagship model, the aggression is dialed up to eleven.

This video has a drag race too; you can't put cars like this together and not unleash them. The C8 wins the dig and loses in the rolling race, just like you'd expect. Don't worry, when the track test follows, it's none of that boring stuff.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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