Corvette Stingray Coupe

Make
Chevrolet
Segment
Coupe

It is only natural to want to test your brand new Chevrolet C8 Corvette on the strip. Since the transition to a mid-mounted engine, the all-American sports car has now become a bona fide supercar and has proven to be a massive hit for Chevy. But while the mid-engine balance has been a boon for performance, and while the mid-engine C8 is certainly a fast car, it was never intended to be a drag racer. Some have found this out the hard way, but the C8 Corvette can still hold its own on the strip. In a recent video posted to YouTube by RearWheelDrive, we get to see what happens when a C8 Corvette takes on a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.

First, let's take a look at the specs of each car to get a good idea of what might transpire during the race. The 2021 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Stingray is powered by a 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 engine which in base trim delivers 490 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. This is good enough for a 0 to 60 time in the low three-second region, or 2.9 seconds when fitted with the Z51 package to increase power to 495 hp. The Mustang Shelby GT500 on the other hand packs a massive 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine. This Ford will manage the 0-60 sprint in 3.3 seconds and will barrel down the quarter-mile in only 11 seconds. The numbers clearly indicate a win for the Mustang, but you can never tell out in the real world.

In the first race, the Corvette nails a clean launch, but can't keep the Mustang off its tail, which easily cruises past it mid-race. The mid-engine layout of the C8 clearly gives it the advantage off the line, however. The Corvette manages an 11.464 second run at 116 mph. According to the driver, launch control failed to activate. On the second run, the Corvette hits sixty miles per hour in only 3.24 seconds and crosses the finish line in 11.33 seconds at 120 mph, beating the Mustang by half a car length.

On the final run, the Corvette gets the jump off the line with a reaction time three-tenths quicker than the Mustang driver. This results in the 'Vette crossing the line quicker. However, the Shelby is clearly the quicker car, with a quarter-mile time of 11.029 seconds and an exit speed of 127.22 miles to the Stingray's 11.12-second run and exit speed of 119.23 mph.