Will The Next Cobra Go After This?

Personally, I would like to see a "Mach 1" version of the Mustang to do the drag race and stop light warrior thang, and the Cobra become a real road car, not a bigger version of the Dodge Neon SRT-4.

It was bad enough when 350's started to be better known as 5.7's. But if Chevy's going to a "7 liter" then it's a FOUR-TWENTY-SEVEN, dagg-nab-it!

As for your question, I think Mustang will have to throw in the towel rather than try to keep up with the Z06. The near equality of the '03-'04 Z06 and the '03-'04 Cobra Mustang was a fluke. These are apples and oranges cars. No one in the market for a $60,000 Corvette is even thinking of a Mustang.

Besides, the ball is still in Chevy's court to catch up with the Ford GT. When Chevy can deliver a $150,000, 205 mph, 11 second car that can whip Ferrari Modenas on the road course, then we can talk about how far behind the Mustang is from the Vette. For that matter, let them build a ponycar that can compete with the Mustang.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Patrick) wrote

I'll be happy with a new Cobra built the way it is now, one that has almost Corvette handling and the horsepower to show it the "Cobra" stamped rear bumper. The Cobra is not a Z06 fighter, never was. It's not really a Corvette fighter either, but it finally has the horsepower to give it a run for the money. I wouldn't buy a Corvette over a Mustang for any reason, if I won one I'd sell it for mod money.

"WraithCobra" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de:

It'd be nice if an '05 Cobra even existed.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

nah, let the v6 and GT crowd run into all the bugs, have Ford fix it, and put in some serious performance.

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Joe wrote

That WOULD be nice, but in fairness has BMW ever come out with an "M" version of a 3 or 5 or Z3 the first year of production? No. How many years after the base models were introduced did it take Subaru or Mitsubishi to come out with their WRX's, STi's, and Evos? Many.

With an all-new "Dew" platform under the '05 Stang, it would have been a mistake simply to plug in the blown Cobra engine and bolt on some rims and high rate springs and call it a Cobra in the first year of production. Bad engineering, and bad marketing too. Sell a few tens of thousands of GT's first, then come with the big gun in the second or third year to re-ignite the market.

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (180 Out) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

The _real_ reason there's no '05 Cobra is because there's no SVT in '05. This still bothers the hell out of me.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Rein wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Corvette

If SVT gets reborn, maybe. We'll see what kind of budget Ford gives them, if and when they return.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

I think they said something about regrouping and putting out a strong product line in '06. But why they couldn't ride on the coattails of what they've done thus far is beyond me. They're moving units, and in numbers nobody thought they would. They survived for 11 years thus far, longer than SVO... and they've moved a *lot* more vehicles than the groups that did the TC/SC Thunderbirds and the SHO Tauruses. Cobras are plentiful, and I see the occasional Lightning, Focus, and even Contour running around town.

I think they'll be back. I think we all hope they'll be back. They raise the bar for the entire product line.

The '96 Cobra was something... 300hp. The '99 GT will hang with it through the 1/4 mile, and actually beat it in the 0-60 race. The Terminator scared the daylights out of the Corvette crowd. The '05 GT is said to run as hard in the skidpad (I think) as the '00R model. The next logical step is the Cobra. I hope Ford realizes this and that it *should* be SVT, and not mainstream Ford, that produces these cars.

The only thing that scares me is....

Mach1 - old SVT product on a main line. H-D truck - isn't this effectively a Lightning with different appointments and a little less power? Focus - Gone by the wayside and now called something else.

It does seem like they're mainlining the SVT product...

I guess we shall see in about a year when they start to talk about the '06 models....

JS

According to the Ford SVT website in reference to the '04 vehicles.....

PowerLease gives customers the opportunity to drive a new 2004 Mustang Cobra or F-150 Lightning on a short-term lease that will expire when the next-generation vehicles are launched. What's more, PowerLease includes a transferable priority option to lease or buy a next-generation 2006 SVT F-150 Lightning or 2007 SVT Mustang Cobra when they enter production (currently scheduled for late 2005 and mid-2006, respectively).

JS

"JS" wrote in news:pLHbd.459$Am1.324@trndny03:

Exactly. I've heard it's due to budget constraints, and that concerns me.

I sure as hell hope so. But that Cobra fiasco from a little while back is still a clear picture in my mind.

Indeed. Although when it comes right down to it, I don't care who makes it - just that it's made and it meets its advertised claims.

Still a very cool car. Hell, I'd buy one.

I thought they changed that completely. It's now an F250 without a blower:

Good. It's a weeniemobile.

I think it's all about controlling costs.

Indeed. I just hope Ford comes up with some good stuff.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

"JS" wrote in news:IMHbd.1290$Nj1.1103@trndny04:

Yes, I saw this and was totally disheartened by it.

The way I see it is that because there won't be any SVT products for '05, you can stay with the same old model for an extra year (or more) with an option to get into an '06/07. If that's the best thing Ford can do, it's pretty sorry.

It's damn lucky for Ford that GM isn't offering any competition for the Cobra or Lightning. And the final kick in the balls is that Ford's basically admitting that we won't be seeing a Cobra for at least another year and a half. It's all too sad.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Three words:

Roush, Steeda, Saleen.

dwight (Seems to me that the delay in releasing the next Cobra is the best thing that could happen to these folks.)

If ? It was never gone. Ford has already stated it will bring out a Cobra, late 06 (probably be an 07)

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Ford ? We're talking SVT here. I rather have them skip a year or two and put out a decent product than have another 99 Cobra repeat. Stop complainging man, They're already saying there will be a Cobra. they're busy; F150 lightning based on the new model F150 and the Cobra.. Can't do it all at the same time.

lucky ? The Cobra would have kicked any F-body's rear if it was still alive.

No it's not. Better get a good product later than a crappy product now. The DEW IRS won't be able to handle the current Cobra engines output. I bet they're re-designing it. Add to that hte different layout of the engine bay in the 05 Mustang and you've got some engineering to do.

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Rein wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

"Cobra"

And what planet are we on today?

Newsflash: SVT does not exist for 2005. Thanks for playing. Try again next time.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

"dwight" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de:

Fourth word: Money.

For what those things cost, you're way beyond Cobra territory.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

Rein wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

SVT isn't part of Ford? True for '05 - they're nonexistent.

Who's "them"? There IS no SVT for 2005. When "they" skip a year there's no development - no nothing. If you think otherwise, who's paying for it?

I'll believe it when I see product. People want cars now, not promises for years to come. It's a sad day when a major maker has to pull the plug on its performance division and say "Sure, you can drive the old model until we can find some money to fund another one."

Who's talking about f-bodies? Get with it, man. The GTO can take a Mustang GT; all GM has to do is position a car inbetween the Corvette and the GTO to battle a Cobra if it were being made. GM already has the stuff in the parts bins.

And what does that say about Ford? They can't produce a decent car so they withold? That flat out sucks.

Bottom line is that (a) Ford can't afford to keep SVT going, and (b) they'll be at least a year behind everyone else.

Hey, I'm the first one to wish that Ford had their shit together, but they simply don't. Like I said before, the whole thing is just plain sad.

Joe Calypso Green '93 5.0 LX AOD hatch with a few goodies Black '03 Dakota 5.9 R/T CC

SVT played a big part in the design and production of the new GT. They are currently working on the new Lightning and Cobra, the department still exists.

Ford did not "disband" the SVT group they are still doing what they do best, designing performance vehicles. SVT is a division of Ford, Ford pays them. Their pay does not come directly from the sale of SVT vehicles.

The Lightning, Cobra, and other SVT vehicles are limited editions and were never intended to be produced every year. When there is a change of platform it's going to take a while to not only engineer it to the next level for the SVT badge but also to take it to a higher level than their last offering.

They would need a bit more than that as the Mach 1 is faster than the GTO, and the Cobra kills it. The rumored 400 horse GTO will still not take a Cobra, although the Cobra's a pig the GTO's weighs 200 lbs more.

I'm glad the new SVT projects are two years away, way too many '03-'04 Cobra's were built. This lapse in Cobra production will make the Terminators more exclusive, as they should be.

I doubt their a year behind anyone else, the Terminators have near Corvette handling and are faster in a straight line now. I'd put money on a good driver in a Cobra being able to out handle an average driver in a Corvette. GM buyers have to spend $20G's more to get the Z06 if they really want to out perform the Terminators stock for stock.

Reports are that the '05 Mustang GT handles as well as the current Cobras and is faster than the Mach's, I think they have their shit together! The next Cobra will again be right there with the C6, and the Z06 will be a few G's mod $$ away. As soon as the dealers drop the "Market Adjustment" we know they're going to charge on the next gen Cobras, and are willing to take sticker (or less) there will be a new Cobra in my Garage. (no supercharger, all bet's are off)