Ok guys, I don't want to get into an arguement about BMW vs the Cobra but I have a few opinions. It's no secret that I'm in the market for a niced used
5-series. BUT, I also have owned a lot of Mustangs and have even drove 2 new Cobras (an '03 and an '04) so I understand the arguement.It's really an apples vs oranges arguement. As it stands right now, dollar for dollar, you won't find a better American performance car for the money than the new Cobras. Sure the ZO6 is hot, but look at the price tag. The Cadi CRS-V is hot but once again, expensive. The new GTO is a cool car but it looks like a Grand AM and is, IMHO, overpriced. The Cobra goes like stink, handles great, brakes well (for a Mustang) and just LOOKS cooler than hell. The look of that car is what SN-95 owners have been shooting for for years - hunkered down stance, fat-ass wheel/tire combo, mean sounding exhaust, great seats. etc. All from Ford. Now that they have beefed up the motor to handle boost, it's a no-brainer. It's a bad-boy, speed racer, American Muscle car. It's not meant to compete witht an M5. They are totally differnet cars, appealing to a totally different demographic. The basic Cobra buyer is not driving through the BMW lots comparing it to the M5. Or vice-versa.
The BMW is appealing for an entire different set of reasons that one would look for in a Cobra. I agree that one would have to have money to burn to buy a can like the M5 or one of the 55 series AMG's but the brute power would be fun. You8 and I probably cana't justify it but some dude with a 1/2 million dollar salary probably can. I mean, aside from the huge, unusable power, there are other reasons to buy a BMW. I have driven useed 5-Series that had over 200K and have never been apart and still performed like a new car. Car was tight, rattle free, leather still looked new, it's just an issue of better built quality. I haven't seen a Cobra yet that didn't have cracked worn out leather seats at 50,000 miles. I drove a 95 540i with 220,000 miles that still looked new inside. Ran like it too.
The original post was a troll. Look at it like that. They are both awesome cars, but appeal to a differernt type of buyer with different needs and expectation.
Mike
1995 Eagle Talon TSi