Go to a road course and race against a C5 Vette with a competent driver and then get back to me. Just the advantage in braking alone will give the Vette a tremendous advantage over a Cobra. The Vette is just plain easier to drive fast which will make it faster than a Cobra, especially with an amateur drivers. At the strip you might have a slight advantage but it ends there. I'm not looking to start an agreement... just giving a reality check.
There are a few guys over on svtperformance that roadrace Cobras and don't have much of a problem. I never said that the Vette wasn't a better handler, I'm sick of hearing how bad the Cobra handles compared to it. It's not as bad as people tend to think. A great driver in a Cobra could easily out drive a good driver in a Vette. For the $$ the Cobra is a good handler and (damn I hate using this arguement) with the price difference could modify to similar handling levels. But were talking stock for stock here and the Cobra can hold it's own for what it is.
The discussion is regarding showroom stock cars. We are both saying the same thing. I think the Cobra is one hell of a car for the money. It just isn't in the same league as the C5 regarding handling and braking. You can only squeeze so much performance from a 25 year old sedan chassis. I think Ford got all they could with the Cobra but it falls short of the Vette. The fact it gets as close as it does speaks well for the SVT guys.
The Cobra handles quite well and I don't think it should be bashed, but, it can use some upgrades. From my personal experience I can tell you I have been auto crossing with my car and there were several 03 Cobra's, and a few C5 Vette's. Cobra's at the time were new and unmodded, Vette's were regular members and competing in national SCCA events. I had whittled my time down to 72 secs. Cobra's were 80-85 range. Vette's 63 secs. No Stang came close to the Vettes. I had a talk with an 00 R model owner once and he admitted to me that there was no way to make his car run with the Vette's. That said, I just saw a post over at Modulardepot.com were someone scanned in a page from Motor Trend,(IIRC) and it says that "the boys at Dearborn are reporting", (so take it for what it's worth) that the next SVT Mustang is to be called the Shelby Mustang Cobra. It's to have the same 5.4 550 hp motor as the GT and will have a solid rear axle. They say it's targeted at the Vette and the Wiper? Hmmmmm Exciting to hear no less.
But the other question is which car attracts more women and gets more looks. OK I'll be more of a generalist and use the term opposite sex instead of women. (But I ain't goin for that same sex stuff ).
"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
Michael, you should've been a politician. ;)
Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
On 28 Jan 2005 01:11:16 GMT, Joe wrote something wonderfully witty:
I got it that he is proud as hell of his car. That is obvious, but apparently he is letting that blind him to a lot of undeniable facts in it's comparison to another vehicle that isn't even in the same class as his.
On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 21:24:05 -0500, "WraithCobra" wrote something wonderfully witty:
Hell I ain't complaining about Ford. I own Ford products and stock. I also happen to own a Corvette and a Harley and some of the other goodies that a lifetime of work can provide one with. What I am being realistic about is that you want to compare apples & oranges. Yeah they are both fruit, but they aren't the same and one is not better then the other except to certain people based on taste.
Enjoy your car and quite wishing it was something it is not. If you wanted a C-6 you should have bought a C-6. Everything you write comes-off as having massive Vette envy.
On 28 Jan 2005 03:05:06 GMT, Joe wrote something wonderfully witty:
I think I got it figured out Joe. Basically he has a bad case of C-6 envy. Probably got his ass tromped by one and can't understand why because he has all these numbers off the Internet.
On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 22:40:21 -0500, "WraithCobra" wrote something wonderfully witty:
Well there ya go again. The Cobra by definition is not a "Sports Car".
On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 23:46:37 -0500, "WraithCobra" wrote something wonderfully witty:
Let's play a little game, if your game. The MSRP for a base C-6 is $43,710 and that is pretty dam well equipped while bone stock. At the end of last years model run (2004) they were routinely selling for $39k. I still see one or two leftovers laying around for about that price. Now how much did you pay for that Cobra you are rightfully all that damn proud about? About $35k?
Just because their are a couple of guys over in some group that tell each other lies, doesn't mean you have to believe them. Odds are very good that they cars they are talking about aren't stock either. The price differentiators between the two cars comparably equipped isn't all that great. A base Corvette is about where a Cobra full up is. A Corvette has all sorts of really neat toys to add on to it, but that's what they are toys. Most have nothing to do with power or handling.
ZombyWoof wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
ZW, I agree with your other post too - Mike's proud as hell of his car and he's got the Rose Colored Glasses option for his Cobra.
Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
There's too many skeletons in my closet for that to happen. :)
Maybe we can compromise and put the Cobra engine into the C5 chassis with a twin screw blower on top to make everyone happy. :)
"Michael Johnson, PE" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
Nah, let's just wait for the Z06. ;)
Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
Actually I've seen this and it goes against everything else that's been leaked about the next SVT Mustang. The new guy at SVT was quoted saying that he wanted to see lighter weight materials used instead of a significant horsepower raise, and create a better handling car. I hope this is a guess by MT or it isn't the only high end Mustang offered from Ford. I like the idea of the GT motor, all 550 horses of it, but if it's not going to be IRS I don't want it. I also don't want anything with the $helby name on it, that will push the price above $40K. I'm nervous about this news since there is no other V8 IRS RWD 2+2 coupe except for the lame GTO. I'd rather spend my $$ on something else that handles, but what else is out there in the $40K range? I may be stuck with this Cobra for a while, guess I'm going to have to get the blower ported and pulley it. Oooh, maybe I'll start saving now and install a twin-screw when the warrantee runs out.
You guys don't know me at all and I certainly don't have "Vette envy", I wouldn't own one. I've only seen one C6 in person and I just don't like the look. I've never compared the Cobra to the C6 anyway, I only stated that the Cobra already puts down more horsepower. I also stated that the C5 Vette would not "Kill" the Cobra on a roadcourse, it most likely wouldn't win but a close second isn't that bad. With a good driver the Cobra is more than capable of holding it's own. In a straight line, especially from a roll, the Cobra will out run a C5. (by .5 sec in the quarter) I'm just stating facts and your choosing to ignore them. Of course Ford could have done more with the Cobra, especially for the $35K sticker. But the fact is, the Cobra is still one hell of a Mustang to be such a close performer to an American Icon such as the Corvette.
Again, I never compared the Cobra to the C6 and I only stated fact Cobra vs. C5.
"WraithCobra" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net:
Mike, way back there you did. But who's splitting hairs at this point?
Hey, the Cobra is an awesome car. For what it costs, you can't beat it. But whether you like it or not, the C5 is also awesome, as is the C6.
In summary, the Cobra is fairly well matched to a C5 in the 1/4 mile, but the C6 will run away from it. Because the Cobra's heavier (who was talking about PIG cars earlier?), it'll lose in any slalom or road course to either the C5 or the C6. Those are the facts.
Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC
How true! What's your discipline?
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