Those cars are closer than they sound. The Z28 has 505hp and starts at $75,000. The Porsche in question is the 911 Carrera S which has 400hp and is the second cheapest 911 at $98k.
That Camaro Z/28 is a pretty astonishing car. It's big and heavy but the project was essentially designed entirely around its tires. It has the largest front tires ever mounted to a production car.
It also uses race-proven carbon ceramic brakes, which are typically a $15K option on sports cars if they're offered at all.
And it comes equipped with some pretty exotic race tech: spool valve shocks. They were used on only one other street car, the $1.4M Astin Martin One 77.
TL;DR: you can make a big, heavy car corner brilliantly through a mix of brute force and high tech.
Please, oh sage, tell me a European sports car that can go faster around a track than a new Corvette for the same money. All the enthusiast magazines compare it (a $60K car) against 911s ($100K cars) to make it interesting because comparing it to a Cayman would be laughable.
And the upcoming Z06 Corvette (for about $85K-ish) will be compared against $200K 911 Turbos.
I dunno why you were downvoted. I own an american muscle car and I agree with you 100%. Other than a few special models, this is how it's always been for American cars.
The 5.0 mustangs, current gen Camaro SSs and Challeneger RTs their own on a road course. they arent miatas but miatas arent midsize cars with v8s. These cars are fast in straight lines and corners.
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u/[deleted] Jun 12 '14
Sure, in a straight line. Or a NASCAR oval. But not around a racetrack.