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Track Battle: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Races the C8 Corvette Stingray Z51

Have you ever wondered why Chevrolet switched to a midship design for the C8 Corvette? That’s because a front-engine car with 755 horsepower like the previous-gen ZR1 is a bit of a handful when it comes to putting all that suck-squeeze-bang-blow down to the ground, and the same problem affects the Shelby GT500.
2020 GT500 VS C8 CORVETTE - ON TRACK COMPARISON (Lap Breakdown) 24 photos
Photo: Speed Phenom on YouTube
Stock C8 Corvette Stingray Z51 Develops 466 RWHP on the DynoHennessey 1,200 HP C8 Corvette Stingray with twin-turbo V8 upgradeHennessey 1,200 HP C8 Corvette Stingray with twin-turbo V8 upgradeHennessey 1,200 HP C8 Corvette Stingray with twin-turbo V8 upgradeHennessey 1,200 HP C8 Corvette Stingray with twin-turbo V8 upgrade2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive2020 Shelby GT500 European import by Peicher Automotive
For the 2020 model year, the king ‘Stang develops no fewer than 760 horsepower and loads of torque. YouTube vlogger Speed Phenom paid $81,000 for his muscly pony, and that’s not exactly fine as far as handling is concerned. If he were to spend $18,500 on the Carbon Fiber Track Package, the Shelby GT500 would’ve been treated to Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2 rubber boots and adjustable strut top mounts.

As you can tell from Speed Phenom’s track day at Willow Springs, the Shelby GT500 feels bumpy in various parts of the circuit and the rear end tends to slip out in the second corner because there’s too much weight over the front axle. The owner’s verdict, unfortunately, can be summed up as “not easy to drive fast.”

Moving on to the Stingray Z51, the 495-horsepower output rating of the small-block V8 may put the C8 Corvette at a disadvantage at first glance. However, the lower weight and better weight distribution than the Shelby GT500 make the mid-engine newcomer far easier to drive on the racetrack as well as a lot less bumpy.

“It feels like a glove.” That’s how Speed Phenom describes how it's like to sit in the driver’s seat. Even with the $1,500 Handling Package on deck, the Shelby GT500 develops less downforce than the Stingray Z51. Set the C8 Corvette in Race Mode to turn off the traction control, and the car “feels so planted. It gives you pure confidence driving the car. That tail end – it’s not going anywhere.”

Through turn two, the ‘Vette is capable of holding 90-plus miles per hour in the hands of Speed Phenom while the Shelby is approximately 10 miles per hour slower. As the man says, the mid-engine sports car “corners harder and faster than the base GT500” around the Willow Springs racetrack near Rosamond, California.

As mentioned time and again, the secret to diminishing the understeery nature of the C8 is to trail brake in order to bring some weight down on the front axle and to help rotate the car a little. “Overall, the new Corvette is a much more approachable car to drive fast.” The thing is, “it’s not as forgiving as the Shelby” when the tail kicks out.

Speed Phenom doesn’t give the lap times for the two American hotshots, but they’re pretty close nonetheless. The side-by-side comparison is a clear indicator that straight-line speed is the specialty of the GT500 while the C8 eliminates the slithering pony’s advantage by carrying more speed while carving corners.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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