The Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro, and Ford Mustang are American icons for several reasons. They offer affordable performance and styling and plenty of tuning capabilities and options. A new Carwow video shows off some of that aftermarket action with a tuned Camaro ZL1 and Mustang GT competing against a stock Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
The Dodge has a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that makes 808 horsepower and 707 pound-feet of torque. It powers the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The Mustang has the smallest engine but the most power. Its supercharged 5.0-liter V8 makes 859 horsepower and 665 lb-ft of torque. It’s also the only coupe with a six-speed manual between the engine and the rear wheels, making it the trickiest to launch.
The Camaro ZL1 typically delivers 650 hp from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, but this one has been tuned to make 770 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque. It powers the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic gearbox. It tips the scales at 3,853 pounds, a bit more than the 3,791-lbs Mustang and much less than the hefty Challenger SRT Hellcat weighing 5,088 lbs.
The Camaro finished the first race in second place, narrowly losing to the Dodge. It was also the only race it could compete in, the Chevy throwing a check engine light just after crossing the finish line and ending its day early. The Mustang finished far behind in third, struggling for the necessary traction needed to put all the power to the rear wheels through the gearbox.
However, the Mustang got a much better launch in the next two races, beating the Challenger to the quarter-mile finish line both times. It completed the race in 12.5 seconds, with the Dodge needing 12.7. The Camaro completed it in 12.9 seconds.
The Dodge clawed back during the two rolling races, winning both against the Ford. However, it lost the brake test as the Mustang stopped at a much shorter distance than the heavier Dodge. The chances of seeing the newest Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger drag racing will be fewer and far between as both the Chevy and Dodge cease production soon.
