Hear that rumble? It's a muscle-car war breaking out. In one corner: the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. In the other: the 2010 Ford Mustang. Here's the score card:
2010 CHEVROLET CAMARO
Engines: 300-horsepower, DOHC, 3.6-liter V-6; 422-horsepower, OHV, 6.2-liter V-8
Transmissions: Six-speed manual or automatic
Brakes: Four-wheel-disc with anti-lock
Wheelbase: 112.3 inches
Length: 190.4 inches
Weight: 3,750 to 3,913 pounds
Cargo space: 11.3 cubic feet
Fuel type: Regular (V-6), premium (V-8)
Base price: $22,995 to $30,995
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Features: Four-wheel independent suspension, stability control, traction control and six air bags, including head curtain side-impact air bags
Back story: GM developed this car using the rear-drive platform that underpins the Pontiac G8, a design developed by Holden, GM's Australian division. As in 1964, GM developed the car after the surprising success of Ford's Mustang. The new Camaro uses the 1969 model as inspiration.
Fuel economy: The Environmental Protection Agency has not released figures. However, V-8 models shut off four cylinders during light driving conditions.
History: Debuting for the 1967 model year, the Camaro was GM's answer to the wildly successful 1964 Ford Mustang. Styling followed the pony car's lead. Underpinnings were derived from the Chevy II, an economy car. New models appeared for 1970, 1982 and 1993.
2010 FORD MUSTANG
Engines: 210-horsepower, SOHC, 4.0-liter V-6; 315-horsepower, SOHC, 4.6-liter V-8
Transmissions: Five-speed manual or automatic
Brakes: Four-wheel-disc with anti-lock
Wheelbase: 107.1 inches
Length: 188.1 inches
Weight: 3,401 to 3,575 pounds
Cargo space: 13.4 cubic feet
Fuel type: Regular
Base price: Not available
Features: Stability control, traction control and anti-lock braking system are standard. Microsoft Sync, voice-activated navigation and a rearview camera are available.
Back story: Except for the roof, all of the sheet metal is new. One way to tell a V-6 pony from a V-8: On the V-6, the fog lamps are located on the lower front fascia; on the V-8, they're in the upper grille. The rear features aggressively angled corners and turn signals with three LED bulbs that fire sequentially. Interior also is redone.
Fuel economy: The EPA has not released figures. However, both models run on regular fuel.
History: The original pony car was based on the Ford Falcon and priced at less than $2,500. The Mustang was so popular that 22,000 orders were placed on its first day of sale. New models appeared for 1967, 1971, 1974, 1979, 1994 and 2005.