I said it first: It's too heavy

[jjraiser]

I was the first to post a thread for the new 2007 GT500 post when the car was first released. I said it then, first, and I was validated by the latest Car and Driver comparo with a Z51 C6 Corvette.

I said then that the new GT500 would be nothing more than an "image" car with gobs of horsepower. Sure enough, with 100 more hp than the Vette, the new GT500 was outdone by the C6 because the new Snake is too damn heavy. I said then that the car would be 3800+ pounds. Well, it's 3900 with bad forward weight bias, and that turned out to be the Achille's heel for the car. Granted, it posted good numbers, but 500 horsepower and fat tires will do that. The article did note that the acceleration was very similar to the "Terminator" Cobras. This I like since I have one!

I'm not a fan to the new GT500, but don't get me wrong, I think it's a great car and I do like its look. I just won't be buying one. I'm very performance oriented and the Corvette Z06 has won me over. Hell, I'll take a Z51 over the GT500 if I can't afford the Z06.

In short, I was disappointed when the car came out, and I'm disappointed still that the car turned out to be more of a lead-sled with a solid axle, instead of a real road racing beast. At over $40K, you'd think Ford/SVT could have done more.

[jjraiser]

Come on guys, I thought for sure there'd be a ton of replies to this thread. I know some are die-hard GT500 fans, others aren't at all. Oh well, I guess everyone is out buying the latest issue of Car & Driver to see what the heck I'm talking about.

I await your thoughts...

[Big T]

The only thing I would say is that for a small amount of money spent on a pulley swap I would think you should have no problem handling those corvettes. I haven't done much research on the new "cobra". I would assume that it would be more mod friendly? I rode in a friend's 06 corvette and it was very nice but it wasn't like my Terminator. I really liked the interior of the corvette and it looks cool on the street. I'm sure the new Z06 is alot faster but they sure are very expensive. The dealers around here are getting $20,000 over sticker. I'm going to get a kenne bell soon to make sure that I can handle a new ZO6 if I run into one.

[ausie]

Yep, I would agree it is too heavy and would probably be not much of an effort to whip one on the track if the driver is inexperienced. Seems that Ford dropped the rear gear down to a 3.31 as well as changed the ratio for first gear in the transmission to 2.97:1. MM&FF had an article on the Shelby and the quarter mile times were at best 12.257 / 117.18mph with a professional driver and the best I have done in my 04 Cobra was 12.597 / 110mph without any mods except for a cat back (considering I am novice at drag racing). That will not stop me from going to the track and racing even if the GT500 can terminate a terminator. In my opinion, the package under the bonnet in the 99 to 04 Cobras has more appeal than what was shown under the hood of the GT500.

Wonder when the owners of the GT500's will be ripping out the Eaton M122's for something a bit more potent. Then it would be interesting to see if the M122 would fit a 4.6L powerplant since that is close to the whipple and KB 2.2L blowers.. Sooner or later there may be a M122 conversion write up for us M112 owners. It probably will not fit unless the rear inlet can be interchanged with the one from the M112.

[03bloodredsnake]

im so sick and tired of hearing about this big fat pig of a car.look yesterday i received my monthly issue of mmff and i open it up to read the article on this ride and hear at the top of the article it says (will terminate a terminator)pleeease i cant wait to run into one on the road and smoke their ass.it just seems to me that mmff now finds it okay to down play the terminators now because of this car with shelbys name.2 months ago the terminator was unstoppbable now they make like its a sissy compared to the shelby.i mean what the shelby pulled out 12.2 the cobra 12.6 with a convertible to me that is not termination thats a disgrace on shelbys part.for that kind of money they want and the type of hp it puts out it should be turnin 11's right out of the box so needless to say im not impressed by no means im so tired of seeing carol shelbys fat butt in this magazine grinning as if he just put this car together by hand himself he is such a s***bag.hes so old he really should be standin next to a vette instead.and im sure he would if they gave him the right amount of money.hes such a sellout!

[cobrabitn]

Dang Wes, Why don't you tell us how you truly feel!

I agree with you about wanting to see the face on some of these 07 Shelby owners. There they'll be sitting in a garage, looking pristine, unmodded for originality because it's an investment. Meanwhile, on the street and strip, many of us will have our modded 03/04's with 525 rwhp plus just eating them up making some of them look silly. Like you, I hope I'll get to see one on the street, they'll be stylin, while looking at my "COBRA" bumper cover.

[03bloodredsnake]

Originally Posted by cobrabitn

Dang Wes, Why don't you tell us how you truly feel!

I agree with you about wanting to see the face on some of these 07 Shelby owners. There they'll be sitting in a garage, looking pristine, unmodded for originality because it's an investment. Meanwhile, on the street and strip, many of us will have our modded 03/04's with 525 rwhp plus just eating them up making some of them look silly. Like you, I hope I'll get to see one on the street, they'll be stylin, while looking at my "COBRA" bumper cover.

amen to that

[ausie]

Originally Posted by 03bloodredsnake

amen to that

They don't call them terminators for nothing. There is more to the 03/04 Cobras than what meets the eye of MM&FF. Actually the article did not seem very impressive at all and basically the statement was there for hype. Poetic injustice. They better but the money on the table if they are going to make that cliam. Would be nice to see a heads up challenge between the 03/04 cobra and the GT500 in stock trim including the tires (out of the box).

[97cobrasvtinkc]

Sorry boys, Ford had no intention of making this car a Mean Street Machine, but rather a Road Trophy. Ford wanted to make this a combination of Style, Flair, and a little bit of Horsepower, rather than a fire breathing demon bat out of hell car. Take a Mustang GT Body, put on some style, add a little hp, and a whole lot of weight, and Carol Shelby's name, and you get the 07 GT500. This car will be owned by people wanting a road trophy, not a performance machine. To me this is just another 69 Camaro with a slightly souped up 350 under the hood.

I mean come on...a 330 cubic inch motor w/a supercharger? 3.31 rear gear ratio's? 12.2 second quarter mile? Bleh. So far the only thing on this car that I see as impressive is the 0-60 mph time which is 4.5. No it's not the fastest, but it is landmark 0-60 for a factory mustang.

If Ford really wanted to compete with a Z06 Vette or even better yet a Viper..they could have done it, and here's how.

The current exterior cosmetics is great, they can leave that alone. (except for the raised hood vents should have been inset hood vents).
The powerplant should have been a 429 cubic inch motor
Iron Block
Heads Ported and Polished to the max!
HiPo Camshaft
Fuel Injected of course
Roots Style Supercharger
3.73 rear gear ratio
8.5 or 9.0:1 compression ratio
NO A/C, CD Player, Radio, Etc.
No Glove Compartment, side door storage areas, etc.
Factory Underdrive Pulley's already installed
Cold Air Kit already installed
Performance Chip already installed and set to the max
No Speed Limiter
No Rev Limiter
No rear seats
No spare tire
Should have had the IRS Suspension
700 Hp or more
Target Vehicle Weight Should have been around 3100-3400 pounds.
46% front weight to 54% rear weight, or even 50/50 if it's done right.

A car like this would be capable of speeds near or at 200 mph, and quarter speeds in the 10's for sure. Hell, a car like this might take a damn Porsche or Mercedes.

Yeah, there would have been a massive gas guzzler tax on the damn thing, but you talk about some awesome power, and something that would smoke any Vette or Viper without a moments hesitation! This would have been a striped-a$$ monkey running machine, and would probably get down in the low to mid 10's. This is what Ford should have done if they only had the stones to do it.

Late

Andrew

[Miguel]

Road & Track seemed to think this would be a worthy alternative to the new Shelby. I'm inclined to agree.

[Levi]

Originally Posted by 97cobrasvtinkc

Sorry boys, Ford had no intention of making this car a Mean Street Machine, but rather a Road Trophy. Ford wanted to make this a combination of Style, Flair, and a little bit of Horsepower, rather than a fire breathing demon bat out of hell car. Take a Mustang GT Body, put on some style, add a little hp, and a whole lot of weight, and Carol Shelby's name, and you get the 07 GT500. This car will be owned by people wanting a road trophy, not a performance machine. To me this is just another 69 Camaro with a slightly souped up 350 under the hood.

I mean come on...a 330 cubic inch motor w/a supercharger? 3.31 rear gear ratio's? 12.2 second quarter mile? Bleh. So far the only thing on this car that I see as impressive is the 0-60 mph time which is 4.5. No it's not the fastest, but it is landmark 0-60 for a factory mustang.

If Ford really wanted to compete with a Z06 Vette or even better yet a Viper..they could have done it, and here's how.

The current exterior cosmetics is great, they can leave that alone. (except for the raised hood vents should have been inset hood vents).
The powerplant should have been a 429 cubic inch motor
Iron Block
Heads Ported and Polished to the max!
HiPo Camshaft
Fuel Injected of course
Roots Style Supercharger
3.73 rear gear ratio
8.5 or 9.0:1 compression ratio
NO A/C, CD Player, Radio, Etc.
No Glove Compartment, side door storage areas, etc.
Factory Underdrive Pulley's already installed
Cold Air Kit already installed
Performance Chip already installed and set to the max
No Speed Limiter
No Rev Limiter
No rear seats
No spare tire
Should have had the IRS Suspension
700 Hp or more
Target Vehicle Weight Should have been around 3100-3400 pounds.
46% front weight to 54% rear weight, or even 50/50 if it's done right.

A car like this would be capable of speeds near or at 200 mph, and quarter speeds in the 10's for sure. Hell, a car like this might take a damn Porsche or Mercedes.

Yeah, there would have been a massive gas guzzler tax on the damn thing, but you talk about some awesome power, and something that would smoke any Vette or Viper without a moments hesitation! This would have been a striped-a$$ monkey running machine, and would probably get down in the low to mid 10's. This is what Ford should have done if they only had the stones to do it.

Late

Andrew

They built it, we just can't have one.

[cobrabitn]

SCMC member, Bobby Byrd, does own one of those.

[Big Daddy]

Yes and all for the measly sum of about $100,000.00 not bad for a full out race car!

[svtmc-g]

I'd rather buy the new Challenger honestly...well..really I'd rather buy a Mystichrome.....I just have to wait another year! I, very much, dislike the new "GT500" and all the hype that's going with it(i.e...."it's a SHELBY"....who cares....hahahaha......someone said...."Carrol's fat butt"!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Mc-G


Missing my 99 Cobra!!!!

[SMOKE]

I'm not impressed with the numbers and the overall capability of this LATE MODEL SHELBY either.
Marginally better performance considering the chassis limitations and what could have been .... but, that's for another discussion.
Would I choose a Stage3 over it if I were in the market? Probably.

The HYPE is funny because when it fades there will be SHELBYs sitting on the lots with incentives this time next year.