Official numbers finally in...500hp/480tq

[blk04cobra1]

http://www.blueovalnews.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=249

Looks like it's gonna be a monster afterall :eek:

[SuperG]

Nice...I like the line, "Pricing will be announced closer to launch."

[cobrabitn]

Here's what they didn't say...the pistons are the same as the GT 40 and neither are the rods. Think about it?? :doubt:

I hate to have to wait but I'm not going to buy the first thing that is thrown at me anymore. ;)

[Levi]

And Ford Motor Company told their dealers today that they will make 9,000 2007 Shelby Mustang GT500s.

http://www.stangsunleashed.com/images/gt500.9000500.jpg

9,000 (http://www.blueovalnews.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=258)

[bbrence]

According to everything I've read [most recently the Car & Driver comparo test with an 2006 C6 Corvette], the 2007 GT 500 is no quicker than the 2003/2004 Cobra.......doesn't handle as well, and will cost a minimum of $6,000 more....before additional dealer markup. This is progress? Ford needs to go back to the drawing board......reduce weight, put the Ford GT engine in it [aluminum block], figure out a way to move the engine back for better weight distribution, add IRS and wider tires [not taller]. If all you want is to smoke the tires, it's great.......but real performance is disappointing. In all respects, I think buyers would be better off with a stage 3 Roush. Now thats a real monster.

[bbrence]

Nobody should buy this car thinking they are going to have a collector car with appreciating value and Shelby credentials. It's not going to happen. This is in no way a real Shelby, and the market will very quickly make that clear. Real Shelbys are Cobras and early GT 350 Mustangs. The rest are just Fords with Shelby nameplates tacked on. Need proof, check prices on the Chrysler products that were sold as Shelby's........giving them away. Now, a Roush? They may have some long term value......as they are actually re-engineered at Roush.

[ausie]

The same can be said about the saleen conversions as well. I could only imagin how much hevier it would be with an IRS but at lease it would gain some weight distribution for more ballance. How much dose it weigh in at this point? That is one thing I overlooked. As far as the block is concerned, the GT (40) block would not work due to the design favoring a mid engine mounting and different bolt patterns etc.... They could have done a cast in aluminum but the wanted to shave off the cost since the process is far more expensive than a cast iron process. The vents on the hood do look like they are done as an afterthought. I know for a fact that the vents on the 03/04's work in venting the heat from the radiator very well. They may perform the same but do not look like they were placed into the design with function in mind. I guess the story is not very straight since I recall reading that both the pistons and crankshaft were borrowed from the GT(40) motor and I think they also said that the connecting rods were as well. Ford would have made a huge difference if they modeled the body in a wind tunnel than just following a concept from the 05 remake. The body lines are lacking what I found to be attractive in the original vehicles of the past. However, it may be one of those vehicles that has to grow on you (love/hate type deal). That is one issue that I have not had with the 03/04 model.

[MarcInJapan]

I think the most current MM&FF got a 12.25 in the 1/4 powershifting it. Thats not too shabby! They say with a few bolt ons, they could easily see 600HP.

[ProfChaos]

According to everything I've read [most recently the Car & Driver comparo test with an 2006 C6 Corvette], the 2007 GT 500 is no quicker than the 2003/2004 Cobra.......doesn't handle as well, and will cost a minimum of $6,000 more....before additional dealer markup. This is progress? Ford needs to go back to the drawing board......reduce weight, put the Ford GT engine in it [aluminum block], figure out a way to move the engine back for better weight distribution, add IRS and wider tires [not taller]. If all you want is to smoke the tires, it's great.......but real performance is disappointing. In all respects, I think buyers would be better off with a stage 3 Roush. Now thats a real monster.

I'm no physicist, but I can believe that the additional weight might somehow offset the increased horsepower. (Race car development teams pay loads of cash just to trim a few pounds with carbon fiber, etc.)


As for the handling, many Cobra owners (particularly on this forum) were screaming loudly for SVT to do away with IRS and the Traction Control non-sense. Since SVT did that, I respect the responsiveness to input from current Cobra owners, though I might be of a different opinion if I were to buy a GT-500 with the intention of participating in a road race. But, what kind of moron would do that ! ;)

cheers,
Professor Chaos

[Mirage]

ProfChaos~ I for one like that my '03 has IRS as I believe it's a good attribute of the Cobra as opposed to a hinderance. True, I'm not at the drag strip every weekend so perhaps my opinion may be altered but never the less, IRS (for me) is a good thing.

As for "Traction Control non-sense" I would've liked an option to turn it off by default and keep it off. None of this "pushing a button" everytime you start the car. Of course after my tune I don't have this problem but I don't think it should take that to disable it. Of course I can see FORD's point of view of having it on but not one Cobra owner I've met is 18 years old with zero driving experience.

[RF Cobra]

I prefer the IRS over a solid axle because I prefer driving twisty roads over driving in a straight line, but I know those that drag race typically prefer the solid axle. I had wheel hop in my solid axle tbird sport which came with the same setup as the Mustang GTs of that era and it had a lot less hp and less tq than my Cobra. Rough roads also caused some pretty bad wheel hop at times with the SA. I can easily control wheel hop in the Cobra with the right pedal.

The traction control is a feature I like having, but it could have been done with a toggle switch so that it could be turned on and off at the driver's discretion.

A third thing would be to not have the useless shift light designed solely for mpg. It's annoying to be going along at low speed and the stupid shift light comes on even though shifting into a higher gear would drop the rpms below a safe level.