Let this sink in for a moment: Ford's bonkers GT supercar actually makes less horsepower than a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. It's true; the numbers don't lie.
A Camaro ZL1 leaves the factory with 650 horsepower on tap from its 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine, while the Ford GT comes up a tad shy with 647 hp from its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine. With professional drivers behind the wheel, the Ford GT would likely still leave the Camaro ZL1 in its dust, but video from casual racers shows the two can be pretty evenly matched.
The Camaro ZL1's peak power is delivered at 6,400 rpm and the Ford GT's arrives slightly lower at 6,250 rpm. With that in mind, it might make sense that the GT wouldn't actually pull away in a mad dash when the straightaways come up at Mid-Ohio. However, the Camaro weighs about 600 pounds more than the GT, so the GT really should pull away.
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In this video posted by Luke McGrew, however, Mr. McGrew keeps up with the GT for close to six minutes around Mid-Ohio. The Camaro ZL1 can never really overtake the GT, but the GT can't shake the Camaro, either.
However, we approach the results with caution. There's no way to know if the GT's driver was actually pushing the car to tap into its peak performance. The GT should have a lower center of gravity and much more downforce than the Camaro, so it should walk away in turns. Quite a few other cars are also on the track that the two drivers must account for, so both are using caution with their valuable assets.
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Whether or not the GT driver is good enough to get the most out of the car or if he is going full out, the video shows just how capable the Camaro ZL1 is on a racetrack. The Camaro's Alpha platform is outstanding and that LT4 V-8 makes great power.
Watch the video. It's an entertaining game of cat and mouse as the two American brutes duke it out on the track. Also, kudos to the Ford GT driver for exercising the car and not keeping it solely as an investment piece. Cars are meant to be driven, after all.
