97RedSnake

The best you can hope for is either SE #1 or #2. Not both.

At least not in the same model year.

We won't see more than a GT, SE, and Cobra in the same year, at best. I personally want a supercharger on both the SE (4.6) and the Cobra (5.4). When they add a blower, they also over-build all the engine's components and leave lots of potential for more power.

But, most likely, we will see the N/A 5.4 in an SE. Which i wouldn't really complain about either.

Dan

The best you can hope for is either SE #1 or #2. Not both.

At least not in the same model year.

We won't see more than a GT, SE, and Cobra in the same year, at best. I personally want a supercharger on both the SE (4.6) and the Cobra (5.4). When they add a blower, they also over-build all the engine's components and leave lots of potential for more power.

But, most likely, we will see the N/A 5.4 in an SE. Which i wouldn't really complain about either. [/b][/quote]
I suprised no one has mentioned it, but I actually think the S/C 4.6L 3-valve holds the best chance for an SE.

I think a S/C 4-valve holds the least.

iwantastang

I've heard from others inside that its going to be CAPABLE of 515 HP. Also, I've heard the final product will be in the neighborhood of 440-470 HP. I asked someone about this Saturday night and got the best info i could. As with the other Steve, I'll give you everything i know when i know it.

V10

If an '05 Mustang has run 12.1 at ANY public drag strip that would be HUGE news and we would have heard about this.

Remember that even the V10 Boss 351 was caught on tape when it showed up at a drag strip.

future9er24

anyone got that ^ vid?

Steve

If an '05 Mustang has run 12.1 at ANY public drag strip that would be HUGE news and we would have heard about this.

Remember that even the V10 Boss 351 was caught on tape when it showed up at a drag strip. [/b][/quote]
Not at a private track rental. Manufacturers do that all the time.

IF a manufacturer WANTS a particular product to be seen, it will happen. IF they don't, it will be kept hush-hush.

There have been very, very few instances of 'secret' stuff being truly revealed and the performance info released until the manufacturer wanted it to happen. This kind of stuff is what legends are made of.

Again, while I can't verify "John's" info, just because no one has written an article about seeing a mysterious Cobra mule running low 12's means nothing.

Clutch

Steve, can you ask your source if the front end of the cobra is going to resemble more of the concept car or more of the GT. Thanks man!

BlackRiderX

Good question. Most of us have expected the different bumper and round lights to carry over from the concept. This has been a styling point for the Cobra for awhile now. At one point I remember saying that I think the concept car was designed by looking at the Cobra drawings and not the V6/Gt. We'll have to wait and see. I'm also interested to find out if the factory stripes are the same sas what we saw in Detroit or the crappy dealer ones ....

Steve

I'll try and find out about the bodywork. It may take a couple of days but as soon as I hear something, I'll post it here.

Amy - have you seen anything else yet? I told him about your day off!

Amy V6

It's frickin raining like crazy today I just woke up.. so gimmie a little to cruise over there. There's 2 spots I'm thinking of.

And I want to know about the other silver GT that I saw that had a HUGE black hood scoop. The "scoop" came to a point in the middle of the hood. And it is not a cowl hood. And had the black mule covered rims. This thing looked like a beast.. all frankensteinish.

Clutch

Good question. Most of us have expected the different bumper and round lights to carry over from the concept. This has been a styling point for the Cobra for awhile now. At one point I remember saying that I think the concept car was designed by looking at the Cobra drawings and not the V6/Gt. We'll have to wait and see. I'm also interested to find out if the factory stripes are the same sas what we saw in Detroit or the crappy dealer ones .... [/b][/quote]
I'm hoping you're bang on Blackriderx ! I think that although there were some SEMA companies that did the concept turnsignal front bumpercovers, they stopped short of altering the grill/headlight housing into the more aggressive concept design! Hopefully Steve will be able to shed some light on it soon!

97RedSnake

If i remember correctly, when the concept cars were first shown, we were given some info about how the new Cobra would look. They said that the '05 V6 and GT would look a little more traditional and subdued, compared to the concept cars, which turned out to be exactly the case. And, they said the next Cobra would be considerably more aggressive looking than the concept cars. So, i think those who are hoping for the aggressive looks of the concept cars will end up being very happy.

97RedSnake

Yeah, i was referring to a S/C 4.6L 3-valve in my post. I should have specified more clearly. However, i think the N/A 5.4 is the safer bet for a SE that comes out before the Cobra.

A S/C motor would provide the potential for too much extra power with very little investment and mods. This might actually take away from the Cobra's sales. You could buy a SE and spend less than $1,000 and have the same or more power than the Cobra's stock HP.

However, a SE with a N/A 5.4L 3-valve would give good power stock, but wouldn't be anywhere near as easy to modify for a big power gain. This would keep it from eating into the S/C Cobra's potential market.

So, in short, if there is a SE before the Cobra, i predict it will have a N/A 5.4 3-valve, and if the SE comes out after the Cobra, i would agree that a S/C 4.6 3-valve makes the most sense. As usual though, we won't know till Ford's ready for us to know.

1 COBRA

I differ from your opinion since it's a different market altogether within the Mustang following with the different potential buyer categories. I don't think a comparable performance of an SE would affect the Cobra sales. I would compare the SE vs. Cobra along the same line as the Corvette coupe vs. the Z06 or the 911 vs. the Carrera. And Ford has succeeded in satisfying the taste buds of the various Mustang enthusiast categories by providing the optional levels of performance. Porsche, Chevrolet, and Ford have all proven this approach to work.

Dan

Yeah, i was referring to a S/C 4.6L 3-valve in my post. I should have specified more clearly. However, i think the N/A 5.4 is the safer bet for a SE that comes out before the Cobra.

A S/C motor would provide the potential for too much extra power with very little investment and mods. This might actually take away from the Cobra's sales. You could buy a SE and spend less than $1,000 and have the same or more power than the Cobra's stock HP.

However, a SE with a N/A 5.4L 3-valve would give good power stock, but wouldn't be anywhere near as easy to modify for a big power gain. This would keep it from eating into the S/C Cobra's potential market.

So, in short, if there is a SE before the Cobra, i predict it will have a N/A 5.4 3-valve, and if the SE comes out after the Cobra, i would agree that a S/C 4.6 3-valve makes the most sense. As usual though, we won't know till Ford's ready for us to know. [/b][/quote]
I still think

1. An SE with a power increase WON'T come out before the Cobra.

2. It will probably have a blower ontop of the 4.6L 3-valve (Ford racing has come out with a blower kit btw)

3. The Cobra is in fast-forward, especially with Thai-Tang behind the wheel. It'll be shown in 2005 probably later on at New York or something to debut as a late 06 or early 07.

97RedSnake

I understand your argument, but i would submit that the Corvette and Porsche buyers are a very different breed than Mustang buyers. They don't typically buy their cars and think of ways to modify and improve them. So, they are more likely to buy a Z06 over a regular Vette, even if it was easy to duplicate the Z06's power numbers with little expense.

Mustang buyers are far more likely to improve and modify their cars. As an example, if last year's Mach 1 had a S/C engine like the Cobra's, but with 50 hp less, do you think there would have been as many people buying Cobras? I can tell you that i, for one, would buy the Mach 1 and add a different pulley and chip, instead of buying the Cobra.

I don't think the Cobra has typically been in a different market than the GT/Mach 1 Mustangs, in the past. It is an improved version, just like the GT is to the V6, or the Mach 1 is to the GT. There are those that want a Cobra for reasons beyond the power, but my point was simply that there are enough people out there who buy the Cobra just for the power increase, that losing them to a S/C SE model would hurt the Cobra's sales. I would be one of those potential sales losses, and i expect Ford knows that we are out here.

97RedSnake

You are probably right. And, believe me, i would love to see the new Cobra sooner rather than later.

1 COBRA

No argument there. The similarity on the comparissons I made is the manufacturers' market of target and the fact that a performance enthusiast will start with the entry level of the model then hope or upgrade to the higher perfomance when possible.

cobrasvt777

Not sure if you all heard this but sources said that we should be seeing at the Detroit show this year a Shelby Mustang. How true that is, i'm not sure but it sounds good to me. Anyone else read that? I read it in one of the Major Car magazines. MT, C&D or R&T

Dave99GT

Reminds me of all the rumors a year ago about a new Shelby Mustang appearing at a car show. It never did appear...
I would love to see one. We had a real frenzy going in anticipation of the Shelby last time. Let's see if it happens this time....