Which new-age muscle car: Mustang, Camaro or Challenger?

[Marc p]

Well, hopefully I can offer some helpfull advice here as I always have one of these for about 2 weeks when I'm in the states(so long enough to form a good opinion on them, I have tried the below(each for roughly 2 weeks at a time):

-2011 Mustang V6
-2011 Mustang V6 Convertible
-2011 Mustang GT
-2012 Mustang GT 5.0
-2011 Camaro SS
-2013 Camaro V6
-2010 Challenger R/T

I don't even stop to think if someone asked me which to choose, it would be the Mustang 5.0, the car has some serious grunt to it, handles surprisingly well, I actually really like the interior and it does have some cool features in the fact that you can change the colour for EVERY light inside the car(about 15 colours to choose from) at the flick of a switch and you can change all of them separately(so you can change you clocks to red, needle to white, footwell lights to blue, door handles to green, etc etc), but I digress, it is a gimmick.

The Shaker sound system in the new Mustang is outstanding aswell, it is still the best standard sound system I have heard in a car(and I have been in a lot of current cars!)

I would talk about the V6, but I guess it has to be a V8 for you? I would add that the new V6 is actually a really good engine and Ford have worked the exhausts to give it a bit of a V8 rumble aswell. I would stay well away from the convertible though, the skuttle shake is terrible, at the slightest sign of a bump in the road you can feel the chassis twisting underneath you and the steering wheel moving in a different direction to your seat!!

The Camaro I desperately wanted to be great, I was ignoring it's faults for days just because I wanted it to be the best, but eventually a caved in and admitted to myself that it just isn't as good as the Mustang, the handling is just numb in comparison, rear visibility is a nightmare, reverse parking is a serious chore, the sound system is a bit rubbish and the V6 fades to nothing in comparison to Fords(speed and sound), but the V8 is a bit more punchy.

I will give it some pros though, the flappy paddles work surprisingly well for a normal auto box, the dash is a bit more sculpted than the Fords and I do like the narrow windows.

In regards to the Challenger, it's not really comparable to the Camaro and Mustang in my opinion, it's more of a long range cruiser, it's comfortable and builds up pace fast, but take it on a narrow road and the size of it really shows itself up, it is a HUGE car and bar the motorway and dual carrigeways, it would probably be more of a chore than a pleasure to drive on UK roads.

There is much more I can say on the cars, but only really so much I can write at the moment so feel free to send me a message if you want more info or advice.

[LuS1fer]

Nice review.
Conforms to a Mustang track day we did where it was really only the only Challenger present that span off.

[rottie102]

I'm currently on a little roadtrip in Canada, planning to "taste" the Mustang, Camaro and the Challenger.
So far Mustang is great, however it is the perfect tool for US and Canada only, IMO even BMW E46 beats in in pretty much everything in Europe besides the noise and presence.

Marc p said:

The Shaker sound system in the new Mustang is outstanding aswell, it is still the best standard sound system I have heard in a car(and I have been in a lot of current cars!)

Are you serious?

[micawrx]

Hundreds of the things out here.

Local Ford dealer full of Shelby, Roush etc.

For looks, the Challenger rear quarter just looks too slab sided in the metal.. no shape

Mustang, latest one looks epic.. but they are very common out here.

Camaro.. Best lines.. but as with all these new/old models.. they all look a bit blingy apart from top specs (lower ones have nasty chrome wheels etc...5.0..)

Money allowing.. Camaro SS or Mustang Shelby Cobra look the best..

....none of them handle right??

[PanzerCommander]

rottie102 said:

I'm currently on a little roadtrip in Canada, planning to "taste" the Mustang, Camaro and the Challenger.
So far Mustang is great, however it is the perfect tool for US and Canada only, IMO even BMW E46 beats in in pretty much everything in Europe besides the noise and presence.

Really?

I've lived with one as a daily driver (in all conditions) for four years and I think its great for the UK, why is it only a US and CA car?

I assume you have the V6 rental, the new one is around 300bhp, the old one 212bhp. Old V8 300bhp, new V8 400bhp.

The V8 Mustang (in the UK) also beats an E56 M3 (for me) in the following catagories:

Insurance
Tax
Servicing
Spare parts
After market upgrade parts

Stuff thats more or less the same:

Tyres (wheel dependant)
Fuel consumption

It may not handle as well as an M3 and the M3 probably makes a better track day car (if you are interested in going round and round rather than the 1/4 mile) but I know which I'd rather drive to work everyday.

[The Moose]

Who/where services the 'stangs? I assume ford dealers don't so where are the best specialists, especially in the south bucks area?

[PanzerCommander]

The Moose said:

Who/where services the 'stangs? I assume ford dealers don't so where are the best specialists, especially in the south bucks area?

Any good indy can service them, they are a piece of cake to work on. I do everthing that I don't need ramps for myself.

[LuS1fer]

Having just read the other thread on the new restyled Camaro, it would now be an easy win for the Camaro. The Mustang has lost the styling plot.

[300bhp/ton]

The Moose said:

Who/where services the 'stangs? I assume ford dealers don't so where are the best specialists, especially in the south bucks area?

Any half descent mechanic should be able to service it, either that or do it at home yourself.

These guys were in Luton, although I think they may have moved: http://www.atlanticsportscars.com/Default.aspx

There is another place near to Bucks too, but their name escapes me at present. I'll try and recall it and post back.

[STW2010]

300bhp/ton said:

Any half descent mechanic should be able to service it, either that or do it at home yourself.

These guys were in Luton, although I think they may have moved: http://www.atlanticsportscars.com/Default.aspx

There is another place near to Bucks too, but their name escapes me at present. I'll try and recall it and post back.

Robinsons?

Haven't seen you on here for a while- you must have been waiting for the next American car thread!

[Captain Muppet]

PanzerCommander said:

(if you are interested in going round and round rather than the 1/4 mile)

A tiny point, but most circuits allow you to drive as fast as you like for 1/4 mile, and most drag race strips you finish your run by going back to where you started from, so you end up going round and round.

[rottie102]

PanzerCommander said:

Really?

I've lived with one as a daily driver (in all conditions) for four years and I think its great for the UK, why is it only a US and CA car?

I assume you have the V6 rental, the new one is around 300bhp, the old one 212bhp. Old V8 300bhp, new V8 400bhp.

The V8 Mustang (in the UK) also beats an E56 M3 (for me) in the following catagories:

Insurance
Tax
Servicing
Spare parts
After market upgrade parts

Stuff thats more or less the same:

Tyres (wheel dependant)
Fuel consumption

It may not handle as well as an M3 and the M3 probably makes a better track day car (if you are interested in going round and round rather than the 1/4 mile) but I know which I'd rather drive to work everyday.

It was a V8. All the Camaros, Mustangs and Challengers in Avis Canada seem to be V8s.

Mustang has THE most amazing feature of any cars ever built :



I also hired a Challenger RT, Oh my god what a dissapointment that was!
No noise, no speed, no handling, no leg room, no visibility whatsoever, absolutely nothing interesting about the interior. I wouldn't buy it for half the price of Mustang or even the Camaro.

[james280779]

AdeTuono said:

And in the UK too. And it hasn't been a 5.7 for years. The LS3 is 6.2. So even his 'correction' is incorrect.

I am not in the UK clearly.

Can people not read?
Its an SS Commodore (which the Camaro is based upon) with an LS1.

As stated many times I have not driven a Camaro. I was giving a judgement on the chassis and engine it was based upon in a similar sized / set up car. At the time nobody else had given any advice so I was trying to be helpful.

In either form its still born from a Vauxhall Omega

Edited by james280779 on Tuesday 18th June 01:37

[fttm]

Camaro any day so long as you can cope with the dash , Mustangs do look good but the build quality is dreadful, pop the hood and check out the spot welding as it's not a pretty site , shame. Challenger , meh .

[YankeePorker]

We have a Challenger SRT8 and it's fun and makes the right noises. Rear axle control is way off the mark compared to German RWD cars but that is pretty much what I expected. Am suprised by the comments on boot size and the interior as both seem ok to me.

One advantage of the Challenger compared to the other two is that you can put three children in the back for short trips. Might not be an issue for you, but the four seat limit of the Mustang would have precluded me using the car to take the family out anywhere, relegating us to the people carrier instead.

[LuS1fer]

fttm said:

Camaro any day so long as you can cope with the dash , Mustangs do look good but the build quality is dreadful, pop the hood and check out the spot welding as it's not a pretty site , shame. Challenger , meh .

Yes, appalling and yet somehow, even after nearly 8 years, they still contrive to look as new, not squeak, rust or fall apart. Truly shocking.

[LuS1fer]

james280779 said:

In either form its still born from a Vauxhall Omega

But it isn't. It's the Zeta platform.
"Development was started in late 1999 by Holden of Australia in order to replace the aging V-body platform underpinning their Commodore VT-VZ platform after sister division Opel announced that the Opel Omega (on which the Commodore was based) would be discontinued. Principal development on the VE Commodore was completed by July 2004 at a cost approaching A$1 billion and the first testing mules underwent trials later that year. General Motors global corporate headquarters took notice of the VE design and began studies on the utilization of the underlying architecture (internally christened Zeta by GM engineers) for a range of future products on a global scale. The idea of Zeta as a global platform was officially revived when GM announced the future Camaro would use the Zeta platform."

[steveo3002]

recently rented a rt challenger , as the others say its a huge ol lump , like driving a slighly sporty luton van , admitedly they look the part but thats where it ends

[AdeTuono]

LuS1fer said:

fttm said:

Camaro any day so long as you can cope with the dash , Mustangs do look good but the build quality is dreadful, pop the hood and check out the spot welding as it's not a pretty site , shame. Challenger , meh .

Yes, appalling and yet somehow, even after nearly 8 years, they still contrive to look as new, not squeak, rust or fall apart. Truly shocking.

Good God man! You should be ashamed. An S197 rat-rod...