4 GT Alternatives To The Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang is one of the longest lasting names in the American car world — and the world in general. It dates back to the 1960s and over many generations, it's had the chance to become the most refined, most capable version of itself. The current Ford Mustang is a favorite of ours, with impressive power, sports-car-like handling, and comfortable interior — all prerequisites for any good GT car. What is a GT car? GT stands for Grand Touring and simply put, it's a vehicle that's good at soaking up the miles while still being pretty upscale. Something that's comfortable enough for driving long distances, and powerful enough to put a smile on your face. The newest Ford Mustang provides all of that.

Currently, the Mustang is offered in a number of different trim levels, with prices ranging from around $32,000, all the way up to $80,000 depending on options. The sweet spot for Grand Touring, is predictably, the Mustang GT. It's powered by a 5.0-liter V8 that produces 486 horsepower, and 418 lb-ft of torque. It's well-equipped, available with a six-speed manual transmission for extra engagement, and you can have it as either a fastback or a convertible. 

Is there anything out there that has the chops to keep up with the Mustang when it comes to performance and comfort? Let's find out.

Like the Mustang, the Toyota Supra has been a mainstay amongst performance vehicles for several generations. And, like the Mustang, the Supra has been a part of TV and movie culture for quite some time too. The Supra certainly isn't an American muscle car though, and there's no V8 under the hood, so what qualifies it as a GT alternative to the Mustang? For starters, the Supra is excellent to drive. It's quiet, comfortable, and engaging around the twistiest of mountain roads. The GR Supra is also pretty powerful. A turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine provides 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. That may not seem like a lot compared to the V8 Mustang, but it moves the GR Supra along in a hurry.

According to Toyota, the GR Supra can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in as little as 3.9 seconds with its automatic transmission, and 4.2 seconds with the manual. The Mustang GT? It makes the same sprint to 60 in 4.2 seconds. The GR Supra is a bit more expensive than the Mustang, with starting prices in the $56,000 to $59,000 range – but for some shoppers the upscale, nimble nature of the Toyota will be worth the extra price. Also, the GR Supra trounces the Mustang when it comes to fuel economy, with the automatic GR Supra getting an EPA combined estimate of 26 mpg compared to the Mustang's 19 mpg.

If you're looking to maximize the luxury experience with your GT car, the BMW 2 Series coupe is a great choice. On every trim level it's well equipped, and the interior feels upscale from the moment you step inside. There are several different versions of the 2 Series coupe to choose from, starting with the base 230i, working your way up to the M240i, and for speed enthusiasts, there's the performance trim, the M2. With an MSRP of $39,200 (not including destination) the 230i undercuts the Mustang GT's base price, but the BMW isn't as powerful as we'd like from our GT cars. The 230i uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque — not quite enough to match the Mustang.

The mid-level BMW M240i is better — it gets a turbocharged inline six-cylinder which makes a much-more-competitive 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. According to BMW, that's good enough for a zero to 60 mph time of just 4.5 seconds. Go with the all-wheel drive version of the M240i (called the xDrive) and that time drops down to just 4.1 seconds. The more powerful M2 (473 hp) is worth considering for its engaging driving experience, but the starting price of $64,900 is a tough pill to swallow. Especially when you consider that its zero to 60 mph time is the same as the M240i xDrive: 4.1 seconds.

For pretty much the entire length of their tenures on the muscle-car market, the Camaro and Mustang have been bitter rivals. The Camaro arrived on the scene a few years after the Mustang, but for decades the two competed for muscle-car supremacy. This competition was just a small part of what led the Camaro to become one of Chevy's most successful models. Unfortunately, the Camaro has been discontinued (at least for now) so buying one new isn't a viable alternative to a Mustang. In its place though, you could shop for a used Camaro. Many examples of the last generation of Camaro are still in good condition and reasonably priced.

The best option for the Camaro, at least in terms of GT-style performance, are the V8-powered versions, the LT1 or the SS. On 2024 models, both were available in coupe and convertible forms, and came with the powerful 6.2-liter V8. The V8 produced 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque — certainly enough to rival the Mustangs that were on sale the same year, and a reasonable amount even up against today's 5.0-liter Mustang with its 480 horses. There are still some 2024 Camaros on sale at various dealerships around the country, but finding a new one could be difficult.

The Dodge Challenger, like the Chevy Camaro, is no longer available. Along with its four-door sibling, the Charger, the Challenger was discontinued not too long ago. That leaves us with used Dodge Challengers as proper rivals for the Mustang. The Challenger came in a number of variants, with all sorts of customization options. Horsepower enthusiasts may gravitate towards the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat engine, but those will drink gas at a relatively fast rate. That means a lot more stops on your upcoming GT road trip — an unwelcome addition to the routine. The last Hellcat that was rated by the EPA checked in at just 16 mpg combined.

In 2023, the last year the Challenger was produced, the R/T trim level came standard with a 5.7-liter V8 engine that made 375 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, while the R/T Scat Pack came with a brawny 6.4-liter engine that produced 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. Those two engines were available in various forms on previous-year models, so no need to limit your search to only 2023 Challengers. It's also worth noting that the Challenger was an excellent highway cruiser. In my experience, most Challenger variants offered a smooth ride, quiet interior, and much-more-comfortable seats than either the Mustang or Camaro. And that's sort of the point with a comfortable GT car, right?