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#102
Yeah, and HotRod is definately more of a Bowtie mag than Ford. However, here are some other things that may have played a factor in the results:

Cobra/WRX
Curb weight: 3665/3263
Power to weight ratio: 9.05lb/hp / 10.4lb/hp
HP: 390@6000/300@6000
TQ: 390@3500/300@4000
Redline:6500w/fuel shutoff / 7000

When you think of all that and factor in the full time AWD (they were laying down 1.80 second 60' times in the WRX, and could dump the clutch at 6000rpms and launch like no rear drive car on street radials ever could) it doesn't seem quite so unreasonable. Don't think I don't hate it though! I would still pay the extra three grand and the thousand dollar federal gas-guzzler tax to have the Terminater if I could. It's stupid, because they actually got better mileage with the Cobra than the WRX.
 
#103
stangbear427 said:
Here's the rundown from SVT and Subaru handing the Hotrod journalists the keys to both:

Mustang Cobra
List price: $33,125
1/4mi: 13.30 seconds @109.0mph (altitude corrected)
Road Course: 1:22.7 seconds
Top speed: 155mph (electronically limited)

Subaru WRX STi
List price: $30,995
1/4mi: 13.29 @100.5mph (altitude corrected)
Road Course: 1:21.0 seconds
Top speed: 145mph

This was the last paragraph:
"Ready for a shock? Our testers were split down the middle after logging a long weekend in each of these cars, and even if we had to declare a winner, we'd be hard pressed to do it. As we said at the start, the Subaru is the Cobra's equal at the drags, it's superior on the road course, and the cheaper of the two. And considering it's traction disadvantage, in a street race with the STi, the Cobra would probably lose. But the lure of the Cobra's grunting V-8 and classic rear wheel drive configuration are hard to shake for those of us raised with the perception that nothing less will do. No two cars put the old school/ new school debate in sharper focus than the Cobra and the STi. So let the arguing begin."
Click to expand...

I'd have to say. Those are the worst 1/4 mile times I've ever seen for a 03 Cobra. The Mach 1 turns better times. Seems the guys at Hotrod need to work on there launch technique in the Stang. They probably burned rubber through first and second.
 
#104
stangbear427 said:
Here's the rundown from SVT and Subaru handing the Hotrod journalists the keys to both:

Mustang Cobra
1/4mi: 13.30 seconds @109.0mph (altitude corrected)
Click to expand...

My mother could run a faster 1/4 in a 2003 Cobra. Even Car & Driver clocked a 12.9 @ 112 for a Cobra. And yes C&D corrects their numbers for temperature, altitude, humidity, wind speed etc.
 
#106
I don't think that anyone at a place like HOTROD, nomatter how diehard of a Chevy fan they are or how much they hate Fords, would choose the greater of the two "evils" and side with an import boyracer car over a real musclecar. And while there are definately more Bowties featured than Fords, they are just as enthusiastic about them. Sure, the times weren't fantastic, but if better times could be had with the Cobra, they most definately could be had with the WRX as well. It's a drivers race, and the difference is you don't have to be anywhere near as good of a driver to look like a champ in the WRX. And that's in perfect conditions. If the roads are wet, the Cobra's going to get it's ass kicked. If he doesn't launch perfect, he's going to get his ass kicked. If they both have drag radials, he's really going to get his ass kicked. If there's a cop up the road and around the corner, the Cobra's going to get arrested because they heard him coming a mile away- and didn't even know the WRX was there. Again, I'd rather have the Cobra- but a very important point was made by the comparison: I'm not happy about this stuff, but we have to start taking some of these imports seriously. This isn't last years WRX, and there is just as much already available to make them faster as there is for the Cobras.
 
#108
heh heh... yeah, you caught me in that one. I guess my fantasy had the WRX disappearing, since it get's less attention at highway speeds than a Cobra does idling in a parking lot. But you're right- it's first come, first served...
 
#110
That has to be the poorest time I've ever seen for an 03 Cobra. However even with that horrible time it still managed to be 9 mph faster than the WRX, so obviously you can see how the WRX would run out of steam on a real world highway race. I would love to see a 60-150mph roll between the two of them. Also it's not like the WRX slaughtered it on the road course either...
 
#112
who really cares what those magazine guys think or how bad they drive the mustang in comparison. No matter what they say it's still a SUBARU... a 1965 beetle with a porshe motor may whoop some ass at the racetrack but it doesn't mean that I would ever want to be caught driving one. I mean honestly if given the choice would you really want the nice new mustang cobra or the subaru. The cobra is still the better car
 
#113
Well in the real world

Well, in defense of the Hot Rod guys, the WRX (I have an '02 stock) is very, very easy to drive fast--probably the easiest aside from an Evo or SVT Focus. Just mash the gas and it goes, no drama, no thinking, pleasant in some cases... And in sun, rain or snow to boot. Great value like the stang for it's purpose. BUT You shove anyone into a 400FWHP, 400FWTQ, 55/45 weight bias car, at the light from a standing start and mashing the gas at 3000rpms....it's going to be difficult to get any traction on street radials :D

Honestly, if the Hot Rod guys can get a excellent 60ft on launch in a stang (or any car more powerful), that writer is in the wrong business (he should be racing for a living!!)....
 
#114
xtrm281gt said:
who really cares what those magazine guys think or how bad they drive the mustang in comparison. No matter what they say it's still a SUBARU... a 1965 beetle with a porshe motor may whoop some ass at the racetrack but it doesn't mean that I would ever want to be caught driving one. I mean honestly if given the choice would you really want the nice new mustang cobra or the subaru. The cobra is still the better car
Click to expand...
Point is, do you want to find yourself getting beat by one because you wrote it off as "still a SUBARU"? Your post here just added some oomph to that point- you won't want to tell your friends. Tell them you got cleaned by a Vette, another stang, whatever- but you don't want to have to say you lost to one of these. Don't get caught with your pants down! They are fast, and even with the fastest production Mustang in history you can still get took by one of these '04 WRiceX's if you make one little slip- they're that quick.
 
#115
If I get beat. I admit to whatever it was. But so far only another cobra has beaten me. If a subaru beats me then so be it. But the only one I went against had me for about the first 100 feet. Then my 97 pulled right past it.
 
#117
WHAT WAS THE THREAD ABO0T ??

ohh, 5 speed auto!

i for one will be quite pleased i am sure... i have an 03 f250 diesel with a 5 spd auto, and holy crap!

remember, the old arse aod (aode/4r70w) is based off a tranny that was in the mustang in 1970..... meaning it was developed in the 60's....and just like the ole sbf we know and love, there was/is much room for improvement.

i will not even consider another vehicle with a TR3650! bah!

and if you ladies having a little flame war above would like to race, strap 13,000lbs on the back of your vehicles, and lets ALL race. (hint: i can still smoke the tires with a 9,000lb car hauler on my rear hitch)
 
#118
SVTdriver said:
Yeah got to remember. Hot Rod more likely should be renamed Chevy only. So when you have a chevy guy driving a ford. You know he's going to go slow. :lol:
Click to expand...

I think Hot Rod only appears to favor Chevy cause they're the most common and they're the cheapest to build. Mopar guys consider Hot Rod a Chevy/Ford magazine, though Freiburger has made an effot to get more Mopar content in there, and even posts semi-frequently on my Mopar board. Also, Car and Driver did a comparison test between the WRX and the M3 and basically said it was a tie except for build quality and interior finish. But the Subaru/Cobra comparisons should go away when the 2006 Cobra comes out.
 
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