Dyno Battle: GT350, GT350R, and Camaro Z/28

The curves may look entirely different, but the output is the same: the difference in peak output between the Shelby GT350, the GT350R, and the Camaro Z/28 is not significant.

But, you may point out, the GT350 has a 21-hp advantage in its power rating? Where did it go?

Well, it could be thatour long-term Z/28has an engine that's fully broken in (it has over 16,000 miles on its odometer, compared to just 3,000 miles on the Fords.) Or it could be that the Camaro's drivetrain is more efficient at getting power to its wheels. Also remember that this test was conducted in ambient air temperatures hovering around the 100-degree mark. And all cars were fueled with 91-octane gas, which is the best we can get in California.

With 13:1 compression and all those revs, the Mustang's engine seemed more sensitive to the heat. So these results might have been different on East-Coast 93-octane fuel or in cooler, more humid conditions.

Still, although it's fun to point out that the Z/28 and GT350 put the same exact amount of peak power to their wheels remember that the peak number is just one number. It's the shape of the curve that matters so much.

Despite the Z/28's massive torque advantage, it's no quicker than the GT350R. They're pretty close to even—which is exactly what you'd expect given their similar weight-to-power ratios.

And, since we're big fans of muscle-car rivalries, that's exactly how we'd like to see it.