Yep I got that impression quite early on.

 

How about a Terminator with a GT500 engine slapped in her!?

 

A couple of years ago, just before I saw the first S197, I came pretty close to buying a 03 10th anniversary Edition Cobra. I was getting a good deal on it and it was an awesome car to drive. But after 7 years in a SN95, I couldn’t see sitting in that for another 7 years. Now, if I could take that engine and tranny and put it in my ride… I’d take that over both of them hands down, no questions! I like them both, but the GT500 is too heavy and not aggressive looking to me (looks like it’s got a smiley face) and the Terminator’s interior sucks. But if I had to choose between the two, GT500, hands down! It’s a better overall car IMHO.

 

03-04 owner....you won't get 600+ without spending at least 6000 dollars, a blower upgrade etc, unless your running the juice. I think bang for the buck....can't beat the terminator....but they do have their flaws.....trust me. input shaft and IRS to begin aren't as strong as believed....some are lucky, some are not.

 

GT500 all the way for me. I'm a big fan of the S197 styling and I think the GT500 fits the aggressive version of it perfectly. The car looks so brutal to me. Also, unfortunately, I just like new cars.

Sucks that it weighs so much.

I like that.

 

I've thought about it a little more....GT500 still.

 

Shame the things weight reflects that massive iron fist it's packing...

 

I still think the GT500 takes too much heat over the curb weight issue. Less poundage would be nice without question, but there are far bigger fish to fry here like weight distribution and the obvious need for larger rubber. (Note to Ford/SVT.....can we not undertire a performance car every now and then?)

All in all the GT500 is easily the best performing Mustang ever produced, and the best example of a proper GT as well. I'll let the weight issue slide just a bit in light of the same.

 

As much as I like the Terminator Cobras, I would go with the GT500. Around here, I see a Terminator on the road almost every day, they are very common. Plus you can't beat the looks of the GT500 IMO.

 

raw power over a terminator, yes, but will a gt500 out handle an 03-04 cobra, unlikely. I agree on the tire issue.....I think 10.5 should be the standard rears for these things, I could hold traction at WOT in 1st or 2nd stock.....wonder what would happen with the pulley! :b

 

I'd argue that a GT500 would most likely decimate a Terminator when the road gets twisty. As I pointed out in another thread the GT500 has outrun a Z4 M and RS4 in very convincing fashion on a road course during R&T's Lightning Lap comparo, was within a tenth of Porsche's 911 Turbo, and wasn't too far behind the C6 Vette or Audi R8. IRS or not the Terminator never played in that kind of league in stock trim. Spec sheets don't tell the whole story with the GT500's SRA appearing to be extraordinarily well sorted whiule the Termy's IRS was somewhat less so.

As for rear rubber. I honestly think that the GT500 needs something more like 12-13 inch wide rear wheels or better to reliably plant that kind of torque in a car this heavy.

 

Coletti also was working with a chassis so ancient along with tooling that was as equally ancient and paid for that he probably had a much larger margin in which to work improvments and still make a case for a financially successful car with a minimum of mark-up compared to the terminators lesser kin. Not so with HTT who had to work with an all new car on new tooling, yet still probably had to achieve similar financial goals.

 

If only I had the money to do a back to back drag strip and road course test of the terminator and GT500, my money is on the GT500

 

I'm with you. And given where the GT500 places in the world performance car heirarchy it wouldn't be close.

 

Terminator for me. Still don't like the S197's with the exception of a few.

 

 

i got to go with the terminator... they look like they will eat you face

 

Here you go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVwt_Hx5FD8

There is a guy on the big mustang forums that posted this.

 

Even assuming hp figures given are accurate this means, more or less, nothing but that this guys Terminator beat that guys GT500 on that night. Besides the obvious factor of different drivers we have no idea what was done to either vehicle or what the power curve as a whole looks like for either car. Heck we don't even have a solid hp figure on the Terminator just a 'roughly 500rwhp' estimate. For all we know we could have a 525hp car running against a 540hp car since 525hp is 'roughly' 500hp.

And frankly, this just sounds shady. The guy posting the vid knows exactly what the other guys rwhp is but he has to estimate his own? The longer time passes the more it seems that some of the Termy faithful really, really want to prove that their cars are faster than GT500's. However, when Termy owners make stuff like this video and post it in the way that this guy did it gives the appearance that these guys have to snow you a little to make their point. And ultimately, that just hurts their case.

 

when i get out of college i just want to find a stock termy or GT500..if i cant..then im deff getting a boss 302