I was cruising on the freeway, doing about 70, when this Mustang GT pulled alongside of me. I just ignored him, but I was wondering who would have won. I know they can go from 0-60 fast, but since we were already moving, I'm thinking I could have buried him if I wanted. Am I right? It made no sense to race him, since there was quite a bit of traffic and this freeway is one where the troopers write lots of tickets. Anyway, I get my racing thrills vicariously through this forum, because I will be in soooo much trouble if I get a speeding ticket, so I was hoping you guys could tell me just what I was up against.

Thanks in advance.
RJ

Silver '04 C5
Borla Stinger exhaust

 

Hey RJ.....he's lucky you decided to forgive his indiscretion of wanting to race you....I admire your mercy!!!
I displayed no such mercy tonight on my way home from the movies (I saw World Trade Center). Wow, what an impactful movie....anyway...there's a long stretch of street near my house and it's 11:10pm here in Cali. So I came to a light that had just turned green and since the car in my lane was just starting to take off I decided to switch lanes to the empty lane beside this late model Camaro with cool exhaust tips poking out the rear of what obviously sounded like a V8.

So I pull up next to him but I did not mean to race him or challenge him or anything like that. However, I think he interpreted my actions as hostile and he began to egg me on as we are going about 45 mph or so. So he gunned it first and then I reacted...I was late in reacting because, like I said, my mind wasn't in racing mode. I even had my AC on and my traction control on. But despite that I did gun it too and he slowly but surely dissapeared from my left side. I eventually got in his lane because he was so far behind me that I had plenty of room....at the next traffic light (about half a mile down the road) he made a quick right hand turn while I got in the left turn lane. In the middle two lanes two other cars separated us that were going to continue straight.

I then thought to myself..."What the heck was he thinking???????" Camaro (maybe Z28) vs. C5.....oh well....

 

I can't see any competently driven, stock C5 getting embarrassed by any stock Mustang GT, even one of the newer Hertz 330 HP (you cannot buy these, believe it or not, only rent them from Hertz: the GT you can buy is only 300 HP). In fact, I doubt a good, late-year C4 would have a problem dealing with one, either.

A C5 has about a 5-10% weight advantage on the Mustang, depending on model, and 45-50 more HP. The Mustang's only advantage is in the transmission: many of them have the five speed auto which gives them a good tight ratio off the line that an A4 Corvette does not have, and they do accelerate fast away from a standing start. But you have to keep this in perspective: so does a C5. Anyone who says the Mustang is very fast off the line should add "for a 3500 lb car with less than five liters displacement." It's fast, it is just not quite Corvette fast.

So, I would expect a stock C5 of any type to pull away from a stock Mustang GT of any type, starting from stationary, or in a rolling start from any speed up to the Mustang's considerably lower top speed. How fast it would pull away would depend on the exact models involved, but even the heaviest and lowest-geared C5 (convertible, auto) should win against even the lightest Mustang GT with a performance axle.

But don't expect a blow out. An average figure for a standard M6 C5 in the quarter is maybe 13.3 seconds at about 108 (yeah, I know, many of you do better, but let's use this) and a very good figure for a stock new Mustang GT, 13.7 at 103(yeah, yeah, same thing applies). That works out to around four-five car lengths by the end of the quarter: in 13 seconds of flat out racing the C5 can put 5 lengths on the Mustang -- one for about every two and one half seconds, and at the end of the quarter mile it is pulling away from the Mustang at a rate where it is adding a length to that every second and one half. That is a convincing win, but not a complete blow out. An convertible C5 (a bit heavier) with an auto and standard (non performance) axle ratio would find the Mustang a bit of a challenge, but I would not expect it to lose.

Of course, it is worth thinking about this: there are a lot of Mustangs out there that are modified. It doesn't cost much to buy .5 seconds in the 1/4 mile. Then its a pretty fair match if the C5 is stock.

 

Outstanding!!!! Thanks, Guys, for sharing this. I love hearing this stuff. You know, I am not always so prudent in my decision-making. And I do the same thing, you know, size-up a car and think about what they have under their hood. I had someone the other day, who was on my left, in a double left turn lane. When the light turned green, he pulled away fast. I kept up with him the whole way, and then thought, "Is that all you got?" I poured on the coal and watched him melt away in my rearview mirror. Ha, Ha! I love it! I always kind of flip my hair just to remind them it's a woman leaving them in the dust. Then I'm watching my rearview mirror real hard looking for those red flashing lights. I seriously do not want to get a ticket, so I try to be careful about where I indulge my competitive nature.

BTW Lee - thanks so much for telling me about the Accusump. I've done a lot of research on the web about that product and Dave01 gave me the names of some good shops in my area, so I will be getting one eventually. Sounds like a product it will behoove me to get.
Stay safe, RJ

 

Also depends on model of 'Stang a bit... some of those SVT's are right wicked, packin' some serious heat. But the older fox bodies... I had one, slightly warmed over... they ain't NO match for a 'Vette, especially near stock.

Our C4 has about 100K miles on 'er. I lined up against a early 90's GT the other day. Only went to about 40mph. Wasn't even a challenge.

Don't get me wrong; you can make a Mustang scary fast. It's just a question of how much you spend....

Anways, I suspect you'da just wasted a bunch of gas if you had raced that guy. From a rolling start, or standing start, either way, you'da probably embarassed the dude![8D]

 

Hehehehe....you really know how to stick it to 'em RJ!
That hair flip thing is a nice touch! Ouch!!

Now what is this thing about the Accusump? Did I miss something?

 

Hey, Topspeed -
Thanks for your input. I don't think this stang was modified - I just think the driver was out of touch with reality. Lord knows what they tell the customer when they are selling these cars.

 

I had asked if going for short rides in my vette would hurt my engine. It was explained that on short rides the oil does not heat up sufficiently to burnoff the condensation. Subsequently, not enough oil gets to the engine and instead you get sludge, requiring you change your oil more often. Accusump is a product that addresses this problem. Hope that explains it.

 

I was definately not including the SVT (Cobra's), particularly the SC'd '03s. If it has a snake on the side instead of "GT" one has to be careful, although my Porsche (five-speed auto trans, 13.48 in the quarter) can actually take my neighbors '98 Cobra 5 speed by a couple of lengths to 100, so a stock C5 whould not have a problem with the earlier ones. But the 390 HP SC'd one, that is quite different. A C5 ZO6 can take one (at least if its stock) by a few lengths in the quarter (so could a standard C6, I'd think), but I'm not sure a standared C5 could beat one.

 

Oh, yes, I know all about the cobra and also the Shelby and would never consider racing them. You know the old expression: "Never start a fight you can't win." This was just a standard GT - didn't sound or look modified in any way.