2018 Ford Shelby GT350 vs. 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Which Is Best?

2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE white front three quarter in motion ・ Photo by General Motors

Tough one. Is the 2018 Ford Shelby GT350 better than the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1? On the one hand, we have the now-legendary Mustang tuned and transformed by the company of the equally legendary Carroll Shelby. On the other hand is the best-ever version of the best-ever Camaro.

This is one of those situations where the numbers are only part of the overall picture. How each car feels for the driver is equally important, perhaps even more so. It needs to inspire confidence and provide the kind of experience a true enthusiast desires. The great thing about both cars is that they represent the best America has to offer, at a world-class level.

Pricing

The 2018 Ford Shelby GT350 starts at $58,140, or $65,640 for the even more track-focused R model. Both versions come solely in coupe form. The 2018 Camaro ZL1 is available as a coupe — from $62,495 — or a soft-top convertible starting at $68,450. The ZL1’s answer to the GT350R is the coupe-only 1LE, priced from $69,995.

Those considerable prices buy a lot of equipment. And anyone looking at a 500-hp, track-focused German car like the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 will need $144,650. That difference could buy a lot of gasoline and tires. But between the Ford and Chevrolet, the GT350 costs less. 

Ford Shelby GT350

Photo by Ford

Equipment

The GT350’s standard kit includes 19-inch wheels, adaptive suspension with heavy duty springs, Brembo brakes (a top choice for many high-performance machines), a Torsen torque-sensing mechanical limited-slip rear differential, a front tower brace, drive mode selection, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, Recaro (like Brembo, a major name in motorsport) seats, Track Apps telemetry, and a rearview camera.

The ZL1 has 20-inch alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, magnetic ride suspension, electronic limited-slip differential, flat-bottomed steering wheel, 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Wi-Fi, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic alert. Traditionalists will prefer the GT350’s mechanical differential, but the Camaro's comprehensive equipment gives it the victory here.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Photo by General Motors

Options

The GT350’s options list includes dual-zone automatic climate control, upgraded infotainment/audio system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, navigation, leather, and heated/ventilated front seats. Choosing the GT350R brings a carbon fiber rear wing, 19-inch super-light carbon fiber wheels wearing dedicated Michelin tires, re-calibrated suspension, and more aerodynamic additions. But the track-focused R has no standard air conditioning, sound system, rear seat, or rearview camera. These have to be reinstated as extras.

The ZL1 1LE has a carbon fiber rear wing, sport-tuned dynamic suspension, adjustable ride height at the front, plus adjustable camber plates, and a rear anti-roll bar. A Performance Data Recorder is also available. Such details swing this category in the Camaro's favor.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Photo by General Motors

Engines and Transmissions

The GT350 comes with a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V8 with 526 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque. Remember, 500 hp is an approximate tipping point between glorious power and maybe too much. This muscle goes to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. Anyone who doesn’t know how to drive stick had better learn quickly or look elsewhere.

Like the ZL1, for example. A supercharged 6.2-liter V8 generates a mighty 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, or a 10-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters is optional (but not for the 1LE). Going by the numbers and the transmission option, the Chevy wins this round.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Photo by General Motors

Performance

Sprinting from standstill to 60 mph takes the GT350 4.3 seconds, which is respectably rapid. The GT350R does it in 3.9. The quarter-mile challenge is completed in 12.5 seconds at 117 mph, or 12.2 at 119 mph if it’s the R. The regular GT350 weighs 3,796 pounds. The ZL1 is heavier, at 3,820 pounds, but that can’t stop it from blasting to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and doing the quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds at 127 mph.

The clock is one thing, the seat of the pants is another. Both have ferocious acceleration. Yet there’s an extra thrill to fine-tuning the throttle of a high-revving naturally aspirated engine. The ZL1 wins this section, but the GT350 retains its dignity.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Photo by General Motors

Standout Features

In both cars, the engines are dominant stand-out features. They’re gorgeously powerful. The Ford doesn’t rely on forced induction like a turbocharger or supercharger, but it makes its muscle felt high in the rev range, allowing drivers to adjust their cornering lines with delicate right foot movements on the throttle instead of the steering wheel. Get this car on a long, fast sweeper and you’ll see what we mean.

The GT350 also has more audible drama to it, while the ZL1 achieves uncanny speed in an eerily efficient (if slightly subdued) manner. The Chevy’s suspension is similarly unflappable and supremely capable. And the Camaro's big, supercharged V8 brings the win.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Photo by Chevrolet

Handling

These cars are perfectly bearable on public roads. Adaptive suspensions with "comfort" modes make them usable every day of every week. That’s the regular versions, at least. And while some cars are fast and firm on normal roads, but tend to fall apart (figuratively speaking) on a track, that’s not the case with either of these. They can run lap after lap at high speeds and with precise handling because that’s what they’re designed for.

One special thing about the GT350 is the brace between the front strut towers. It stiffens the front end and makes the steering that much more responsive. But this round belongs to the Camaro because it’s able to contain and exploit the greater levels of power.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Photo by General Motors

Exterior Design

There are few things that look as wonderfully right as a sporty coupe. Long nose, low roof, short tail — beautiful in its own special way. This is where the legendary Mustang lines start to shine. The GT350 is also available with racing stripes, which makes the car look even more iconic. The Camaro’s exterior styling leans more toward the generic than the inspired. With the exception of the Corvette, it’s hard to think of a Chevrolet design over the past few years that has really grabbed the imagination.

While realizing that everyone’s tastes are different yet all perfectly valid, the Mustang has to be the winner of this category because it’s so evocative and romantic (in the broader sense of the word).

Ford Shelby GT350

Photo by Ford

Interior Design

This is one instance where a no-nonsense, functional space is preferable to something fancier. Each car scores well in this respect. Some people might wonder what the point of a flat-bottomed steering wheel might be. It’s so a driver’s knees can slide in or out easier than if there was a conventionally round wheel. And it looks cool.

The quality of plastics in both cars is acceptable rather than exceptional, and the simulated suede trim pieces in each cabin are like those often found in dedicated racing machines.

Tie

Photo by General Motors

Safety Ratings

So, the unthinkable happens. Grip is lost, either on the track or the road, and the car is skidding. Regular track rats often like to turn off the traction control completely, but there’s a good reason for having something on even if it’s in its most extreme mode. Or there’s always someone in an SUV checking their texts, from whom we all need protection.

Both cars have mandatory safety equipment like anti-lock brakes and airbags. The regular Mustang and Camaro each received a full five-star overall score in government crash tests, plus the top rating of Good in most major categories by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.

Tie

Photo by Chevrolet