American Exotics Comparison

[Litespeed]

Check out this comparison of the Z06, Viper, and Cobra. The acceleration numbers seem a bit off for our cars.


http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comparison/articles/89505/article.html

 

[fryingricecobra]

Mid 13's and mid 5's???
They must have left the TC on.

 

[Belmont]

Sport Compact Car did a 03 cobra test as well and only got 13.4. Kind of weak I think, since most people are getting mid-high 12's on stock cobras, and 11's with modded ones.

 

[slythetove]

It's totally weak considering I've never been to a 1/4 mile in any car before and I ticked off 13.3 at 110 in the rain.

The Z06 deserves to win a test like this, but I still don't think they got it all out of the Cobra.

QUOTE:
"With a price like that, it's hard to expect the Cobra to challenge cars like the 'Vette and the Viper in a head-to-head contest."

And that's the real point. For $20,000 to $55,000 less we are being compared to the BIG BIG dogs.

That's fantastic in my opinion.

Go SVT!!

 

[NastyWS6]

Yeah I remember the comparisons they did before. They almost never get the true potential out of these cars.

 

[03blackvert]

I have two thoughts.

First, these types of reviews never get optimum performance from anything. Many make a point to do things to make things fair that short-change a number of cars. I ignore magazine performance numbers.

Second, the most important thing to me is that all the problems mentioned with the Cobra are fixable. In, fact, easily fixable leaving the price still far less than a Z06. I bet a $100 shifter upgrade would cut a half second and remove a big complaint. True, it's ashame ford didn't do it from the factory, but it's a little extra work I'm willing to do to save $20k.

 

[Blue03Cobra]

13.6 @ 108

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Magazine driver, clogged cats, or both :shrug:

 

[2F2F]

> 13.6 @ 108

Hmm...Looks like numbers my little sister could pull of...

 

[rskdsk]

Someone need to show that guy where first gear is ... because it seems he must have started it in third to get those times. It is hard to believe that these people call themselves professionals when my wife drove my car to a 13.28 @ 109 ... and she can't shift.

 

[Leadhead]

I wouldn't have expected anything less from edmunds. For them all other cars are inferior to german engineering, and the z06. If you don't believe me, just look at their other comparisons. If a german car is in the test, it wins. I think that the numbers thing with the cobra is probably due to wet pavement. Sly said he did a 13.3 in the rain but I tried to pin mine on a road that was a little wet and the tires didn't like it at all. This is probably the where the weight distribution of the cobra did have a great effect even if it really isn't noticable on dry pavement.
Again I have to agree with sly... the fact that they get the 03 cobra to compete in these comparisons shows how awesome this car is.

 

[NeedForSpeed]

did someone say sport compact car?????

I would think maybe they make our american cars seem slower so those ricer boys get a hard on thinking they can beat us in those hondas....... lol

They sell more parts! Civic boy is like wow an 03 cobra goes 13.50's ....... if I buy this cool Weapon R combat spoiler, a 6" APC flaming light up tip, and a 4 foot bookshelf wing...... I just may be able to keep up!

lol

 

[Belmont]

Yeah SCC sometimes seems a little "odd" in their coverage. The write-up was totally biased against the cobra, so I wasnt expecting too much. They either had the traction control on or spun like a mo fo off the line. Plus they dynoed the car and got 360hp? I was like WTF? A lot of you guys seem to be getting atleast 370RWHP STOCK!

 

[MTI LS1]

HAHA!!! Barely dipped into the mid 13's!!! HAHAHA, these guys have to be the worst drivers on the planet!! HAHAHA

 

[static_kling]

I just started reading the Edmunds article :rollseyes and I already noticed an error. They said the '03 Cobra has "twin-piston Brembo calipers up front"; wrong! As you guys probaby know, the car has twin-piston PBR calipers up front--the ROTORS are Brembos. It's hard to take any car review seriously if the writer can't even get the damn facts straight. :nonono:

 

[CobraTone]

Originally posted by static_kling
They said the '03 Cobra has "twin-piston Brembo calipers up front"; wrong! As you guys probaby know, the car has twin-piston PBR calipers up front--the ROTORS are Brembos.

Have to admit, didn't catch that one. Good job! :thumbsup:

 

[BOOOOST]

Originally posted by Blue03Cobra
13.6 @ 108

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Magazine driver, clogged cats, or both :shrug:

$34,750 was the MSRP on their Cobra. Yep, sounds like a 1st build (QUD2). That proves they had clogged cats ;-)

 

[Blue03Cobra]

Originally posted by BNASPLT
$34,750 was the MSRP on their Cobra. Yep, sounds like a 1st build (QUD2). That proves they had clogged cats ;-)

My car: $34,750 MSRP, 1st run (YDH0), built 8/02, no clogged cats :beer:

 

[slow lane]

My car was built 5/13 and had no clogged cats. But many of the other May 2002 cars did have clogged cats. Ford would likely have checked and fixed any issues with a car going out to the press fleet. The driver either was not so good, or conditions were not so good.

I've had nights (pre pulley) where 108 was my best trap speed, and I've had good nights where I trapped 112. On average, I ran about 0.5 second quicker on the good nights. On the F1s, on a bad track with bad air, 13.3 would be a good run (if you're not Evan Smith).

 

[kino]

I read the SCC write up on the cobra. The 13.4 doesn't surprise me since there are so many variable in getting a good ET; however, the MPH caught me. Last time I checked 108.1mph is what 3rd gear tops out in. I bet they only ran the 1/4 up to top of 3rd gear and did not shift to 4th.

 

[SoCalBlk03]

Wasn't this brought up the other day? Oh well here's my $.02 again. The testing was conducted @ Willow Springs. For those unfamiliar with this area of CA it's in the foothills of our local mountains. Can you say high altitude? I knew you could. Unfourtunately the testers neglected to tell you that this track sits @ approx 3000ft elevation and is also inappropriate for drag racing a car. Those of you that used to bag on us for our stock times @ LACR now see what altitude and no track prep can do to our cars. Knock approx .5 sec off the E/T and add approx 3 mph for altitude correction and you have reputable bone stock #'s.