The New Shelby Cobra!

[jjraiser]

Well, some of you have heard my banter and whining about the rumors of a solid rear axle (SRA) Cobra. I first want to say the new Shelby Cobra GT500 is a very beautiful car! I do love the looks and styling very much. The name is okay too, but not my first choice. Ford did a great job on the 2005 Mustang and the 2007 Cobra is equally beautiful.

I want to say another thing about the new Cobra. NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I dreaded the prospect of an SRA Cobra. It worse than that, however. The new car has a huge iron block. Add the intercooler and supercharger and this is one heavy, heavy engine. Can you say understeer? Keep in mind the Mustang GT is 3500+ pounds. Add this engine, larger wheels, brakes, tranny, chassis stiffening, and full leather power seats, and you have one heavy car. This will not be a high performance sports car. Hell, it won't make a good drag car either at the probable 3700 pound weight. The engine only has 60 more horses than the 2003/4 Cobras? Hell, we all know our 2003/4 Cobras are easily tuned (EASILY) to 425+ horsepower. That's without internal upgrades.

What did Thai-Tang really add to this Cobra? 19" rims? Big deal, I have 18" and we all upgrade rims anyway. Rims wearing 255 tires? Please! 14" Brembos? Big deal, I have those too...and mine are aluminum hatted rotors!!! 60 more horse power? Big deal, 03/04 Cobras are easily tuned to 450hp! It's the same tranny. Slower gears (3:31 on the new car versus the 3:55 on 03/04s). Stiffer springs and dampers? So what, I have those too. In short, my modified 2003 Cobra is as good or better (with IRS) than the new Cobra and it still COST ME LESS with all my mods, to include lightweight Recaros! This new Cobra is not a performance value! I'll wait for the performance numbers, but I'm not optimistic. Notice Ford did not release any numbers on weight in their article (Ref: stangnet.com). Besides, it just won't handle as well as a lighter car. I don't care about horsepower, physics rule with regard to handling, and a heavy car is a pig of a car.

As far as it's competition? I've been maintainting (still do) that it's to compete with the Z06 and Viper. But assume the competition is a base Corvette. No way does this new Cobra stack up. The heavy weight and SRA just make the Cobra out-classed by the Base Corvette, even without the Z51 package. Big deal this new car won a race this year. That was on a smooth track, not the street where this new Cobra will be driven; as are the Covettes, GTOs, Z06s, and Vipers.

The new Cobra is beautiful, but the design and engineering stinks. It's an all-show-no-go car. Thai-Tang boned this one up badly. My next sports car will, in fact, be a sports car. It'll be a new Z06!

Thai-Tang and SVT, you stink!

[ausie]

I am happy that I own an 04 SVT,


The 03/04 is probably the best Mustang ever.


Don't frown on the new Cobra yet, wait for the first hand driving reviews (when drivers get to take it to its limits).

With only 60 more hp and 3.31 gears, I would rather have the 3.55 and the smaller Eaton induced 4.6L with pullies, or even a whipple charger.

[Davesnake]

When I saw the new 05 design at the Ford 100th I decided to buy an 03....I didn't like the 05 looks....and still don't.

Plus I haven't seen the new Cobra's curb weight my guess, it's a tank.

Dave

[Levi]

Just wait, there will be 5 versions of the SVT Cobra. One will turn your head sooner or later.

[Zedoc]

I don't get it? You guys are referring to statistics and facts like they are already well known. THey aren't. Why don't you share your spec sheet with the forum? Is this just private information speculation or do you really know something? WHy don't you say where you're getting all your info?

[davelegguy]

Get on the ground and take some pictures to post here.

[Stevenbekah]

Hey, evolution is evolution.

I'm sure by the time this car actually goes into production, it will be what we're hoping it will be.

Plus, I'm positive that with the same types of mods, you'll see even more HP gains.

Think about it; if you're starting with 450 and you add a CAI, plus better exhaust you'll be around 500 anyway. Then you add a newer pulley and wait for the "tuner" companies to work their magic and you might end up with a 600 HP at the crank car!

That by the way, is more advanced in just about every aspect as our car is. Let's face it, we've got seriously bad @$$ rides that ride on a 25 year old chassis. I traded an 04' G35 coupe in on my cobra vert MAINLY because I can't seem to get away from that ol' detroit iron growl (plus there is nothing wrong with owning a convertable!!) but let me tell ya', I miss the refinement of that Infiniti. The new mustang is so much more refined in everthing that it does.

So in the end, I can deal with some of what's being mentioned above by a variety of posters to have truly a NEW car from the ground up. Oh, and putting some aftermarket wheels and tires on that new Cobra is going to look SWEEET!

[Levi]

Info supplied by Ford

[smashedheadcat]

If this car weighs in at 3700lbs then it's not much different than an 03 cobra. The '03s aren't exactly what you'd call a light car either. It's no secret that it takes some modifications to make any late model mustang handle. But, not everyone is a corner carver. I'm not. I could care less if this thing pulls a "g" on a skid pad or not. Personally, I like the solid axle in the rear. I like to accelerate in a straight line. A lot of people do. Not only that, the solid axle weighs considerably less than an irs setup (reference '99-'04 cobras). So if that remains true, then the SRA is an attempt at weight reductions. Also, durability of course. The solid axle saves me from an IRS swap in the future. Of course, a proper setup IRS will do well at a track, but not better than the good old stick axle. Also, one of the more obvious reasons for the SRA is saving money. Everyone wants all this power, none of the weight, and everyone wants a different suspension and everyone wants it to be cheap. The facts are they are giving us a serious engine, just like we asked for since the beginning. "we need more power to hold off the camaros." Well, they gave it to us in the '03. And they gave it to us at a great price. I guess my point is, no matter what they do, someone isn't going to like it. That's why there is an aftermarket. The '03 cobra IRS is just crammed under a platform that was designed to hold one. The attach points of the IRS are the same as the stick axle. This setup is a nightmare and costs serious money to make handle. From what I see, the quickest handling streetable mustangs use a Griggs or Maximum motorsports equipped solid axle. Everyone likes the ride of the IRS, but they don't ride much, if any better than my friend's mach 1 IMO. To each their own, but I love this new Shelby car and I have every intention of getting one if possible. Also, for those that want to see pictures of the new Shelby Cobra GT500........ here they are...

click for pics

[FearTheSnake]

Afraid to see the price tag.

[Davesnake]

Josh,

If that car comes in at 3700lbs I'll be amazed....The other big issue with it is tire size, you can only fit a 275 maximum on the 05 body style. and from what I here even that will rub, there simply is not enough room in the wheelwells. 255's on this car looks like elastic bands.

Dave

[STANGBUM]

I'm with you Josh, it is a beautiful car and if I can, I will purchase one.
I am calling an SVT dealership near me tommorrow. and see if I can get on a list for ordering.

Seems like most of the people that have problems with the new cobra own a 2003-2004 cobra and the ones that like it own an older model cobra........strange?

[Aaron94]

Bring on the GT500!

I love it! I like the subtle design changes from the new Mustang GT. I am glad to see the fog lights go. I am glad to see the very clean looking door panels, big improvement of the the current mustang. Now if they could just do something about the ebrake! The body package is awesome! subtle, no huge wing, tastful spliter, and rear valence. I like that the mufflers are now hidden.

I am with Josh on the SRA, but I am partial since I own one... Less to break, more durable. A properly set up SRA can perform just as good as an IRS in my opinion. And perhaps Josh can attest to that, by how closely i was following him on the Dragon last summer! (No comment on what happened on the way to the 311 dragway... )

The hardest thing for me about the new Cobra... I wouldnt be able to afford it without selling my '94, and I don't know that I could do that!

[jjraiser]

I like seeing all the comments. I know some of you are glad to see the SRA on the Cobra. I don't think the SRA is bad, I just don't think it should be on this car, considering the market. Also, many of the comments about an SRA performing as well as IRS is only somewhat true and only on a smooth and flat track. It true on the strip that the SRA is better.

However, this car will be driven on the street where an SRA will either get you in trouble in turns, or you at least have to take turns slower. I had a 2000 GT, I know how unstable an SRA can be. Yes, this new set up is great. But, you cannot unsettle one weel without unsettling the other wheel with a solid axle. There's no way to isolate the movement. The creates instability; subsequently slower speeds. This is especially true with high-performance, low profile tires on 18/19" rims.

Yes, an SRA has its benefits. And I'm not completely against them. It is merely my preference, AND I don't think this is the right car to have an SRA. I mean, what the hell, SVT is going to give the 2007 SVT Sport Trac an IRS and a lightweight-design approach. Why shouldn't the Cobra get the same? Thai-Tang was not creative in the mechanical set up on this car at all, in my opinion.

As far as weight, none one can be happy about this; road course, street drivers, or dragstrip types. This car, I predict, will top 3700 pounds. The Mustang GT, with an aluminum 4.6, 17" wheels, etc. is over 3500. We'll see, but I don't think I'm wrong. If I am, I'll own up to it.

The comment was made that the 03/04 are heavy too. Yes, they are; but for thousands less. The comment was made that the IRS in the 03/04 made them heavier than their SRA counterparts. True, but only because of that damn steel tube "adapter" rack which converts the SRA mounting points to the bolt-in IRS. This would not be true for the new Cobra, however. The new Cobra's chassis was designed to hold an IRS suspension and aluminum control arms would not be heavier on the new Cobra had they built one. So, I don't think the car would be any heavier with an IRS.

The hopeful comment on more variations to the Cobra is good to hear, but I'll believe it when I see it (any insight on where that was heard?).

I like the new Cobra, just not enough to drop $40K on the heavy pig. You SRA-types, enjoy it, it is a nice looking car. The weight, however, will be an issue I think.

[ausie]

I did a search on the 07 SVT Cobra, at first I thought the release date was a few days away yet. Apparently I found myself in a Pontiac GTO forum. They seemed worried that there would be a nother killer Cobra to watch out for like the 03/04 models. Wherever the pictures came from and the information which was probably parts from an article. According to them, the new snake will have options for IRS(optional) and SRA (standard). Also, the lysholm twin screw (same used on GT) with a little underdrive will be part of the mix. If what I read was true, then you can get the Cobra the way you want it. I can wait for the real deal from the NY auto show.