The latest comparison test to involve the Mustang puts the 2011 Shelby GT350 head-to-head with the 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392. Road & Track, who conducted the comparison, originally was going to use a standard Mustang GT, but thought that the contrasting stripes of each car was too appealing to pass up. The stats of each car do make for a fairly lopsided test, though. The Shelby’s as-tested price tag is nearly twice as much ($82,658 to the Challenger’s $44,380), and the optional supercharger gives it much more horsepower (624 compared to 470) and more torque (540 compared to 470). The Shelby also weighs 400 pounds less than the Dodge.

Thankfully the Shelby easily outperformed the Challenger, posting up impressive numbers: 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, the 1/4 mile in 12.4 sec @ 116.7 mph, and .99g of lateral acceleration. Here’s what Road & Track said about the 2011 GT350:

Our test car, equipped with a proper 6-speed manual and short-throw shifter, will run circles around the soft-by-comparison GT500, and maybe even beat it down the quarter. It easily bests the Challenger 392…it wasn’t even a fair fight. The only thing the Shelby has going against it is price. The total price of this GT350 is over $80,000. That’s a lot, especially when you consider the cost of a 2010 Dodge Viper, a fact we tried not to focus on as we roared around Las Vegas. Did I mention that it’s loud? The Borla center-exit exhaust sounds great at the track, but there’s no getting away from it on the open road where a mute button would be appreciated. Still, the throaty exhaust is exactly what you want when you have a hankering to scare your passenger or chase down a Corvette. Elfalan summed up the GT350 well, saying: “The suspension feels dialed in, balanced front to rear with most of the stock Mustang squish removed. The body still moves around a lot, perhaps a factor of the solid rear axle, but turn-in is quick with good feel and response is crisp from the front end despite the electric-assist steering rack.” The Shelby is the racier of the two and it has the exhaust burble to let everyone know it.

You can watch a video of Road & Track‘s comparison test between the 2011 Shelby GT350 and the 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 below:

[Source: Road & Track]

Related posts

• Shelby announces final specs, 624 horsepower "R" tune option for 2011 GT350
• Used Shelby GT350s selling for more than brand new ones
• Shelby completes first production 2011 GT350s, ready to deliver to customers
• Video: Motor Trend pits the 2011 Shelby GT500 against the Corvette Z06, Nissan GT-R
• 2011 Mustang GT takes on 2011 Camaro SS in Motor Trend convertible comparison
• Road & Track gives inside perspective on the 2013 Shelby GT500's Nürburgring testing
• Video: Road & Track tests the Boss 302 at Laguna Seca
• Video: Road & Track gets sideway in the 2012 Shelby 1000
• SPEED to give away custom Shelby GT500 as Hagerty Fantasty Bid grand prize during Barrett-Jackson
• Video: 2011 Shelby Super Snake vs Shelby 427 Cobra