CLICK HERE FOR TRACK RESULTS
The Hairy-Chested Cobra
We couldn't resist. After our three-car test, Ford turned us loose in an '03 Cobra. With 390 Roots supercharged horsepower and matching torque, a six-speed transmission, and a price tag to match, the latest thing to slither out of the snake pit is ferociously fast and retains the family trait of weightiness, power, and presence. Still the ruling Mustang, SVT's Cobra is a high-dollar, no-excuses Mustang. It's no ballet dancer, but like a fullback it is fabulous at sprinting out interstate miles and muscling traffic at the light, yet it still has enough agility for back road fun. With its manly clutch effort, a bicep-building shift lever, and the need to consider its considerable mass when contemplating a round of catch-and-toss cornering antics, the flagship Cobra is definitely not for the limp-wristed.
The All-Around Measurement
While most track tests isolate a single performance parameter, accelerating from a stop to 100 mph, then braking to a stop again does sample power, braking, and some handling, and is thus a fair look at how balanced a car's performance personality is.
In our trio, the Mach 1 definitely has the best combination of torque and horsepower, brakes well, and has the softest, most weight-transferring chassis. Looking at the data, it's clear the Mach's engine made up for the 0.2 second its chassis and brakes lost to the Bullitt, and with the Cobra flunking the braking test, this one was a walkover for the Mach 1.
Mach 1
100-0, sec = 4.85
0-100-0, sec = 16.785
Bullitt
100-0, sec = 4.63
0-100-0, sec = 18.022
Cobra
100-0, sec = 5.10
0-100-0, sec = 17.892
CLICK HERE FOR ACCELERATION DATA
CLICK HERE FOR COBRA TECH DATA