11 GT500 vrs 06 Griggs GR40

[marksti]

How good are the new GT500s?

Discuss

 

[peetiewonder]

from a purely handling standpoint, and an uneducated opinion,

the griggs suspension should run circles around the gt500 in the twisties. A gt500 is going to be a stock suspension and a stock mustang suspension should not hang with a griggs, especially on the same platform.

 

[GrnBullitt08]

Griggs all the way...

 

[pcdrj]

With comparable drivers, no contest.

 

[07 s197]

seems like the 2011 gt500 is doing pretty good

From SVTPerformance

Originally Posted by 03 DSG Snake
YouTube- 2011 Shelby GT500 at Virginia International Raceway Grand West Course




GT500 still reins supreme as the best Mustang ever and titty slapping the Camaro and Challengers.





We know firsthand that both the 2011 Ford Mustang V6 and GT aren't just plenty quick – they're downright scary fast compared to their predecessors. It should follow, that the king of the heap 2011 GT500 should be similarly faster than the 2010 model. Let's just go ahead and call that one an understatement. Ford just dropped a tasty video on the interwebs showing the car lapping one of our favorite tracks – Virginia International Speedway.

Ford's engineers had it in their minds that the new aluminum block with its 120-pound weight savings should help the car click off the 4.1-mile Grand West portion of the track about three seconds quicker than the outgoing car. Thing is, the 2011 GT500 managed to lap the track in 2:58.5 – a full nine seconds faster than last year's version.

Video: 2011 Ford GT500 spanks last year's model by nine seconds at VIR — Autoblog



Pretty high up there on the fastest list!
http://www.fastestlaps.com/track20.html

 

[CMK720]

Its posting times better than the Ford GT? Shit, they really did wonders with those heavy hogs!

 

[marksti]

I'll post pics up later

Kinda scary what a Griggs 11 gt500 would be like

 

[pcdrj]

The 2011 GT500 has different lca's and suspension tuning. A Griggs's seutup would make it a beast but it would still tend to heat soak. Twin fan IC and a larger radiator could tame that.

 

[antonio1988]

The 2011 GT500 has different lca's and suspension tuning. A Griggs's seutup would make it a beast but it would still tend to heat soak. Twin fan IC and a larger radiator could tame that.

So it's very possible to make it a track monster, correct?

 

[peetiewonder]

The 2011 GT500 has different lca's and suspension tuning.

Even with that, ford designed the suspension for the street, so a track built suspension will be superior at the end of the day, such as the griggs kit.

 

[pcdrj]

So it's very possible to make it a track monster, correct?

A 2011 GT500 would certainly be capable of some impressive lap times. With a Grigg's setup I would expect it to keep up with Z06's... for a few laps. Bottom line is there is so much of this car that is not ideal as a track car. Even with the lower weight it's still too heavy. After several laps, brakes a tires will be a problem. As the tires soften, the 3 link suspension will struggle to point the weight in the right direction. Then there's the supercharger setup. Corner exits with boost become hairy and it will heat soak quickly. Next the oiling system would have to be upgraded or a dry sump setup installed.

This car may be capable of running some impressive lap times which are comparable to the Ford GT, Z06, etc. The occasional HPDE would be fun but it would take some work to make it a consistently run track events.

 

[Kaldar142]

WOW... the new GT500 posted some pretty nice laptimes, although i can't see it having consistent laps over and over and over being how heavy it is.

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

I agree. The driver of the 2011 GT500 at the VIR Grand Course, a circuit that I run every year and am very familiar with, is working hard to keep the car on the road course - straight lining several turns in the dirt because he knows the heavy GT500 cannot negotiate the turns and esses that well, so in order to keep his speed up, he's keeping it pointed in a straight line as much as he can. Still.. kudos for wrestling the car around the circuit for a fast lap - now doing that for 4 x 30 minute sessions over a weekend would definitely be a workout.

 

[marksti]

I received a invite for a weekend at Seca in mid Sept. to run against some fast company

The Shelbys sitting parked for that one

Now throw some bigger meats on the gt500..lose another 80#'s from the front ( i lost 40#'s with a battery,sway bar support bar, draining the wiper bottle)..and that would make a nice street/track car combo that one could live with day to day

 

[kahmann]

It depends completely on which GR40 we're discussing.
If it's an 06 GR40SS, then the GT500 kicks it's ass all day long.
If it's an 06 GR40ST, GR40TT, or GR40RT, then the 06 is running circles around it.

Heat soak is still definitely an issue with a bone stock Cobra, however, a Shelby heat-ex and Shelby radiator cures that in a jiff.

 

[pacettr]

Heat soak is greatly reduced on the 11.


No one has mentioned the TIRES on the 11. They are WICKED.

 

[kahmann]

Heat soak is greatly reduced on the 11.


No one has mentioned the TIRES on the 11. They are WICKED.

What was changed in the cooling system to reduce heat soak in the 11's?
The tires on the 11 are definitely an upgrade from years passed, however, they're still street tires. Most GR40's come equipped with Toyo DOT-Comp tires. There's zero comparison to draw there.