Comparison: 2002 Chevrolet Camaro SS vs 2001 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

It's hard to believe the Mustang and Camaro have been butting heads, burning rubber, and racing for pinks for 35 years. But since there's a 35th-Anniversary Camaro, it must be so. And it's likely to be the swan song for this much-loved shootout -- at least for a while, as the current F-bodies evaporate from the Chevrolet and Pontiac lineups at the end of the '02 model year.

With the rebirth of the Thunderbird, Ford has proven that a legendary nameplate can take a vacation, then return to work successfully. Will the Camaro do the same? That depends on which jungle drums you're listening to at the moment. We hear of unofficial internal efforts to create a next-generation Camaro. Yet there is no announced, or even approved, program to replace it. So figure that the Next Camaro probably won't show up in Chevy dealers until at least the '05 model year.

Which brings us to the tire-shredding twosome on these pages. The SVT Cobra and 35th-Anniversary Camaro SS represent the highest performance versions of their respective models currently offered. And they meet-once again-at interesting crossroads in their development paths.

Besides the usual (and not wholly tasteful) anniversary stripe-and-badge-job, this Camaro packs more punch than a standard Z28. It comes in the form of an SS-spec 325-hp version of the Chevy's rumbling, grumbling, Vette-derived 5.7L LS1 V-8; a factory-installed ram-air-style hood and cat-back center-outlet exhaust system are supposed to be good for a few more ponies, though they didn't prove so on our tester. Additional 35th-Anniversary accoutrements include the aforementioned graphics package, black-finished SS wheels with machined edges, and anodized brake calipers.

You can order your 35th-Anniversary SS in coupe, T-Top coupe (our test car), or convertible form, with your choice of a 4L60-E four-speed automatic or a T-56 six-speed manual -- why anyone would go for the slushbox, we haven't a clue. The only color choice is Rally Red over a black/charcoal leather interior. And if the 35th Anniversary SS badges on fenders, dash, and seats aren't large enough, there's a special Trophy Mat in the luggage area bearing an embroidered logo that must be a foot long.

Musclecar fans will remember the Case of the Missing Horsepower that plagued SVT's Mustang a couple years back. If not, here's a quick recap: The '99 Cobra received a mid-life makeover, an independent rear suspension, and a revised 4.6L DOHC V-8 rated at 320 hp, up from the '96-'98 model's 305. The supposedly uprated motor couldn't even match dyno sheets with those of the old, so a somewhat embarrassed Ford Special Vehicle engineering group had to redevelop much of the intake and exhaust systems. Any '99 cars already in the hands of consumers were retrofitted, and no model-year 2000 Cobras were produced, save for the limited-production race-car-with-license-plates Cobra R.

After the fixes made their way to the production line, SVT is again in the Mustang business for '01, with a car they're sure makes 320 hp. It now benefits from a standard, performance-minded traction-control system that allows some wheelspin as long as the car is tracking straight, but which can also be manually switched off. The seat designs are new, incorporating leather trim with Alcantara (suede) center inserts. Safety features are upgraded, and you can still choose your SVT Cobra in coupe or convertible form.

Why would we compare an '02 Chevy with an '01 Ford at this late date? "We haven't released any information concerning next year's Cobra" is the official word from one SVT spokesman, "but it will definitely be as potent, if not more potent, than this year's car." Since SVT tends to release its new models later in the year, an '02 test car won't be available for some time.

So, we'll run what we brung.

AT THE TEST TRACKFord cranks impressive horsepower and lots of revs out of its handbuilt 4.6L DOHC V-8-but not enough to outgun the larger-cube overhead-valve LS1 in any straight-line contest. The Cobra's 5.38-sec 0-60 time hangs impressively with all the great muscle Mustangs of the '60s, but the Camaro's impressive low-end torque grunts it to a 2/10ths advantage. That lead grows to 3/10ths through the quarter, the SS also finishing the 1320 exactly 4 mph faster. The Mustang's best times were achieved with the traction control switched off, while this particular Camaro wasn't traction-control equipped. A bit of wheel hop hindered the Cobra, unless the launch was just perfect; the SS' wider torque band and lack of wheel hop made it much easier to get rolling.

A big part of any musclecar's persona is its sound, and both cars deliver here -- especially when snap-shifting their way down the quarter mile. The Cobra burbles through 3-in. stainless-steel exhaust tips and sounds like a combination of an a '68 Mustang 390 GT and an expensive motorboat. Rev the Camaro, and you'll look around to see who stuck a Corvette soundtrack in the CD player. Anyone who thinks there are no more great-sounding cars hasn't heard these two -- or is deaf.

Though this well-worn Cobra tester took an extra 6 ft to stop from 60-0 as compared to the Camaro (126 ft versus 120), we generally preferred its easier-to-modulate brake-pedal feel and more linear response. The SS serves up a lot of initial whoa, but then the pedal gets hard, and it's not as easy to control in anything other than a flat-to-the-floor situation. There's also more dive present in the Camaro's aging chassis.

Our slalom test is a virtual tie, with the Ford just nipping the Chevy by 0.68 mph (63.72 over 63.04). Credit most likely goes to the Cobra's independent rear suspension -- exclusive to SVT-ified Mustangs. It just reacts better in handling transitions through our 600-ft conefield, as the rear end does a more competent job of staying planted in spite of narrower rubber, noted our test driver. Though both weigh essentially the same, the Mustang feels lighter on its feet, less tail-happy, and much easier to control at the limit than the Anniversary Camaro.

ON THE ROADOur initial impressions, and all the test numbers outlined above, were telling us "the Camaro is the better musclecar, but the Mustang is the better sports car." Lots of road time, particularly the S-curve kind, confirmed it.

We generally like ultra-quick steering, but this test proved that faster isn't always better. The Camaro turns in quicker than the Mustang, but if you don't get it right, there's a lot of correcting involved. While the Mustang may not feel as razor-edged, it's plenty quick enough, and much easier to modulate. Neither car offers enough steering feel in our opinion, but the Mustang is the better of the two.

Considering again that both cars are of similar weight and overall layout, their handling characteristics are amazingly different. Working the Camaro through the corners is like shooting a .44 Magnum: Grip, aim, pucker, then fire. The best way through the corners is to let the engine do its thing in the straight parts, then brake hard, carry as much speed as you can through a corner without seeing ghosts, then power out. And we do mean power out: The SS' cannon-like grunt really helps launch the car out of corners, gear choice be damned.

The Cobra wants you to take a more classic sports-car line: Carry speed smoothly into the corner, nail a perfect apex, and feed in the power. There's a lot less correction required, and the IRS-equipped Mustang is much more neutral overall. It's got less torque to fire you out of a turn, but lots of revs and a smooth, ramp-like powerband.

Should you get the tail out, the SVT's progressive handling nature and linear steering allow you to either bring it back in with a quick flick of the wheel or just hang it out there, sprint-car style, maintaining control until you've had enough. The Cobra's IRS also allows it to swallow up bumps that easily upset the SS' applecart. Real-world braking isn't much different from our test-track results: Both are good stoppers, but the Mustang is easier to modulate and serves up less front-end dive than the SS.

REAL WORLDBoth players work as everyday drivers, but the Mustang is a friendlier package to live with: easier to get in and out of, more comfortable rear seats, more useable trunk, better visibility, ad infinitum. Both have legible and complete instrument clusters. GM's Monsoon and Ford's Mach 460 sound systems are both terrific, with a slight quality edge to the Camaro's setup. It allows you a choice of 12 CDs, but the changer is in the trunk; the Mustang only swallows six, but does so right into the dash, so that's a tie.

While the SS' pleated, multi-textured leather seats aren't bad, they don't have the bottom, side bolster, or well-placed rear lumbar support of the Cobra buckets. The shape of the Mustang's cushions, when combined with the suede-like material's grip, do a better job of holding you in place during hard cornering. Neither car is an ergonomic wonder, but glitches like the Camaro's passenger-side floor hump (to clear the catalytic converter) and limp, "broken chicken wing" turn-signal/cruise control/wiper/wash stalk are clear evidence that GM is done investing in this current platform.

CONCLUSIONSWhat we say won't matter to many of you, because there are die-hard Ford fanatics and Chevy lovers out there who wouldn't be caught even looking at the other. But here's our one-sentence summary: The Camaro SS is better at making speed, while the Mustang is better at handling it.

BY THE NUMBERSWe've tested dozens of Mustangs and Camaros over the years. There have been many individual stories and more than a few direct comparisons, not to mention tuner cars, racers, etc. Here are the important performance numbers from several of those runs against the clock.

Notice something? Today's versions are pretty darn fast, whichever golden or not-so-golden era Camaro/Mustang numbers you compare them to.

SEPARATING HP FROM BSIf our standard battery of performance tests doesn't give you enough performance numbers to play with, a trip on the rollers of a chassis dynamometer should help. And regardless of the flywheel horsepower and torque ratings a manufacturer quotes, it's the rear-wheel numbers -- where the rubber meets the road -- that actually move the car. Paxton Automotive Corporation allowed us the use of its chassis dyno to get a better handle on what these cars really deliver to the pavement. We harnessed each one up for three pulls, done in fourth gear from just off idle to redline. Here's how they performed:

This backs up our test-track results and our seat-of-the-pants impressions as well: (1) The Mustang's horsepower peak is much higher, (2) the Camaro feels so ultra strong from 4000-5000 rpm because that's where its horsepower and torque peaks arrive, (3) the Camaro's LS1 is already cranking 240 lb-ft of torque at just 1500 rpm. Yeow!

How does this relate to each car's quoted ratings? Dyno-conversion factors are like campaign promises: Anything can be said, and there's a lot of wiggle room afterward. Paxton notes its Mustang dyno unit is more conservative than those of some other brands, and its experience with a lot of Mustangs and Camaros shows the Ford power.