2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Meets Charger and GTO

GT500 Meets Charger SRT8 & Pontiac GTO, cont.
The Charger SRT8 is fast--and, boy, does that big V-8 love to rev--but it feels much more restless and oddly detached than the GT500. The numb, somewhat sullen steering and long-travel brake pedal mean you're always playing catch-up with the chassis, and both ends of the car break loose much earlier than in the other two, especially on wet roads. It might have the most sophisticated suspension layout of these three cars, but doesn't feel like it--there's more secondary bounce and more impact harshness over bumps.

The GTO is softer than the other two in almost every respect, but on real-world roads it's a surprisingly quick and confidence-inspiring drive, with good grip, nice steering, and pleasing grunt from the thumping 6.0-liter V-8. But it badly needs better brakes (it takes 138 feet to stop from 60 mph, compared with 124 feet for the Charger and just 110 from the GT500) and a less clumsy gearshift with shorter, narrow throws.

But, for the money, the GTO is an honest, fun-to-drive coupe with a useable rear seat and good luggage space. The interior is still one of GM's better efforts, and the recent exterior upgrades have given it much more presence on the street. It'll be one of those cars people will miss only when it's gone. But it's still not in the same league as the GT500.

And neither is the Charger SRT8. The 6.1-liter Hemi is one of Detroit's all-time-great engines, but the chassis doesn't deliver the poise and panache its sophisticated specification and Mercedes-Benz heritage promises. And real enthusiasts would like to shift their own gears. Okay, the Dodge is a sedan up against a couple of coupes: It's naturally heavier, taller, and less wieldy. But until the Challenger arrives, it--along with the more expensive 300C SRT8--is the only game in town if you're a Mopar fan.

Ford has hit the sweet spot with the new Shelby GT500. Meet the new benchmark for affordable American performance cars.