> Top Ten Most Powerful American Production Cars + 2013 ZL`1 for Mod `Mike <
#1
02-04-2013, 11:42 AM
> Top Ten Most Powerful American Production Cars + 2013 ZL`1 for Mod `Mike <
The Top Ten Most powerful American Production cars 
by David Schmidt
Americans love powerful cars. More importantly, we love V8 power; sure, maybe 10 cylinders is OK, but only because they sound like a V8. Some people will pay lots for serious power, and there are European supercars that generate more than 1000 hp., although that’s a silly level of power unless you can get it down to the road effectively. Every one of these cars will do just that.
10. 2005 Ford GT – 550 hp. and 500 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 5.4-liter, DOHC, 32-valve supercharged V8. This modern interpretation of the Le Mans winning racecar was as beautiful as it was powerful. (Pictured: This one-of -a kind 2005 Ford GT was auctioned in September 2005 at the American Cancer Society Cattle Baron’s Ball. © Ford)
9. 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – 550 hp. and 510 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 5.4-liter, DOHC, 32-valve supercharged V8. New for 2011, this all-aluminum version of Ford’s supercharged 5.4-liter V8 powers that GT500 Mustang. It’s slightly more powerful and about only more power but 100 lbs. lighter than before. (Pictured: On the eve of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford Motor Company hosted local Mustang club members and media at the Belasco Theater for the launch four new Mustang models. The new Mustangs included the 2013 Boss 302 and 2013 Shelby GT500 (pictured), the fasted Mustang ever produced by Ford at the time. © Ford)
8. 2000 Saleen S7 – 550 hp. and 525 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 7.0-liter, 16-valve V8. Steve Saleen’s ambitious S7 uses a 7.0-liter version of the Ford small-block V8 mounted midship. The car was almost uncontrollably fast.
7. 2009 Cadillac CTS-V – 556 hp. from a 6.2-liter, 16-valve supercharged V8. This is the “
” engine built on the same line as the supercharged Corvette LS-series V8. The Cadillac CTS-V could get to 60 mph in in 4.3 seconds and turn a 12.4-second quarter mile at 115 mph.
6. 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 – 580 hp. from a 6.2-liter, 16-valve supercharged V8, and a legendary name on a true American muscle car. The V8 is another variant of the great Corvette ZR1engine. (Pictured: a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. © General Motors)
5. 2008 Dodge Viper SRT-10 – 600 hp. and 560 lb.-ft. of peak torque from an 8.4-liter, 20-valve V10. The displacement is raised to 8.4 liters, separate ignition coils for each spark plug, and more tuning for a more powerful and efficient Viper engine. This is how you make a monster more of a monster.
4. 1990 Vector W8 – 625 hp. and 630 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 6.0-liter, 16-valve twin-turbo V8. Although few were made, the Vector W8 used cutting-edge technology and the car almost took off with a 248 mph top speed. The car used a Rodeck aluminum Chevy small-block with twin two intercooled turbos.
3. 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 – 638 hp. from a 6.2-liter, 16-valve supercharged V8. Chevrolet uses a Roots-type supercharger to create the most powerful Chevy engine ever. Sixty came at you in less than four seconds. (Pictured: The 2009 Corvette GT1 Championship Edition celebrates the success of Corvette C6.R Racing over the years. Some details of the package include C6.R-inspired graphics featuring Corvette Racing ‘Jake,’ Championships, and driver flags; ZR1-style body color, full width spoiler and chrome wheels; and a special engine cover with carbon pattern and yellow Corvette lettering. © General Motors)
2. 2013 SRT Viper – 640 hp. and 600 lb.-ft. of peak torque from an 8.4-liter, OHV, 20-valve V10. The SRT Viper will still be powered by the huge V10. Now with
, new heads and forged pistons, it takes Viper power to new levels. (Pictured: SRT Brand and Motorsports President and CEO Ralph Gilles drives the 2013 SRT Viper GTS on stage for its reveal at the New York International Auto Show, April 4, 2012. ©
1. 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – 662 hp. from a 5.8-liter, DOHC, 32-valve supercharged V8. And the winner (right now) of the American horsepower game is this engine in the GT500 version of the Mustang. Ford says it’s the most powerful production V8 in the world, and powers this pony car to more than 200 + MPH
by David Schmidt
Americans love powerful cars. More importantly, we love V8 power; sure, maybe 10 cylinders is OK, but only because they sound like a V8. Some people will pay lots for serious power, and there are European supercars that generate more than 1000 hp., although that’s a silly level of power unless you can get it down to the road effectively. Every one of these cars will do just that.
10. 2005 Ford GT – 550 hp. and 500 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 5.4-liter, DOHC, 32-valve supercharged V8. This modern interpretation of the Le Mans winning racecar was as beautiful as it was powerful. (Pictured: This one-of -a kind 2005 Ford GT was auctioned in September 2005 at the American Cancer Society Cattle Baron’s Ball. © Ford)9. 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – 550 hp. and 510 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 5.4-liter, DOHC, 32-valve supercharged V8. New for 2011, this all-aluminum version of Ford’s supercharged 5.4-liter V8 powers that GT500 Mustang. It’s slightly more powerful and about only more power but 100 lbs. lighter than before. (Pictured: On the eve of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford Motor Company hosted local Mustang club members and media at the Belasco Theater for the launch four new Mustang models. The new Mustangs included the 2013 Boss 302 and 2013 Shelby GT500 (pictured), the fasted Mustang ever produced by Ford at the time. © Ford)8. 2000 Saleen S7 – 550 hp. and 525 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 7.0-liter, 16-valve V8. Steve Saleen’s ambitious S7 uses a 7.0-liter version of the Ford small-block V8 mounted midship. The car was almost uncontrollably fast.7. 2009 Cadillac CTS-V – 556 hp. from a 6.2-liter, 16-valve supercharged V8. This is the “” engine built on the same line as the supercharged Corvette LS-series V8. The Cadillac CTS-V could get to 60 mph in in 4.3 seconds and turn a 12.4-second quarter mile at 115 mph.
6. 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 – 580 hp. from a 6.2-liter, 16-valve supercharged V8, and a legendary name on a true American muscle car. The V8 is another variant of the great Corvette ZR1engine. (Pictured: a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. © General Motors)5. 2008 Dodge Viper SRT-10 – 600 hp. and 560 lb.-ft. of peak torque from an 8.4-liter, 20-valve V10. The displacement is raised to 8.4 liters, separate ignition coils for each spark plug, and more tuning for a more powerful and efficient Viper engine. This is how you make a monster more of a monster.4. 1990 Vector W8 – 625 hp. and 630 lb.-ft. of peak torque from a 6.0-liter, 16-valve twin-turbo V8. Although few were made, the Vector W8 used cutting-edge technology and the car almost took off with a 248 mph top speed. The car used a Rodeck aluminum Chevy small-block with twin two intercooled turbos.3. 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 – 638 hp. from a 6.2-liter, 16-valve supercharged V8. Chevrolet uses a Roots-type supercharger to create the most powerful Chevy engine ever. Sixty came at you in less than four seconds. (Pictured: The 2009 Corvette GT1 Championship Edition celebrates the success of Corvette C6.R Racing over the years. Some details of the package include C6.R-inspired graphics featuring Corvette Racing ‘Jake,’ Championships, and driver flags; ZR1-style body color, full width spoiler and chrome wheels; and a special engine cover with carbon pattern and yellow Corvette lettering. © General Motors)2. 2013 SRT Viper – 640 hp. and 600 lb.-ft. of peak torque from an 8.4-liter, OHV, 20-valve V10. The SRT Viper will still be powered by the huge V10. Now with , new heads and forged pistons, it takes Viper power to new levels. (Pictured: SRT Brand and Motorsports President and CEO Ralph Gilles drives the 2013 SRT Viper GTS on stage for its reveal at the New York International Auto Show, April 4, 2012. ©
1. 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – 662 hp. from a 5.8-liter, DOHC, 32-valve supercharged V8. And the winner (right now) of the American horsepower game is this engine in the GT500 version of the Mustang. Ford says it’s the most powerful production V8 in the world, and powers this pony car to more than 200 + MPHLast edited by Space; 02-04-2013 at 12:06 PM.
#2
02-04-2013, 12:03 PM
Is the 580 HP 2013 Camaro ZL1 for you ?
by Mike Covello
Posted 01/2/13 1:03 PM ET
I came of driving age during the horsepower craze of the late ‘60s/early 70s, but even my adolescent fantasies never envisioned a 580 horsepower Camaro straight from the manufacturer.
The front view of the rally yellow 2013 Camaro ZL1 Coupe sitting in my driveway is downright sinister. Yes, the vehicle looks like Satan’s own ride in a cloak of black paint, but the bright yellow with black stripe only tones it down to the point where it still looks like the meanest bully at the drag strip.
The low air splitter is topped by huge openings above and below the bumper. The hood features a carbon fiber center with four holes for extracting air. At night, a push of the key fob illuminates the
headlights and the adjective “feral” comes to mind.
As you slide into the leather bucket driver’s seat, your hands grip the Alcantara steering wheel, and you wonder if this is the same design that racecar drivers used when they powered their Chevys to class wins at Le Mans and Daytona. The shift **** is wrapped in the same non-slip material and tops a remarkably short shift lever. There’s also a swath of it covering a goodly portion of the dashboard. The overall effect is of a stock Camaro that just stepped out of a fine men’s clothing store clad in the best the custom shop has to offer. No, there’s nothing feminine about the ZL1.
Under that carbon fiber-adorned hood is an all-aluminum 6.2 liter supercharged V-8 engine. With 580 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque, it offers a lot more forward surge than the Camaro SS. It’s hard to describe just how good it feels to be thrust back into your seat on takeoff. A 0-60 mph time of 4.1seconds, and a quarter-mile time in the 12-second range only hint at the fun in store, as does the promised 184-mph top speed. The engineers really nailed the exhaust note. The sound from the quad chrome exhausts exudes a sense of menace that’s currently under control, but beware.
Launch control is added to
stability and traction control. Just two pushes of the traction control off button and you engage the program that limits engine rpms and wheel slip to get a great launch every time. Unfortunately, despite massive 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar Gen 2 tires mounted on great looking black wheels, I experienced a lot of tire slip.
Sadly, the weather didn’t cooperate, and five of the seven days I had the ZL1, it rained. Given how easy it was to break traction on dry pavement, I didn’t care to test my mettle by driving this brute in the rain.
One item that made the ZL1 much less of a pavement pounder was the set of magneto-rheological shock absorbers. When you toggle between tour and sport, the fluid in the shocks thickens and the ride goes from firm, but not punishing, to downright racetrack ready. The ZL1’s ability to carve corners is nothing short of amazing.
I know a fellow who has a 630-hp. V8 engine installed in his 1968 Z28 Camaro who seemed like the perfect person to weigh in on the ZL1’s merits. His overall impression was how amazingly smooth the engine is. (This was echoed by a younger Trans Am driver
who also went for a ride). The Z28 owner wasn’t pleased with the rear axle hop that accompanied the acceleration from a five mph rolling start. In the Camaro’s defense, the temperature was hovering in the low forties and the Goodyears are about as far from a
tire as Akron’s best can manage.
So the question that kept coming up was, “Should someone with no more qualifications than the ability to write a check for the $54,350 entry fee be allowed to drive this
pony car?” On the side of civil liberties, everyone has the right to buy whatever motorized toys they can afford, and as long as they behave themselves on public roads, what’s the problem?
On the flip side, I’ve had over 40 years of driving all sorts of powerful cars (OK, there were the Pinto years), and I still found myself needing to be on the top of my game to keep the ZL1’s rear end from wanting to step out every time I pulled out from a stop sign with more than ˝ throttle. Yet, the ZL1 can earn a 19-mpg highway rating from the EPA and is more than capable of a reasonable highway cruise.
In the end, I have to come down on the extreme joy side of the equation. Here’s a vehicle that can outperform a racing car of just a few decades ago, yet it comes with a full manufacturer’s warranty, safety equipment and is available from your local Chevy dealer.
Maybe we don’t need those jetpacks they promised us back in the ‘60s. Perhaps the ZL1 is all the powerful propulsion product anyone could desire.
by Mike Covello
Posted 01/2/13 1:03 PM ET
I came of driving age during the horsepower craze of the late ‘60s/early 70s, but even my adolescent fantasies never envisioned a 580 horsepower Camaro straight from the manufacturer.The front view of the rally yellow 2013 Camaro ZL1 Coupe sitting in my driveway is downright sinister. Yes, the vehicle looks like Satan’s own ride in a cloak of black paint, but the bright yellow with black stripe only tones it down to the point where it still looks like the meanest bully at the drag strip.
The low air splitter is topped by huge openings above and below the bumper. The hood features a carbon fiber center with four holes for extracting air. At night, a push of the key fob illuminates the
HID
headlights and the adjective “feral” comes to mind.
As you slide into the leather bucket driver’s seat, your hands grip the Alcantara steering wheel, and you wonder if this is the same design that racecar drivers used when they powered their Chevys to class wins at Le Mans and Daytona. The shift **** is wrapped in the same non-slip material and tops a remarkably short shift lever. There’s also a swath of it covering a goodly portion of the dashboard. The overall effect is of a stock Camaro that just stepped out of a fine men’s clothing store clad in the best the custom shop has to offer. No, there’s nothing feminine about the ZL1.
Under that carbon fiber-adorned hood is an all-aluminum 6.2 liter supercharged V-8 engine. With 580 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque, it offers a lot more forward surge than the Camaro SS. It’s hard to describe just how good it feels to be thrust back into your seat on takeoff. A 0-60 mph time of 4.1seconds, and a quarter-mile time in the 12-second range only hint at the fun in store, as does the promised 184-mph top speed. The engineers really nailed the exhaust note. The sound from the quad chrome exhausts exudes a sense of menace that’s currently under control, but beware.
Launch control is added to
StabiliTrak
stability and traction control. Just two pushes of the traction control off button and you engage the program that limits engine rpms and wheel slip to get a great launch every time. Unfortunately, despite massive 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar Gen 2 tires mounted on great looking black wheels, I experienced a lot of tire slip.
Sadly, the weather didn’t cooperate, and five of the seven days I had the ZL1, it rained. Given how easy it was to break traction on dry pavement, I didn’t care to test my mettle by driving this brute in the rain.
One item that made the ZL1 much less of a pavement pounder was the set of magneto-rheological shock absorbers. When you toggle between tour and sport, the fluid in the shocks thickens and the ride goes from firm, but not punishing, to downright racetrack ready. The ZL1’s ability to carve corners is nothing short of amazing.
I know a fellow who has a 630-hp. V8 engine installed in his 1968 Z28 Camaro who seemed like the perfect person to weigh in on the ZL1’s merits. His overall impression was how amazingly smooth the engine is. (This was echoed by a younger Trans Am driver
who also went for a ride). The Z28 owner wasn’t pleased with the rear axle hop that accompanied the acceleration from a five mph rolling start. In the Camaro’s defense, the temperature was hovering in the low forties and the Goodyears are about as far from a
winter
tire as Akron’s best can manage.
So the question that kept coming up was, “Should someone with no more qualifications than the ability to write a check for the $54,350 entry fee be allowed to drive this
powerful
pony car?” On the side of civil liberties, everyone has the right to buy whatever motorized toys they can afford, and as long as they behave themselves on public roads, what’s the problem?
On the flip side, I’ve had over 40 years of driving all sorts of powerful cars (OK, there were the Pinto years), and I still found myself needing to be on the top of my game to keep the ZL1’s rear end from wanting to step out every time I pulled out from a stop sign with more than ˝ throttle. Yet, the ZL1 can earn a 19-mpg highway rating from the EPA and is more than capable of a reasonable highway cruise.
In the end, I have to come down on the extreme joy side of the equation. Here’s a vehicle that can outperform a racing car of just a few decades ago, yet it comes with a full manufacturer’s warranty, safety equipment and is available from your local Chevy dealer.
Maybe we don’t need those jetpacks they promised us back in the ‘60s. Perhaps the ZL1 is all the powerful propulsion product anyone could desire.
#3
02-04-2013, 12:11 PM
i am a fan of the Camaro, but out of the list, the one i really want is the CTS-V, it has power to go along with a luxury feel. and it has beaten out the likes of BMW and Mercedes. The only one they havent beaten is Audi. =]
#5
02-04-2013, 12:51 PM
LoL `Mike, I knew when I posted the above information that it would make you happy
The Race has only begun & I love that it is...I'm sure that GM & every performance company is work'in to get their rides better & faster...The consumer's are the winner's 4-Sure...
I love the automotive company competition...I'm sure the above list will `be in constant change
Thanks for your words + all your contributions + starting our MCF Blog everyday + +
