sometimes i wonder where these guys get their track test numbers. The 1/4 mile times seem to be always .5 seconds faster than a real world test with a new car at the strip. Maybe the car manufacturers send the magazine a secret fast version for publicity. In the new "Road and Track" they tested an 05 Mustang GT versus 05 Steeda versus 05 Saleen versus 05 GTR Racing edition... The fastest one? The "stock" GT with a 4.9 sec. 0-60 and a 13.5 1/4 mile!!!! Who is Ford trying to fool! the Steeda only matched the same numbers (but better trap speed) with 67 more HP.. I think low 14's are more accurate for a stock GT. Anybody see one at the Track yet? What about an 05 GTO with the LS2? I have read 13.30's

Never seen a new GT at the track yet, but there is an 05 GTO just a few houses down from me. He came home one weekend with a 12.90 dial in on the window. It looks and sounds stock. And the number isn't unbelieveable, its the fact that he's bracket racing with it already GMHTP got an LS1 powered goat to go 13.30s BTW...

And mag times are usually slower than what we see around here. Most stock LS1's are running low 13s, while mags had them at mid-high 13s. Blown Cobras are in the 12s, nearly all of them. Most mags had them at low 13s at best.

Also, you must realize that mags use an optical fifth wheel, which is a measuring device. Not a track time. Motorweek uses a local track here in Maryland for their times. Only one I know of that uses actual track tests.

i have seen a red one at the track. a gt i belive it did a 14.3 or something liek that but i dont think he knew how to drive it very well

I have yet to see one, but know of a guy who went 13.4 in a new GT.

And if you dont believe the mags and think they run too fast, you better go see some good drivers. The mags are usually slower than a good driver at an equal track!

with the rags I see a 13.8 for a ls1 f-body a 13.0 for the z06 a high 14 for a 99+ mustang hell some of the rags back in the day said the l98 was high 14's



the mag drivers couldn't get out of their own way driving I would say they are slow as hell

some l98s where tested at mid 15s

the sad thing is a lot of mags seem to get better times out of the imports/sport compacts then they do out of anything else


so here they see a civic si getting a mid to low 15 and a l98 getting a low 15 they are going to go with the civic

beats me as to why they do that but honest take a look imports generally get closer to real life numbers (if you have a decent drive not joe schmoe driving) then the domestics do

I do think the manufacturers sometimes send the mag writers slightly moded versions of their production cars. Maybe a computer reprograming or something. 13.5 with 300hp is doable with the right gearing and driving ability. But the same rag i read had the GTR racing edition (the orange one) running a 13.7 and a 60-0 stopping distance 12' longer than the stocker GT. I laughed at the caption saying "the GTR was more loud than it was fast" They even tested the V6 stang at 15.1 and a 6.8 0-60 with only 210HP!!? Thats stock L98 numbers with 245HP and 345TQ. Maybe they correct their numbers to sea level or something. I race at 800 ft above around here.

yeah 05 GT's are pretty quick most average guys will do high 13's while some can get low 13.4's or so. not too bad

most mags suck. Car n Driver should be better than they are since they are freaking doing that stuff for a living. but they aint bad. some cars they test they do pretty good at wringing all the power out of them

most L98's should do atleast mid 14's stock in factory condition.
mine with 140,000 in great shape does high 13's on 2.77 rear with only airbox mod, exhaust, shocks/springs, and 2800 stall on street tires. and mine is not a G92 with dual cats for more power...stock cat and flowmaster 3inch, with hooker headers/ypipe

Being a mod nick418, you should know that the early L98 cars were mid 15 second cars. GTAs especially.

And anyone who thinks a 99+ V6 manual transmission Stang is a slouch has another thing coming. They can and do run mid-low 15s on a regular basis.

And I've never seen any car mag either launch a car properly, auto or manual, and never seen one powershift a manual. Their times leave a bit to be desired.

I don't think a stock L98 car can run mid 14's. I got mine stock with a posi and 3.42 gear in it and 80k odometer and was running low 15's all day long. I had to do lots of little mods to run in the mid 14's. Your car is running very well with the highway gears you got and high 13's. I think my Tpi's torque curve favors the 4.10 gears...

I can name two that ran 14's stock

89 formula 350 3.27 gears (14.8-14.7)

91 rs camaro (b4c- 350 tpi 3.45 gears old trooper car very high miles) (14.5) best

this was at the grove (great lakes) and if you raced there you know how bad the prep on the track is for street tires

Head over to the mid-Atlantic region sometime. I can show you several speed density L98 cars running mid 14s or better untouched. Its not that uncommon. Hell, we've even got 305s running 14s here, stock. Its not unusual to have a DA several hundred feet BELOW sea level around here.

I think it comes down to a lot of variables. Some mags employ pro's, some use staff. Then you have the different track surfaces altitudes and temps depending on where they test. Who knows how much abuse the tires and or clutch suffered from other journalists befor ethey got thier "press" cars. Plus a lot of times in rush to get to print they are testing pre-production cars. And they aren't optimizing tire pressures, fuel loads or anything else.

I hope your talking about the 04 Z06, cuz the 05 C6 Z06 runs 11s

If you think of all the variables to consider, the same car could run 1/2 second different at any track. I was running 15's all day and the temp was around 85-90, no clouds either so i bet the track temp was 150 or higher. That was at great lakes. My car runs consistantly .2 better at Byron raceway in IL. These tracks are above 800 ft. sea level.

Car mags differ, tremendiousely...

I have to use a Mustang mag, but heres a good example...

C&D runs low 13s with the 03 Cobra. The keys get handed to Evan Smith of MM&FF and he runs 12.4s in another 03 Cobra. Both at sea level, but the difference is, Evans out there to wring the car out and give it hell, C&D is looking for an average number. The same holds true for MT, getting average numbers, and a GMHTP (the GM one) getting the best numbers. Its all about the drivers.

I will say I highly doubt your going to see 1.9 60's and powershifts out of a MT editor, whereas Evan will go 2 tenths faster by powershifting!

Any mag time (C&D or MT), I look at the number and immediately figure theres a good 2-3 tenths in the car!

Also the V6 Mustangs, its all about power to weight, powerband, gearing, etc... 210 hp with a flat curve, good gears and a well driven stick, will go low 15s, especiallu if the car weighs 3100 lbs or so!

my stock 1988 gta that weighed 3515 stock without driver, went a 14.60 its first time at the track. it had 50,000 or so miles on it. with very few mods(air intake,flowmaster muffler,air foil,no cat,no smog) and a set of sticky tires it did a 13.77.

even the 04 vette has been run into the 11's PURE STOCK down to the rubber on the tires

11.99 but that is still a 11 second run


but one of the rags said 13.0 or something like that

12.4, stock, like as tested by any other? BS! Most likely it was not stock, as is quite typical of Mostly Mustangs and Few Fords. Best I've seen published in that mag was a 12.67.

i believe it... after all, its Evan Smith! the dude can freaking drive. when he was drag testing cars way back in the day for GMHTP (havent seen anything from him in that mag for awhile... is he only doing stuff for MM&FF now?) he was the one who got the 12.89 from a bone stock 99' Z28. he also took a 99' C5 hardtop and got a 12.66 out of it!

12.4 in a stock cobra??!! Hot Rod tested an 03 Cobra VS. Subaru STi and the Cobra went 13.20-13.30 on three different runs. The Subaru the same...

He's only doing MM&FF now, and I still question the time. Why?

He runs 12.89 in a 99 Z28 for GMHTP. Best he's ever gotten any LS1 for MM&FF, which includes 01/02 SS cars, with better intake and exhaust setups and a clearly superior intake and exhaust manifolds was a 13.25 I believe. Funny how the known quicker LS1s got slower when he went to a Ford publication. That GMHTP time he ripped the Z28 outta the hole (1.9 60'), whereas he has been unable to get anything quicker than a 2.0x from the newer stuff. AND somehow always manages to botch a shift here or there (and usually the 3-4... WTF!). So much for the superman driver mystique.

Somehow I imagine if he went back to GMHTP the Cobras he's testing would slow down much like above, to the more likely high 12 second zone.

I believe it, I have seen the guy drive in person and he bang the gears like anyone else. I have seen 12.5-12.6s out of a few, so Id say in great weather with a proven driver could go some .40s!

I wasnt there so Idk, but I do believe it!

L98 G92's have been running mid 14's since they came out. Sometimes people have pulled a low 14, but it's way more common for later cars. Non-G92 cars and GTA's are usually a different thing altogether, which can run 15's or near 15's. But, this post has nothing to do with Street Racing, so.