AWD is important, but does it suffice for Dodge to win?

A three-row SUV would not be considered an opponent to a muscle car with two doors in an ordinary world. Especially if it had a supercharged V8 engine and Shelby’s name attached to it. Many would argue that the automotive world isn’t normal since Dodge released its Hellcat V8 engine back in 2015. We have a video showing a Durango Hellcatracing in a GT500. But, more importantly, we believe the Shelby gets shocked.

This doesn’t mean that the Mustang wins this battle. It’s twobattles , held in Hennessey’s facility in Texas. They are currently working on upgraded versions of both cars, but they did a stock-versus–stock comparison before proceeding. The GT500 and Hellcat-infused Durango look very similar on paper. Ford claims its supercharged Mustang can reach 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds. Dodge, however, says it takes 3.5 seconds. The Shelby is almost a full second ahead of the SUV at the quarter-mile. It’s not hard to believe.

We’ve seen the GT500 struggle to get to the ground many times. In our three way shootout with the Polestar 1 & BMW M8 Competition, we witnessed that firsthand. The GT500 shines on a track with sticky tires, but in real-world conditions, a heavier SUV with less horsepower can make the Mustang look terrible. Team Shelby doesn’t mince words about this: in both races, the all-wheel drive Durango beats the GT500 at the start. Traction is important when we’re talking about bus lengths.

Aerodynamics and power are important for the GT500. The Shelby pulls the Durango hard once it is hooked up. The Mustang can pull a 10.7 second quarter-mile in stock trim, and we have seen it do better at a pre-prepared drag strip. The Durango is clocked at 11.5 seconds by Dodge, but the real question is how Shelby will do on the other side.