Chevy’s Al Oppenheiser Responds to 650 HP 2013 Mustang GT500

The Mustang has been playing catch up since the moment the fifth-gen Camaro arrived in 2009

Just when you thought the announcement of the 650 HP ’13 Mustang GT500 meant ultimate doom for the Camaro ZL1, Al Oppenheiser, the main man behind the fifth-generation Camaro, has come to the rescue. No, a more powerful, ultra-Camaro has not been announced for 2013, at least not yet. However, according to an announcement made by Oppenheiser we found on CamaroZ28.com, the Mustang’s future power increase doesn’t seem to threaten Chevrolet and the Camaro one bit, and for good reason.

You may ask yourself how the 580 horse ZL1 is going to compete with the 650 HP GT500 in the market and on the track. According to Oppenheiser, the most powerful production Camaro will do just fine. In a note addressed to the “Camaro Nation,” Oppenheiser states, “The Mustang has been playing catch up since the moment the fifth-gen Camaro arrived in 2009. Since then, Camaro has been the best-selling sports car in America, indicating that consumers know which car offers the best performance, style and safety.”

Oppenheiser also states that it isn’t surprising that the Mustang has amped up its horsepower once again to compete with the Camaro. Since the fifth-generation Camaro has come out, Ford has upped the horsepower of the Mustang line-up three times with a boost to 305 HP for the V6, a jump to 412  for the V8 and now a significant leap to 650 for the future GT500.

While the large leap in horsepower for the ‘13 GT500 will mean the Mustang has more power “at the brochure” than the ZL1, Oppenheiser states, “The days of ‘no replacement for displacement’ are over, and it’s not enough to be fast in a straight line. With the Camaro ZL1, we set out to deliver integrated performance, and be equally good at acceleration, braking, grip, and turning.”

So while it may not be faster at the drag strip, the ZL1 definitely has a leg-up against the factory GT500 when it’s time to turn. With the starting price of $54,995 recently announced, Oppenheiser puts any fears of the ZL1 being an inferior car at the track to rest by stating, “None of our customers will have to buy extra options – or modify their ZL1 – for track-day usage. That is not the case for the current GT500, or their new car.”

Tying things up in the announcement, we don’t think Oppenheiser could have ended it any better, as he stated, “For Mustang fans, you’re welcome. Clearly the Camaro has encouraged Ford to throw everything they can at us. For Camaro fans, trust me, we are always listening to your feedback, and working hard to keep the Camaro in the lead.”

To read the full note from Oppenheiser, check out the post on CamaroZ28.com.

About the author

Lindsey Fisher

Lindsey is a freelance writer and lover of anything with a rumble. Hot rods, muscle cars, motorcycles - she's owned and driven it all. When she's not busy writing about them, she's out in her garage wrenching away. Who doesn't love a tech-savy gal that knows her way around a garage?
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