Irv it sounds like you base a lot of what you say on what you think. Thats fine and all but your opinion on this doesnt hold a candle to cold hard facts. Your saying the car isnt impressive because YOU dont think it is. It is because the numbers say it is, thats what Im getting at.
If you really a think a 99 Cobra is going to get beat by those cars you mentioned, time to hand over the driving duties to someone else. A WRX wont beat one if the driver is competant, an STI will by a slight bit, a Camaro by a little, but any 350Z, G35, Maxima will get beat handily. If you dont believe me, I dont know what to say other than I have been to tracks more so than classes at school (thats an exaggeration, but I have over 200 track passes of my own, easily, and dont race at every event, and just turned 21), so I would say I have seen a LOT of Mustangs (I mainly only go to Mustang events. Tasca Day, Fords @ Etown, FFW, NMRA, MHRA, etc...).
Oh well, Ford doesnt need to impress every fox owner (usually the guys who cant afford new cars anyway), and have done a great job keeping the Mustang alive and selling cars!