2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 vs 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat -- Drag Race
The two supercharged V-8 muscle cars each make over 700 horsepower. But only one can be the quickest.
The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a performance Goliath. It's just as capable in a straight line as it is in the corners, as we've seen time and time again. This time around, it's brought up against one of the most powerful muscle cars on the market: the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
Road & Track columnist Jason Cammisa wanted to see how the new fast Ford matched up against one of the most popular new muscle cars in the game right now, so he brought the two to a closed runway for a drag race. The Shelby has the clear advantage, with a lighter curb weight, more power (760 supercharged horses versus the Hellcat's 717), more tire, and a fast-shifting dual-clutch transmission. But the race is closer than you think.
Jason, piloting the GT500, gets a better launch off the line, and sticks in front for the entire quarter-mile drag. But the Hellcat — driven by pro racer Randy Pobst — doesn't have a bad start either, and actually starts to gain distance on the Shelby as the two close towards the finish. In the end, the Shelby lays down a 11.4-second quarter-mile at 132 mph, versus the Hellcat's 11.7-second time at 126 mph. Once again, the GT500 reigns supreme.
