Drag races are certainly not the best metric for testing a car’s abilities, but they’re trendy today. Electric car owners have helped revive them, highlighting their main strength: a very powerful launch from a standstill. Not only that, but the goal is to evaluate the performance of very different models: the “old” versus the new. However, the acceleration challenge we’re presenting today involves two internal combustion engines: a Dodge NASCAR and a Ford Mustang. Carwow organized this comparison.
Dodge NASCAR race car challenges a Ford Mustang: who will win the showdown?
On paper, the odds favor the Dodge race car, but in drag races, real-world tests can produce completely different outcomes than anticipated, for a wide variety of reasons. A bad start, slower gear changes, technical problems, or other factors like power delivery can affect the final result of the match, sometimes generating unexpected rankings.
On one side, there’s a 2008 Dodge NASCAR, powered by a 5.9-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, capable of producing 900 HP and 730 Nm of torque. However, on this particular model, the power has been restricted to about 700 HP, with a weight of 1400 kilograms. This energy is transmitted to the rear wheels through a 4-speed manual gearbox.
Challenging it for supremacy in today’s drag race is a modern Ford Mustang. The American muscle car is powered by a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, capable of developing 451 HP and 527 Nm of torque, weighing 1843 kilograms. The propulsive force is transmitted to the rear wheels through a 10-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. At this point, you’re probably wondering who won the acceleration challenge. There’s only one way to find out: watch the video.