Anyone Take on an SVT Cobra?

Hello I am new to the list and I am a proud new popa of an '03 C2 Cab I smile alot! Anyway....Anyone out there get into "casual highway competition" with an SVT Cobra? The numbers on that thing are out of control! I have been engaged by stock 'stangs and vettes where the 911 holds its own easily but I fear the day I come upon a Cobra! just wondering! Jason

Can't answer your questions, but great car. Congrats.

Nice car, but unless he's a lousy driver and you are awesome, you will lose to the '03 cobra.

I am baffled how anyone driving a late or reasonably current Porsche, or even an older Porsche could regard being in a position whereby a Mustang opted to "race" them as a "loss". What an insult. I've owned Porsches since the early sixties. I've driven Corvettes and Mustangs, and even sold Mustangs for a Ford dealer. Ugh!! Not in the same breath shall they be discussed. Small block Cobras out accelerate 2.0L 904s...the 904 catches the Cobra in the corner...ultimately that crude bucket of bolts called a Cobra loses the race to the 904, and the 904 driver packs up and drives home all the way across country and arrives rested and ready to attend the symphony. Then the big block Cobras come out, so Porsche builds the 906 and the 908. Try "racing" with a 3.0L 908 for more than a short blast down a short straight. Ad infinitum...! If you regard a 1/4 mile drag race a "race" and test of a true GT car, well, I say you may not be suited to Porsches....better not to insult them that way as I suspect that is not their intended purpose. But to be fortunate enough to live on this Earth and experience the totally successful definition of grand touring that Porsche represents and at their suprisingly reasonable cost is a reward the sophisticated should savor. And not attempt to dilute by entertaining the delusion that a Mustang should stand alongside such a pertinent and poised machine as a Porsche. Lose...? Only if you notice the Mustang's presence at all. Tell me why a 3.8L Porsche must use intake restrictors to race against 8L Vipers, et al in the ALMS series? Why was the GT1 with a 3.2L engine forced to use intake restrictors against the 6+L McClarens and other ALMS cars? Give me a break!! Lose??? I doubt it. In which car would you prefer to spend a fast pass across this or any other country. And which car won the Paris-Dakkar rally? Not the tiny engined 2.8L 959 was it?? Of course it was...the 1986 running and won by a street GT with mild mods (increased ride height). A true GT. Lose?? I don't think so. Only if you consider dignifying such an act by accommodating the Mustang's yearning to be noticed at all.

Wow Ron_H! That was passionate! I agree with you....I choose this car b/c it has been a dream since I was old enough to know what it was. Every 911 has a legacy of unriveled passion and love behind it. This car, for me, represents the pincacle of the driving experience. If I get my doors blown off by Ford Festiva's with 200hp nos shots my love will not be dulled! Having said this I was and am curious about peoples experience...so keep your replies coming people! I love my car I love this group God Bless us Everyone!

As the new owner of a (slightly used) 00 C2 Cab, I'd agree: We're very fortunate indeed. A friend has a Cobra (bought just before they started supercharging -- he's bumming! Those engines put out something like 390 hp) ... he takes it to club track dates when he wants to go tooling. It might be a while before we hit the road. If you want raw power, the Cobra is your car. If you want a sublime, incredibly refined machine, the choice is obvious. Up here in northern New England, I'd rather have the Porsche any day. Rarely have I smiled so often on my way *to* work! Bill

Yes, I have taken on a Cobra, but not on the street. On the track!!! This was a MY '99, track tires, roll cage, Recaro buckets, guys been tracking for 5 years (or so he says). Stock C4S, fire extinguisher was the only upgrade (upgrade?), been tracking for a year. Open track, 2.6 mile road course, happened to rain buckets that morning, track threatened to not open. But, rain cleared, track opened, and it was just the Cobra and me ALL DAY!! 3 tanks of gas. Lots of fun. We would wait for each other at the pits, then chase each other down . Pretty much even. I had better corner and exit speeds, he had better catch-up/run-away straight speeds. I would climb all over his behind on the braking zones, he could wag his tail on exit.

Yes it may be ridiculous to compare a Ford to a Porsche, or a Chevy to a Porsche, BUT I think this might be the wake up call Porsche needs, else in 3, 5, 10 years time Ford and Chevy may build a car that doesnt squeek, is well built AND handles BETTER than a Porsche - and don't think that they aren't capable of doing that. It is quite obvious that these 2 makes have made SERIOUS strides in only the last 20 years to bridge a power gap and handling gap AND a quality gap that was even bigger. Pride is the deadliest of sins. Too much of it makes you feel like your always right.

The '03 supercharged Cobra is almost scary fast on a straight blast. When the blower kicks in you better be holding on 'cause you're in for a ride. Total different experience from a 996. I have driven both, raced (safely) light to light against a Cobra and can tell you that if Ford would fix the crummy trans it would be awesome. Also, the cars handling has been improved greatly despite being built on a 20 year old chassis. Yeah, the 996 is in a different league overall. Many differences that could be extensively discussed. But if your sitting at a light with an '03 Cobra next to you and the driver knows how to handle the car, you will get beat.

Who cares?!?! The two cars are made for different folks with different wants and possibly, different financial circumstances. Both marquees have drawn enthusiasts for a long time.

There is a lot of consolidation in the auto industry today... everything seems to be fast and handles well (within certain limits of course).... look at the new SL55 and E55 from Benz... handle well and very very fast as well as utilitarian machines... the E55 that is. Does Porsche need to watch the competition.... YES! an improved Corvette and Mustang would certainly eat into Porsche's bread and butter... at some point value comes into play and that is why Ford and Corvette sell.... Also, most people buying these cars don't track them and don't care about enduro type events... (which Porsche was built for and you want to be in a Porsche on the track in this situation) Cayenne was a great idea.... so would a 4 door sedan and 2 door 4 seater front engine coupe... after all at the end of the day Porsche is running a BUSINESS. Porsche has done a great job with their current lineup but still needs to diversify into other offerings that will not cannibalize their current product lineup. As for the current 996... you buy this car cause you love to drive and receive all that only a 996 can give it's driver. People have called the 996 SLOW.... really now... it's one of the smoothest cars around that inspires confidence... maybe that's why it feels slow... cause you can wring every ounce of performance out of it without worrying about killing yourself. Can you say the same of a Cobra or a Corvette.... hell no! for those who care about strait line dominance.... Cobra was tested from 0-150 @ 32 seconds..... 99 Long term Carrera test (40,000 miles) showed 0-150 time of 32 seconds as well... there must be some serious technology in an engine that has 90 less horsepower and can match a supercharged V8.... reliably cheers Pete