Throttle House: 2024 Mustang GTPP vs Camaro SS 1LE - Drag Race & Lap Times

[Rate_of_Twist]

I took note that the S650 did not have Magneride but the SS1LE did and don't forget the SS1LE had a track alignment! And better tires. This was not a peer review imo.

All 1LE have Magneride, it’s part of the package.

The 1LE the had in the video had a track alignment, but that’s not the reference time they used The reference time used was the same one the always use and is listed on the website.

Either way, this is a small track and only AN example of performance not THE example of performance. Previous Mustang PP2 cars have outshined the 1LE on larger tracks (VIR) where some extra top end is helpful.

Also keep in mind a more clear competitor to a GT is a SS (non 1LE) but the SS will be a dramatically cheaper car

Point is all of this - want to track for less? 1LE, want to track faster for a little more? Mach 1 or GT350, want to roll the dice and spend even more and hope Ford didn’t F it up? DH. Don’t give a crap about the track and want a car to enjoy? GT.

To me it kinda says, don’t waste your money on the current PP as you will likely do better with after market parts.

Edit: I guess I am omitting the ZL1 Camaro which is of a similar price point at its base as the DH. I’m just not a fan of the auto only option.

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[sir5574]

I took note that the S650 did not have Magneride but the SS1LE did and don't forget the SS1LE had a track alignment! And better tires. This was not a peer review imo.

all it had was toe adjustment, and I agree the mustang didn't have mag ride... but 3 seconds on a short track isn't gonna be made up by mag ride and a toe adjustment.... and yes the Camaro did have better tires & more tire... but thats how both cars came from the factory.

Those of you saying "well all you gotta do is add tire size, different rubber & mag ride, plus an alignment"you're already 5-7k further down in the hole cost-wise compared to the Camaro.

 

[cstraley]

All 1LE have Magneride, it’s part of the package.

The 1LE the had in the video had a track alignment, but that’s not the reference time they used The reference time used was the same one the always use and is listed on the website.

Either way, this is a small track and only AN example of performance not THE example of performance. Previous Mustang PP2 cars have outshined the 1LE on larger tracks (VIR) where some extra top end is helpful.

Also keep in mind a more clear competitor to a GT is a SS (non 1LE) but the SS will be a dramatically cheaper car

Point is all of this - want to track for less? 1LE, want to track faster for a little more? Mach 1 or GT350, want to roll the dice and spend even more and hope Ford didn’t F it up? DH. Don’t give a crap about the track and want a car to enjoy? GT.

To me it kinda says, don’t waste your money on the current PP as you will likely do better with after market parts.

All SS1LE's have magride, thx I knew that. I cross shopped and drove 2 SS1LE's. I don't agree with your clear competitor comment but I don't totally disagree with it either. I honestly don't need your advice on what cars to buy I have purchased MANY. Having said that I tell people if you track your car SS1LE, if not S650. My comment was the cars were not equally optioned and shouldn't have been compared on the track. If the S650 would have had Michelin Pilot Sports, mag ride, and the Camaro had a stock alignment the Camaro would still have been faster but not as fast as it was and the S650 would have been faster so the gap would have been much smaller.

 

[cstraley]

all it had was toe adjustment, and I agree the mustang didn't have mag ride... but 3 seconds on a short track isn't gonna be made up by mag ride and a toe adjustment.... and yes the Camaro did have better tires & more tire... but thats how both cars came from the factory.

Those of you saying "well all you gotta do is add tire size, different rubber & mag ride, plus an alignment"you're already 5-7k further down in the hole cost-wise compared to the Camaro.

I don't disagree. My comment was the cars were not equally optioned and shouldn't have been compared on the track. If the S650 would have had Michelin Pilot Sports, mag ride, and the Camaro had a stock alignment the Camaro would still have been faster but not as fast as it was and the S650 would have been faster so the gap would have been much smaller.

 

[cstraley]

I'm not much of a track guy. Always been into drag more but after watching so many Camaro vs Mustang videos over course of the past several years have you ever noticed what many of these reviewers drive as a personal car the last several years? I find several of them own the GT350R while I have also noticed none of them chose a 1LE for whatever reason. Not hating. Just something I have noticed. The Mach 1 is also faster around the track than either one of them per Car & Driver lightning lap. 1LE might still have the best bang for buck though for those watching the budget real close. I think the 1LE is going up like $4000 this year though.

Ride quality, the Mustang has it in spades in comparison to the SS1LE.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

All SS1LE's have magride, thx I knew that. I cross shopped and drove 2 SS1LE's. I don't agree with your clear competitor comment but I don't totally disagree with it either. I honestly don't need your advice on what cars to buy I have purchased MANY. Having said that I tell people if you track your car SS1LE, if not S650. My comment was the cars were not equally optioned and shouldn't have been compared on the track. If the S650 would have had Michelin Pilot Sports, mag ride, and the Camaro had a stock alignment the Camaro would still have been faster but not as fast as it was and the S650 would have been faster so the gap would have been much smaller.

Yeah, I don’t have time for your dick measuring contest. I’m not telling you what car to buy, I don’t care about you or how you spend your money.

The 1LE the reference with the 1:11.58 didn’t have an alignment. Did have cup 2s so it is obviously not a 1:1 example (also, no shit)

Glad you both don’t agree or don’t totally disagree with multiple points I laid out, way to have an actual opinion and support it. I figured someone with your experience purchasing lots of cars would have more to offer

 

[Zcarmenb28]

Edit: I guess I am omitting the ZL1 Camaro which is of a similar price point at its base as the DH. I’m just not a fan of the auto only option.

ZL1 comes standard with a beefed up Tremec 6 speed. A10 is an option.

 

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[stevyirwin]

No surprises here. The GT even with the PP is vastly under tired. The SS 1LE comes with better tires (Eagle F1 Supercar) and wider 285/305. It would be nice if the PP came with a better tire/wheel setup, but that is something easily fixed. You can't easily fix the claustrophobic Camaro cabin.

The S550 PP2 has 305s on all 4 corners yet the Camaro still out handles it.

I agree that you can't easily fix the Camaro's cabin, but you also can't easily fix the fundamentally worse chassis in the Mustang.

 

[LETHAL]

650 was a non Magnaride vs the Camaro with Magnaride...

So skewed from the start. Add the tire equation in as well.

The 650 can be made into a weapon. From Flat Rock, as is, it's not quite there.

I have said this before, and we are now seeing it first hand, the departure of the Camaro is not good for us or the Mustang. You get lazy when the room is empty when you look around.

 

[Mazman]

They have actually done a 1le against pp2 with the same tire and the 1le was faster around their track.

Let's face it the alpha platform is a superior platform out the box from a dynamics perspective.

As said many times before the Mustang is under-tired in none PP2/M1 HP/DH HP. Why e.g the M1 was so quick around VIR are much a tire topic on the Mustang. I would think a GT PP would not be that far off with the same tire (if it could do a full lap ). E.g if the M4 in the R&T test on VIR would have had Cup2s of the same size as the M1 it would have lapped much quicker than with the OEM tires it had. Not a fair comparison but an extreme one is to check the differences in pace between the different tire compounds in F1/Motogp.

But the driving dynamics and feel/feedback is what it is (can obviously be altered to a certain extent) and that is coming from the architecture and philosophy of the car.

The 1LE and the price you guys on your side of the pond have been able to get them for is steal if you do track days/auto-x

Everyone buys the car that is good for their intended use and this should hopefully not be much of a concern

 

[OppoLock]

The S550/650 chassis is simply not up to par with the Alpha chassis when it comes to serving up a good base for performance and handling. Steering, ride composure, handling balance, and the ability to maximize contact and power delivery with the road surface are all superior. Denial is whining about a little toe adjustment and thinking that a set of stickier and/or wider tires will fix things up.

It’s not the PZ4s. It’s not the lack of magride. It’s simply Ford choosing to stick with a chassis that’s not up to the same task, nor offering a performance package that’s befitting the name.

You could argue that the 1LE package is as much of a deal as the performance package isn’t, but either way, I wish Ford would have transformed that package to match the ridiculous pricing increase it’s received since initial offering in 2015. For the price, MR should be standard, and the entirety of the running gear should be beefier—springs, roll bars, braces, cooling, etc. Ford made a conscious decision to literally carryover identical equipment—a set of which that’s never been aggressively “performance” oriented to begin with.

But all of it is besides the point, Thomas and James make great points: the GT excels at boulevardeiring, sounds great, looks great, rides well, and is a easier to live with. Call those “compromises” for lesser lap times, or call them for what they are: the car’s true strengths. It’s not a track weapon and never has been. The 6G Camaro SS, and especially the 1LE, thrive in that environment. Don’t get sour about it.

Let’s hope that Ford doesn’t stay cozy with the lack of competition and offers enthusiasts more focused, cost-effective packages down the road so track rats and benchmark racers have something attainable that won’t be softlocked behind a $10k+ ADM and special badge.

 

[FlyNavy86]

It all boils down to one thing, there is no perfect car. It would've been awesome to have the visibility, sound, power and comfort of the Mustang with the stock track performance and price tag of a SS 1LE - but that's not the world we live in.

 

[Interstellar]

Why is everyone ignoring that if someone wants a track car, a Camaro & Mustang are not the choice to begin with. Any Stingray Corvette is dusting them both.
For ~$40k a C6 Z06 is spanking just about any car made in the last ~20 years. That's a real "track car"

 

[Upacurb]

The S550/650 chassis is simply not up to par with the Alpha chassis when it comes to serving up a good base for performance and handling. Steering, ride composure, handling balance, and the ability to maximize contact and power delivery with the road surface are all superior. Denial is whining about a little toe adjustment and thinking that a set of stickier and/or wider tires will fix things up.

It’s not the PZ4s. It’s not the lack of magride. It’s simply Ford choosing to stick with a chassis that’s not up to the same task, nor offering a performance package that’s befitting the name.

You could argue that the 1LE package is as much of a deal as the performance package isn’t, but either way, I wish Ford would have transformed that package to match the ridiculous pricing increase it’s received since initial offering in 2015. For the price, MR should be standard, and the entirety of the running gear should be beefier—springs, roll bars, braces, cooling, etc. Ford made a conscious decision to literally carryover identical equipment—a set of which that’s never been aggressively “performance” oriented to begin with.

But all of it is besides the point, Thomas and James make great points: the GT excels at boulevardeiring, sounds great, looks great, rides well, and is a easier to live with. Call those “compromises” for lesser lap times, or call them for what they are: the car’s true strengths. It’s not a track weapon and never has been. The 6G Camaro SS, and especially the 1LE, thrive in that environment. Don’t get sour about it.

Let’s hope that Ford doesn’t stay cozy with the lack of competition and offers enthusiasts more focused, cost-effective packages down the road so track rats and benchmark racers have something attainable that won’t be softlocked behind a $10k+ ADM and special badge.

This man speaks the truth.......
Im a die hard Ford guy but can not deny- the alpha platform is just simply much better for a track car

I still dont get the steering- Throttle House have high praise for the GT350 steering...so Ford knows how to make it right- so why on earth did they ever not do whatever they did in the GT350 in the S650 (going from an S550 PP1 to an S550 GT350 - the steering really is that much better- that being said the car also tramlines like a son of a b$$$ too lol)

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