How Do They Compare?
| | '6811/42 GT500KR | '99 SVT Cobra |
| Numbers built: | 933 fastbacks | 4,040 coupes |
| Body style: | two-door fastback | two-door coupe |
| Weight: | 3,200 lb | 3,400 lb |
| Steering: | Worm-and-sector | Power rack-and-pinion |
| | Bendix power assist | |
| Suspension: | Front-Coil over upper arm | Front-McPherson strut |
| | Rear-Multileaf/live axle | Rear-Independent four-link with coils |
| Brakes: | Power front disc, rear drum | Power four disc |
| Axle ratio: | 3.50:1, 3.91:1, or 4.30:1 | 3.27:1 Traction-Lok |
| | (conventional, limited-slip, | |
| | or Traction-Lok) | |
| Transmission: | Top Loader four-speed | Tremec T45 five-speed |
| Engine: | 428ci 4V FE-series OHV V-8 | 4.6L DOHC modular V-8 |
| Horsepower: | 335 hp at 5,200 rpm | 320 hp at 6,000 rpm |
| Torque: | 440 lb-ft at 3,400 rpm | 315 lb-ft at 4,750 rpm |
| Compression: | 10.6:1 | 9.85:1 |
| Bore: | 4.13 in | 3.55 in |
| Stroke: | 3.98 in | 3.53 in |
| Valvetrain: | Pushrod, hydraulic lifters | Dual overhead-cam, hydraulic |
| MAGAZINE ROAD TEST RESULTS |
| | Car Life, 10/68 | Motor Trend, 12/98 |
| 0-60 mph: | 6.9 sec | 5.4 sec |
| 0-100 mph: | 14.6 sec | 13.4 sec |
| 11/44-mile: | 14.57 sec at 99.55 mph | 13.9 sec at 102.4 mph |
| Axle ratio: | 3.50:1 limited-slip | 3.27:1 Traction-Lok |
Ready To Rock
We have to tell you, we weren't sure what to expect at the Los Angeles County Raceway (LACR) near Palmdale, California. LACR sits on Southern California's high desert floor at approximately 2,800 feet above sea level. It's a harsh desert environment where snow falls during the winter and tumbleweeds blow during the summer. Test pilot General Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier here for the first time more than 50 years ago. The prototype space shuttle, Enterprise, made its maiden flight here 25 years ago. The Antelope Valley has always been about speed-unspeakable speed.
High westerly winds on the day of our shootout across the dusty, chewed-up north/south track made for good quarter-mile times and high-speed stability-challenging at best, even for the most seasoned drag racer.
Pat saddled up behind the wheel of his '99 Cobra, ready for action. Because he autocrosses his Cobra, Pat has a finite understanding of what to expect from his car. Each of his three quarter-mile passes was performed with the uncanny precision of a NASA space shuttle computer. He knew how to follow the timing tree with crisp reaction times, leaving the line with great predictability.