Sam CarLegion has recently pitted the seventh-generation Mustang against one direct rival and two Japanese competitors. The pony car in question is a GT with the GT Performance Package, which adds $5,295 to the final price of the V8-powered model's base MSRP of $42,460 (sans destination charge).
Before going any further, let's glance over the specs, beginning with curb weight: 3,827 pounds (1,735 kilograms) for the Mustang, followed by 3,760 pounds (1,705 kilograms) for the Camaro SS, then 3,519 and 3,343 pounds (1,596 and 1,516 kilograms) for the Nissan Z and Toyota Supra.
All four are rear-wheel drive, with all four packing six-speed manuals rather than their optional torque-converter automatics. The discontinued Camaro SS and the Mustang GT can be had with ten-speed units, whereas the Z is available with a niner and the GR Supra with ZF's eight-speed automatic.
In the order of displacement, Camaro trumps the other coupes by means of a 6.2-liter small block with 455 horsepower and 455 pound-feet (617 Nm) to its name. However, the 5.0-liter Coyote in the Mustang GT Performance Package is that bit punchier, for it's a double-overhead-cam affair.
486 horsepower as opposed to 480 for GTs with the standard exhaust system, that is. On the other hand, 1.2 fewer liters of displacement also means that it's less torquey at 415 pound-feet or 562 Nm for those who prefer the metric system. It should come as no surprise that both the Z and Supra seem underpowered compared to the Camaro SS and Mustang GT, for both are equipped with turbocharged inline-six mills.
Photo: Sam CarLegion on YouTube
The 3.0-liter unit powering the Z features a twin-turbo setup and belts out 400 horses and 350 pound-feet (475 Nm). Over at Toyota, the BMW-sourced I6 promises 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet (500 Nm) from a single turbo rather than two.
The B58 engine in that Supra is known to make a bit more power and torque than BMW says it does, which applies to the M-specific S58 as well. Given the aforementioned, are you willing to bet a tenner on the Supra in a drag race against the 'Stang?
It won said race by a whisker, and it also showed the Mustang GT Performance Package who's boss in a rolling start race from 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour). Believe it or not, the Z also managed to win against the pony car from a roll.
As for the Camaro SS, the sixth-gen model crossed the line ahead of the Mustang GT twice, partly because of the Ford's relatively long throws. Upgrading to the Mustang Dark Horse gets you a better manual in the form of the Tremec TR-3160, whereas the Mustang GT comes with the Getrag MT82.
Unfortunately, Sam CarLegion and crew haven't published any quarter-mile times on this occasion.
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. Full profile
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