Round II
Chevy Camaro Z28 vs. Ford Mustang Boss 330
By far, our closest drag race was the Z28 versus the Boss 330. The Chevy launches about two-tenths quicker than the Mustang and just manages to hang on to most of that lead through the quarter mile. Credit its larger tires. Gearing and engine characteristics are quite different between these two cars, and it's possible that obtaining more precise engine-map data might widen the Camaro's lead. Certainly the Chevy's 200-pound weight advantage and 11 to 23-percent-shorter gearing would suggest a healthier straight-line performance margin than our computer predicts. Those larger tires afford a clear advantage in lateral grip (0.89 versus Mustang's 0.85 g) and assisted by the limited-slip differential, the bigger tires also help put more power down in the slalom test (where the Camaro's lead increases to 3.8 mph) and on the figure-eight course. In that maneuver, the Z28 drives away from the Boss on the straights, then the Mustang brakes a bit harder heading into the turns, catching up on the transition into the skidpad and hanging right with the Z28 through the curves But the two straights are long enough to give Chevy a clear 0.6-second advantage.
| | Camaro Z28 | Mustang Boss 330 |
| Engine type | 90° V-8 alum block/ alum heads | 90° V-8, iron block/heads alum heads |
| Valvetrain | OHV, 2 valves/cyl | DOHC, 4 valves/cyl |
| Displacement | 376.1 cu in/6162cc | 330.4 cu in/5414cc |
| Power (SAE net) | 403 hp @ 5700 rpm | 389 hp @ 5500 rpm |
| Torque (SAE net) | 417 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm | 384 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm |
| Weight to power | 8.7 lb/hp | 9.5 lb/hp |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual | 6-speed manual |
| Axle/final-drive ratios | 3.73:1 / 2.13:1 | 3.55:1 / 2.24:1 |
| Tires, f;r | 275/35R18; 325/30R19 | 235/50R18 |
| Curb weight | 3500 lb | 3700 lb |
| Simulated acceleration to mph |
| 0-30 | 1.7 sec | 1.9 sec |
| 0-40 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| 0-50 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
| 0-60 | 3.9 | 4.1 |
| 0-70 | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| 0-80 | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| 0-90 | 7.4 | 7.5 |
| 0-100 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Quarter mile | 12.2 sec @ 119.9 mph | 12.3 sec @ 120.7 mph |
| Braking, 60-0 mph | 123 ft | 119 ft |
| 600-ft slalom | 71.5 mph avg | 67.7 mph avg |
| Lateral acceleration | 0.89 g avg | 0.85 g avg |
| MT figure eight | 25.8 sec @ 0.76 g avg | 26.4 sec @ 0.72 g avg |
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