Pickup vs. Muscle: Engine Power, Heaviness & Aerodynamics
Enthusiasts of the car world often submerge into an onslaught of papers and figures while encountering different models. Power, torque, speed up rate, and peak velocity typically end up being exploited in a Top Trumps approach of ascertaining who winds up winning. There are various other proportions such as load and drag which enter into consideration.
It’s time for a showdown between Ford’s powerful performance pickup and its elite muscle car. Although there is only marginal disparity in power, their weight and drag diverge vastly; it’s seemingly inevitable that the auto will triumph. However, with this race at Willow Springs Raceway taking place on an unpaved surface with reduced friction, the pickup’s all-wheel-drive capabilities might give it a fighting chance of outpacing the car.
Speed Phenom from YouTube has touched down at Willow Springs and finds himself in an unexpected street race, driving his truck.
There exist disparities between them, but Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 and Ford F-150 Raptor R bear the same engine underpinning, with some minor variations to optimise the motor for both vehicles and applications.
In the Ford performance truck, the 5.2-liter supercharged V8 produces an impressive 700 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque; in the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500, it makes an even more impressive 760 hp and 625 lb-ft. The muscle car is equipped with a rear-wheel drive and a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, while the Raptor features all-wheel-drive and a 10-speed automatic. While this could give the Raptor a considerable edge in light of their similar power levels, its 2000-lb weight detriment might be too much to overcome.
Speed Phenom, delving into the perks of his Raptor R by taking it out on some alpine thrill rides, chooses to joke around on the drag strip and check if he would be able to squeeze in a speedy race. The Predator muscle car with its slick wheels was believed to have an upper hand on the course, but our star wondered if the 4×4 of his vehicle would aid him through the thorny, bumpy surface.
The YouTuber affirms that this truck is capable of not only streaming a trailer with a Chevy Corvette Z06, but also venture off-roading in the hills. Now it will be hitting the racetrack.
Ford’s highly capable pick-up should reach 0-60 mph in about 3.6 secs, which is equivalent to the performance of the Shelby automobile. When it comes to the quarter mile stretch, the Ford Shelby Mustang and Speed Phenom face off as two shades of crimson waiting at the starting line.
As the shadows of dusk stretched across the track, it became apparent that the Raptor R was easily outpacing the Mustang GT500. Off the start, its traction outperformed that of the Mustang and the gearbox moved efficiently between its 10 speeds as it delivered superior power.
It was a close race, just under a third of a second away from victory, a trap speed of 97 mph and the quarter mile taking 11:458. The Shelby reached 110 mph, finishing with an elapsed time of 11:097. Appraising both competitor’s reaction times (.500 to 1.053 for the Mustang), it seems that a delayed start and less than reliable rear-wheel drive were responsible for the Shelby’s defeat.
If the track had been longer, the Raptor would have fallen behind rapidly. The Raptor R, with its diverse abilities, is priced at $110,000, representing an additional $30,000 with respect to the Shelby GT500 and a clear indication of its affordability against other muscle cars.
