The DBK

This time from edmunds.com. It's not quite up yet, but here's a summary from the editor in chief.

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292

I gather the GT won the acceleration tests and lap times, the Z06 won the braking tests, and the SRT-10 was pretty far behind both. The numbers were driven by an experienced driver at Willow Springs, (1200 Ft elevation uncorrected numbers GT ~11.9. Z06 ~12.1, SRT ~12.8). Apparently SAE correction should kill about .3 tenths or so in the testing conditions. However, all three were within a second of each others lap times GT-Z06-SRT in that order.

The GT and Z06 were the same ones as the Automobile rag test, and it was a red SRT. Another member from the GT forum swung by to take some pics, which should be nice.



Not the story, but an opinion from Karl's blog on the site:

I just spent the day driving three of the most capable performance cars built in the good ol' U.S. of A. My seat time came at Willow Springs Raceway, one of the fastest race tracks on the West Coast. I love the fact that each of these cars has over 500 horsepower and a top speed above 190 mph. And while few of them will be used as daily drivers by most buyers, all of them could easily serve that level of functionality. What a blast!!

I think the Dodge Viper is really facing an uphill battle at this point. It essentially has no advantage over the Corvette (except maybe styling) and it has several disadvantages. It costs more. It's harder to get into and out of. It doesn't offer any convenience features like cruise control. stability control or automatic climate control, not to mention the Z06's optional DVD navigation, satellite radio and Heads-Up display. Both cars have an interior that can cook you, but the Corvette needs to be driven hard before the central tunnel area heats up. The Viper gets hot pretty much no matter what. I was driving it at highway speeds in a relaxed nature -- during a cloudy day with a slight drizzle, and it STILL got hot inside. Both cars are easier to drive than you might think for 500-plus horsepower beasts. The Viper Coupe is particularly easy to manage on a race track, at least compared to earlier versions.

Then there's the Ford GT. You could buy both of the other cars for the price of the GT, and yet I still consider Ford's supercar a bargain. Unlike the Dodge or Chevy, Ford's car talks to you with communicative steering and a nimble, willing nature. Obviously the mid-engine design adds a level of exoticism the other two don't offer, but the interior quality and overall execution is also twice as good as the others. The Ford also pulled the quickest lap times at the track, though all three cars were within a second of each other. We'll be doing instrumented testing for 0-60, 1/4-mile and braking on Friday. Stay tuned for those figures!

david.k

those r ford gt guyz. we all know they cant drive gettin numbers like that especially the viper.and they probably didnt push the z and srt10 as much as they did the gt.

The DBK

It was edmunds.com, not a ford gt guy. An outside 'hot shoe' was brought in to lap and test the cars...

BlaznZ06

The editor of Edmunds is an owner of a GT and posts regularly at fordgtforum.

And, has posted several times there about his day at Willow Springs with all three cars.

The DBK

I know, which is why he said they arranged for an outside driver to do the testing so as to avoid bias. It was the first time the driver had driven a GT. Not that I'd believe anyone would sandbag a test for a major auto pub because of preference anyways...

Hirohawa

The GT is an awesome car. The Z06 comes very close in performance and that is an enormous achievment for the entire Corvette program.

32valves

notice that the track is at 1200ft elevation.....probably why the numbers aren't what you are accustomed to.

Paul Vincent

DBK, Thanks for the post; keep the info coming!