I8ABMR

I totally disagree ( respectfully ). The Supra, NSX, EVO, STI, and all of the Z's are greats that will be collected and copied in the future. These imports are relatively new so they need time to ripen into classics. They are already, but the really hardcore greats of the 90's ( Japans hayday) need a little more time on the vine

TwiBlueG35

This is a nice comparison. I am sure all major auto magazines would do the same test in the soon future, so I want to see something different. How about a RWD shootout? American vs. German vs. Japanese vs. Korean?

Ford Mustang GT
Chevrolet Camaro SS
Dodge Challenger R/T
Nissan 370Z
Hyundai Genesis 3.8 coupe
BMW 135i

tsavo

So they compared a 426hp car against a 315hp car and the latter wins? No way!?

It's not really a great comparison IMO, and for all intensive purposes the Camaro SS is a 40 thousand dollar car, unless you want to be the fool who shelled out 32k for a 2010 model that has cloth seating.

American car manufactures are notorious for listing the base model price that is such a joke option wise, it's not an accurate representation of the actual cost. This is one problem they have, their cars come with ZERO factory options. I'm surprised it doesn't have manual-roll up windows.

speedflex

Did we read the same article? (SPOILER ALERT)









The Mustang didn't win. And the SS as tested was $31,490.

primecut

iTrader: (1)

The Camaro looks awesome! IMO I'd also take the Z over all of these cars, but honestly we are talking about different demographics here. If you go to any Stang/Camaro/Challenger forum, you'll know that most of those guys would never want to be seen in an import, even if it is superior. It's just a matter of taste or bias, however you want to put it. he he

I've seen a few heavily modified Challengers in person already and they look sweet, but I also think that the simplistic styling of it won't age very well in stock form. I saw a couple of base models and they just look very bland. The carry-over interior doesn't help either.

speedflex

The Challenger is the least appealing of these three for me. Too big and heavy for a true pony and too straightforward retro to me. It's a literal interpretation of the vintage Challenger, including all its drawbacks.

If only Ford could have used the Giugiaro Mustang's styling and added about 60 more hp it would be a real hard choice between it and the SS.

IS-SV

I agree, bit a bit too retro for my modern taste. But I'm sure Chrysler made it this way to take advantage of the economies of scale (being based on the Charger chassis) without having to make major expensive changes (or another way to put it, CHEAP). At 197 iinches long it looks huge next to modern sports coupes and sports sedans.

GQD_GS4

bring back the firebird / trans am!

bad co

its spelled camaro its like me saying leksus

Iceman

Not likely, with Pontiac going away. Not to mention, I think the General has finally learned that badge engineering no longer wins customers away from the competition but only cannibalizes the same buyers (while increasing their costs of production).

mmarshall

That wasn't quite the case with the F-bodies. In general, though there were exceptions, the Firebird sold to a slightly older and more mature crowd than the Camaro, who bought Camaros mainly for the purpose of drag-racing Mustangs.

IS-SV

Wow, there's same ancient trivia. Camaros bought mainly for drag racing and more mature Firebird drivers, I hope they are not dead and gone by now. Well it sounded amusing at least.

But, GM fortunately has bigger concerns today like looming bankruptcy and a more competitive marketplace in 2009, etc.

tsavo

I realize that, they were rearranged. I'm sorry, but if you are willing to pay almost 32 thousand dollars for a 2010 model vehicle that has cloth seats, you aren't the brightest consumer in the world. Upgrading from the V6 to the Z28, then to the SS doesn't even get you leather seating, it's just another representation of how terrible GM is...If you want the car with any options, it's gonna cost you 40k.

UDel

It is a American muscle car, not a Lexus or BMW so leather is not really all that important or needed in this type of vehicle, it is not like these muscle cars are going to hold up, feel and ride like luxury/upscale cars. I feel the same way about leather seating and other lux options in Accords, Camry's, Altimas, Malibus, etc as it is kind of pointless to pay extra for the crappy leather in these type of cars, you are supposed to buy them to be practical and save some money and it defeats the reason for those cars when you spend a bunch of money to load them up with unneeded luxury items like leather, nav, high end stereos, power seats, powerful v6 engines, etc to try to make affordable non lux cars into expensive imitations of lux cars. Let's be real too, the leather these muscle cars will get will be the same crappy awful low grade "leather" that Chevy's, Pontiacs, Saturns, Chryslers,Fords, normally get. I have sat in Mustangs, Corvettes, Firebirds, and Camaros with "leather" interiors and the leather is awful. My uncles Pontiac Grand Prix with "leather" was the most horrible seating surface I ever sat on, it was rough, hard, uncomfortable and did not look or smell like leather and was already cracking and fading after the first few weeks of ownership. I would take cloth over that cheap GM "leather" in a hardbeat especially in a muscle car that is supposed to be somewhat affordable.

mmarshall

Well, don't read too much into what I said. Like I said, there are exceptions. Not all Camaro jocks are a bunch of speed freaks or drag racers, but, in general, they are somewhat younger than Firebard owners and tend to drive more aggressively.

And, IMO, many Mustang V8 drivers are even worse. I've seen more kids, over the years, killed in high-powered Mustangs than in any other single vehicle. That's not necessarily national statistics (and I won't claim it as such), but it is definitely what I myself have seen.

Yes, I agree.