2015 Ford Mustang Team Dissing On Chevrolet Camaro
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Ford has levied a symbolic passive-aggressive assault against Chevrolet’s all-American pony car, stating that during development, the new 2015 Ford Mustang was benchmarked against the Porsche 911, BMW M3, and even Nissan GT-R – but not the recently-crowned Motor Trend Best Driver’s Car Camaro (?!).
Now, Mustang Chief Engineer Dave Pericak doesn’t claim the 2015 Ford Mustang to be on the same level as those cars that Ford benchmarked against. “I want to target those [cars] that are out there that are probably a stretch target for us as we try to develop a $40,000 car,” he told the folks at CarAdvice.
As it turns out, that was as far as Pericak’s humility was willing to stretch, as he also said, “I’m not putting down Camaro but I believe Mustang is superior to Camaro in its driving dynamics and therefore I wouldn’t want to target something I already believe we’re better than.”
To Ford’s credit, in revamping the primitive Mustang pony car into a global model for the first time, they introduced the car to an independent rear suspension and double-ball point front: equipment that will really launch the 2015 Ford Mustang all the way into the 21st century.
But claiming objective superiority to the Chevrolet Camaro – a car with a stunning performance history, especially in its ZL1 and Z/28 forms – is an unfounded arrogant boast, and one that will certainly be up for debate in the coming months. The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro is right around the corner, Ford, and it probably has a few choice words to say.
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I’m sorry what was the mustang’s nurburgring lap time again?
It’s time has been listed as 7:32:19 at Nurburgring. It’s waiting validation, but that’s a hefty claim.
Let them blow smoke. Hell the new Camaro isn’t even out but just around the corner. When it gets here, then compare. Until that time quit speculating and shut up.
Well, the new Mustang is the newest car in the segment; and we know the Camaro’s current performance portfolio says all that needs to be said about it. Nevertheless we all know the Camaro’s drawbacks ( cheap interior, poor visibilty and hefty weight) are keeping it from maintaining the critical acclaim the new Mustang, as well as the newly refreshed 2015 Challenger, has been practically stealing from it as of late.
So until the next Camaro comes and makes a stronger statement, let Ford have this victory. Boy I tell ya. The musclecar era is better and HOTTER than ever!!!!
The Mustang is the newest car in class and should have some better features right now over a 5 year old Chevy.
The ZL1 and Z/28 should also be better than the new Mustang as they have yet to show us the Shelby yet.
The Mustang is being sold as a global platform and wants to bench mark global name plates.
The 2016 Camaro is coming ands will do the same thing next year and with what we know Ford will have their hands full with the new GM car.
The new Mustang is good but the next Camaro on paper should be better and have refinement beyond the new Mustang due to the investment by Cadillac in the platform. All those good things you read about the CTS being more fun to drive than a BMW well that will apply to the Camaro too,
Don’t get all high schoolish on this as both will be great cars. We want Ford to build a damn good car as it will push GM to build an even better one. That is how it works. We need each other in this Rivalry. But this time GM has a better platform to work off of and we will see some major changes in refinement because of it.
Exactly what I’ve been saying ! Alpha platform is going to be on par with the Germans as is with the new cadillac ats and cts v sport … The recipe GM has is best ever .. World class platform. New LT1 is a torque hungry beast. And an excellent 8 speed auto .. Oh and magnetic ride control!
Your last sentence says it all Frankie… Magnetic ride control.
This simple, and therefore, elegant application will revolutionize, not only autos, but all forms of transportation suspension systems.
It’s why a heavy vehicle, like the Camaro, can out corner a lighter vehicle, that still has a ubiquitous suspension system.
The good news is, that the mag system will eventually filter down to inexpensive autos.
Well Magnetic ride is Great and will be offered on some models and not the cheap ones.
But the car will still be world class with or with out them. Even the Z/28 can working with them. You can give a little ride comfort in a Camaro and still make it handle with no one complaining.
Oh please.. It was never better than the Camaro. If they want to believe a lie than go right ahead. I mean look at the past couple of years of comparison, it’s been Camaro over Mustang. This car is just now stepping up to what Camaro has offered for the past couple of years.. It still can’t best the Camaro 1LE on the track, not even the boss .. Only thing they were better at is straightline performance with a lighter car but the new one weighs as much as the Camaro that is about to be replaced..
It comes down to what are you using the car for , daily driving in the city or out of town , commuting , or as an additional high performance car to take to the track or drag strip, or simply show off ?? The Mustang’s strength , to me , is its size , sweet sounding engines/exhaust. It’s perfect for City driving , easy to park with better visibility than the Camaro . I see a good number of these driven by women , which is rather nice as most are younger types and some have car seats in the back . To me , part of the fun would be having friends see me driving this sweet sounding car . The Camaro is more one dimensional, with such crappy visibility , I can never recognize anyone driving a Camaro , plus I don’t see that many to begin with , in our area . The sound of them , except for the odd exception , is muted . Now that Ford doesn’t use a live axle on the upcoming model . the driving experience will be even better . It’s the only performance fun drive that I , a mainly City driver , would consider buying and look forward to testing out in the coming months .
Neither car has been perfect as both of them have had their warts and bumps along the way.
GM did always have a good package but just never got it fully sorted out with a refined interior that did not have parts that broke, a Converter that intruded and for a while window lifts that failed.
the Mustang also had it share of issues but they were cheaper and often could be forgiven to a point since you really did not pay much for it.
The Mustang in the 80’s and 90’s did have a great advantage that it was cheaper to buy and hop up like the older Camaro. Both at this point have lost this advantage and I do not see either coming back as the barging they once were. That is just so difficult to do with the pricing in the market anymore. Cars are just not cheap no matter what they are.
The new Mustang is good but I expect more in the New Camaro as they has major issues with the weight and some of the compromises of using a Zeta and the Show car styling. I expect these all to be fixed and then some.
Either way GM of late has had the sales win and I expect Ford may or may not get that back for year just because they got out of the gate first. The Camaro will be back in the lead next year if they get it out in the 3rd quarter of 2015.
I have judged Camaro shows nationally and I have made a good living off of both the Camaro and Mustang working in the performance aftermarket. I know their highlights and failures well. They both have been good cars that just never could complete the deal and both new models are the best of both for once that both offer the complete package.
The real difference here is the fact GM has a platform invested in by Cadillac on several cars and Chevy for two. This investment will show some great things for the Chevy line as GM let Cadillac have it first and pay for things Chevy would not have invested in. On the other hand Ford lack of a real RWD market has left the Mustang fend for itself. There is talk the Lincoln may use the Mustang platform for a car but they did it in reverse buy making it a Ford first an then Lincoln need to invest to bring the platform up to their level of expectation. This is the old way of doing things that seldom helps the cheaper model or the high end one too. The filter down effect is much better for a company.
This deal needs to be looked at on face value and not emotions or juvenile comment. This is a fight that both brought guns to a knife fight but GM has the better gun on paper so far and I expect to see it do very well once it is here. But I am not ignorant enough to not understand Ford has a good car or that it too will do well. They too did a good job and also have a loyal following.
Once it arrived half of you will complain and half of you will love it. In the end 90% of you here will want to buy it or wish you could buy it. This formula never fails and we see it time and time again.
You can try to make this into a pissing match but both car need each other to survive and thrive. There is no rivalry unless there are two worthy opponents. It take two to make this a better segment. If one falls then the other too will suffer due to the lack of interest and investment that would go away if unopposed.
Wait how is this mustang better if its as much of a fat pig than that of the camaro?
Let’s see what the car mags say when they pit the NEW Mustang against the current Camaro. I can guarantee the Camaro with MRC will be able to beat the Mustang every time! GM has way better ride and handling Engineers over what Ford has. It’s clearly evident when the mighty 2013 GT500 with 662 HP was slower on the track than the 580 HP ZL1. Ford barely sold any GT500s and Ford quietly axed it while GM is still moving ZL1s. What other Ford can go up against the new Z/28? Even in the mid 90’s, the Camaro kicked the Mustang’s ass. Nothing has changed.
04 to 2009 Ford had a much better pony car then GM… The Camaro now is nice and rides great but I felt so uncomfortable in it, I felt more at home driving my cousins 99 catfish Camaro to be honest. Nothing in my mind beats the ease and aftermarket of the fox body Mustangs, but like Scott said those days are over and cars will never be that affordable and easy to hop up. History has shown mustang sales to be slightly higher on average. So who knows if GM will price them selves out of the segment. Ford could keep updating to outperform anything but GM cain’t outperform the Corvette without pissing people off.
You said it… The Camaro can only be so much as to not outperform the Corvette. Meanwhile, the only limit to the Mustang is “FORD”!
Personally, the last great Mustang was the SVT Cobra of 04. Sure the 13 GT500 had the power and the tech, but people forget the 04 SVT had IRS, good power for that model, and the looks. Not saying the Camaro is wasted metal, but it is a life size toy car and it works.
Simply put, the 15 Mustang has a lot to prove, the Camaro doesn’t.
I’m right with you. I’d love to have a 04 mystic Cobra with that killer terminator engine. As for Camaro , give me a 02 black on black SS withT-Tops. But I got to say the interiors are pretty bad on those Camaro’s.
Ok mustang was the first pony car all im saying is hopefully the new Camaro won’t have a bunch of recalls now Chevy has done very well at that
The Mustang was created in response to the sporty Corvair Monza Spyder. So really the Mustang isn’t the first of it’s class, it just went on to redefine it with more emphasis on speed and less on handling.
Ford focussing on matching the best is admirable , for with a few exceptions , GM really hasn’t been the best in most of its market segments . It is viewed as conservative and its sales have not had that many standouts . I was surprised and encouraged by the 27 minute talk show interview by John McElroy with Mark Reuss , as he passionately discussed GM changing and is doing more to be the best in its market segments . He is a man of many talents and is to be commended for joining a task force on education in Detroit . It’s education system is beset by a 121 million dollar deficit . With his positive attitude , I’m sure his efforts will be appreciated by the City of Detroit .