'03 COBRA TRACK TIMES

[1qwkpny]

:beer:
First off having just returned yesterday from firebird/bondurant and having been priveledged enough to have the chance to run the ever lovin piss out the new cobra, lightning, and focus. I will officially say: 1. the imports have a serious contender w/ the new svt focus it ran 15.50's (wasn't broke in yet) and could be even faster w/the jackson racing s/c kit but even without it still smoked the integra R at the strip and on the road coarse. Its strong point is handling. 2. We all know what the lightning is capable of. 3. The new cobra (in showroom trim) ran 12.60's at englishtown and 12.70's in the heat down in AZ. I too like P51 pilot thought the chassis would be over powered but I couldn't have been more wrong. That damn thing would pass anything I wanted it to (my fav. was toying w/a Z06). I really enjoyed it. The snake would pull from idle to redline like no other. I could pass both the normal vette and the Z06 WHENEVER I wanted to, in corners, coming out of corners, on the straights, and when I was on the binders. This car flat out kicks ass. This car is exactly what the SVT Credo declares. I am looking forward to the new chassis but after driving this I'm not so sure they should change it..... Oh and the wipers do work at 140mph plus........................................ Damn I'm lucky.

 

[1qwkpny]

Oh and by the way the three little things I would change are: adding 3.73's maybe 4.10's, get rid of the rev limiter, and swap in an x-pipe and diff muffs. But thats just my opinion

 

[cobra 829]

so what does the vet zo6 run the 1/4 in cant wait for mine to get her

 

[cobra 829]

did you talk to svt what are they saying on del date they kept telling me early may

 

[Friendchicken]

Appreciate the report you lucky dog!

Do the vette people on the streets have something to worry about on a stock 03 cobra?

And I am mostly concerned with the handling with the 57% front weight bias. Did it lend itself to understeer or heavy nose dive?

 

[Shifty]

1qwkpny - I appreciate the info. Saw the time's were mid to high 12's, but what was the mph averaging? I'd really like to know what it was going through the traps at.

Thanks again for the post.

Mike

 

[Black Cobra]

I have always thought the 2003 Cobra would be similar to the Roush Stage 3 Mustang in straight line acceleration.

Roush Performance says preliminary testing of its Mustang produced a 0-to-60- mph time of 4.9 seconds (5.3 with an automatic transmission), a quarter-mile sprint in 12.7 seconds at more than 109 mph, 60-to-0 braking in 120 feet and skidpad performance of 0.96 g to 0.98 g (with the standard tires; the figure was 1.0 g with prototypes of the BFGoodrich g-Forces that will be available this fall).

Roush claims 360hp for their car, this has to be rear wheel horse power. So what kind of rear wheel hp is the 2003 Cobra making? 375hp?

 

[dave58]

Only thing I've seen (I think at SVTOA website) was mid 12's (12.60) @ around 118 +/-.

 

[fangstang]

I was at my dealership yesterday and my salesman told me that he was going to Arizona to test the new cobra.

 

[1qwkpny]

MPH

:beer:
Sorry guys I can't believe I forgot to post the MPH. Which was an average of 109. So you could say that with drag radials or slick the new snake should run easily in the 12.0's-12teens. The fastest 1/4 any of the vettes laid down was I believe 13.09@101. So an answer to the question are vettes threatened on the street?????? Your damn straight they are. I mean the cobra didn't even have that stupid air horn or air intake silencer removed. All of them were "showroom stock." I would have to guess that the rearwheel hp is definately in the 360-380 range, and I would also have to say that from my experience the new snakes are making more than 400 at the flywheel cause these cars aren't the lightest and are definately aimed more towards the street/road coarse scene than the dragstrip.

 

[Dave Schotz]

1QWKPONY... you are sooo FULL OF IT!!!

A Z-06? Running 101 MPH??? Everyone knows they run 114+ in the qtr!!

And with no change in Brakes... and an extra 140 lbs... what makes you think it stops better than a current Cobra?

PUHLEEZ!!! My Z-06 runs 12.3's @ 114+ in Phoenix... STOCK...

'02's run low 12's @ 115-116 stock...

I believe you ran the car... because of your MPH... 109... but tell me... how 109 MPH... drives around Z-06's at ease... when they do 114+? And weigh 300-400 Lbs lighter?

The cobra is an awesome car... and I will get one this winter... but please put down the crack pipe!

Dave

 

[quick01snake]

Originally posted by Dave Schotz
1QWKPONY... you are sooo FULL OF IT!!!

A Z-06? Running 101 MPH??? Everyone knows they run 114+ in the qtr!!

And with no change in Brakes... and an extra 140 lbs... what makes you think it stops better than a current Cobra?

PUHLEEZ!!! My Z-06 runs 12.3's @ 114+ in Phoenix... STOCK...

'02's run low 12's @ 115-116 stock...

I believe you ran the car... because of your MPH... 109... but tell me... how 109 MPH... drives around Z-06's at ease... when they do 114+? And weigh 300-400 Lbs lighter?

The cobra is an awesome car... and I will get one this winter... but please put down the crack pipe!

Dave

I agree, Z06 is still stock king of the hill.......as much as i hate to admit that....
But 'round my neck 'o the woods, you rarely SEE a Z06, and when you do, some 50 or 60-something year old yuppie who wouldn't know how to use HALF the HP is driving.....So I'll take the Cobra anyday, for 15K less, I think it looks better, and it will hang close the Z06.......Plus, it will smoke any relatively stock Camaro or Firebird ALL DAY LONG....And since that is mostly what I see around here, works for me....

 

[SlvrSnke01]

Have to agree w/ Dave on this one:

At my local track on multiple occasions I have seen two bone stock 01' Z06's run 12-teens consistently all night at 112-114.

With CAI and exhaust they dip in the 11.80's on stock tires! Nothing againt those who have 03's on order but I still think we are outgunned against the Z06. Any other LS1 shoul be no problem.

It will be interesting to see the 60' times with the 03 when they come out.


Bill

 

[1qwkpny]

First of all I just thought it would be the decent thing to do by sharing my experience and I'm not here to bash anyone I'm just calling it like it is. The Z06's are fast but then again like I said the damned air silencer wasn't even pulled off that's how stock the snakes were. Second the car for some reason feels more balanced w/the additional weight/low end torque. The wider tires also make an enormous differance also. I feel a 5.4 would definately be the ultimate answer we are looking for and it isn't far away but man does that blower create a night/day diff. The Z-06 is not comparable in my mind to the Cobra in the fact that it(cobra) is "Hand-Built." Which separates it from the F-bodies as well. Sure there is a lot of "Man-Hours" in both the Z06 and the Cobra but having driven both all I can say is that the extra 15G's you would spend on the Z06 is just plain stupid. You could easily spend I would say another 2-3000 in mods on the cobra and never ever have to watch your back. I will however say that the Z06's and standard vettes on hand didn't display the numbers(mid to low 12's) that I have seen in the past. I wasn't trying to piss anyone off with my original post but that's what happened when I was behind the wheel............ And if you want to act like the typical import drivers (which I dispatch on a daily basis with my SVT Contour) by taking an attitude and getting all pissy when I tell ya how it happened the fine. NO EXCUSES.

 

[1qwkpny]

First of all (not intended to piss anyone off) dave you are on an SVT website and I'm not here to bash anyone I'm just calling it like it is. Second the car for some reason feels more balanced w/the additional weight/low end torque. The wider tires also make an enormous differance also. I feel a 5.4 would definately be the ultimate answer we are looking for and it isn't far away but man does that blower create a night/day diff. The Z-06 is not comparable in my mind to the Cobra in the fact that it(cobra) is "Hand-Built." Which separates it from the F-bodies as well. Sure there is a lot of "Man-Hours" in both the Z06 and the Cobra but having driven both all I can say is that the extra 15G's you would spend on the Z06 is just plain stupid. You could easily spend I would say another 2-3000 in mods on the cobra and never ever have to watch your back. I will however say that the Z06's and standard vettes on hand didn't display the numbers(mid to low 12's) that I have seen in the past. I wasn't trying to piss anyone off with my original post but that's what happened when I was behind the wheel............ And if you want to act like the typical import drivers (which I dispatch on a daily basis with my SVT Contour) by taking an attitude and getting all pissy when I tell ya how it happened the fine. NO EXCUSES.

 

[cobra 829]

the cobra built on the same line as the other mustang they are not hand built

 

[Friendchicken]

Engines are hand built. I don't think he meant the entire car.... it ain't a porsche ya know

 

[PFA]

Not to add to the fire but, the 101 mph would definately be in the high 13 to mid 13's. It sounds like the brakes were hit or just plain let off at the end of the 1/4.

 

[SVTNICK]

LOL..all this talk of King of the hill..lets remember that the new zo6 gets even more hp then last year too..also..ive seen z06 range between 12.5 to 13.4..depending on driver...the regular vette coupe is 13.3 to 13.8..depending on driver...cobra..13.3 to 14.2 depending on driver....2003 CObra..well..lets just say until i see it with my own 2 eyes, ill say 13.0 to mid 13's depending on driver...the new cobra is fast yes..but Ford..please retire this ancient platform already...we want a whole new beast...

All i can say is though..Ford GT40..too bad ford is going to charge close to 100000 for this viper eating baby...now there is the real king of the hill...lol

 

[Dave Schotz]

qwkpony...

Obviously you are a salesman... hoping to get more blood flowing for the new Cobra....

Fact is... you are on an SVT Sight... we don't need any more blood flowing... the car is great... and most of us respect that... I am on an SVT Board... because I love SVT Products... but that doesn't make me BLIND or NAIVE!

Since I have owned just about every american sports car... I find pros and con's for all... But hearing that your experience in a 3600 Lb... car... felt more balanced... and handled better... and went quicker than a 400HP Z-06? That weighs 3100lbs? Pretty tough to believe.. maybe they made you guys make the runs in the Z-06 with Traction Control ON! :bash:

I noticed... you last statement you mentioned that 2 or 3G's in the Cobra... and the Z will see tailights... but wait... your first post you said that was easy in stock trim? :??:

You keep mentioning the Air Silencer deal... that isn't a big deal, I hate to tell you... and if you take a look at the '03... you will notice the Air Silencer has about a 3" OPENING in it... up from the previous cars 2" or something opening.

Anyways... the car is great... and if you only ran 13's in the Z-06... that is fine... Next time try starting in 1st! :-D

Again... I love the '03 Cobra... and don't doubt in some ways it is going to give Vettes quite a handful... but on the Road Course... stock to stock... It is going to have a tough time...

Peace,

Dave