Very very short-sighted Mr. Shelby. 1st off, you can buy an '04 Cobra for just under $29,000 from some dealers, they're desperate to get those sold off so that they're not "stuck" with them once the '05 hits the lots. We've beaten this to death already, but there's simply no comparing the '04 to the '05, no matter how much juice is under the hood. The '05 is 100% new, superior in every aspect. That's not a flame to 04-earlier owners, just reality. The '04 is the last year of a 26 year old platform!!!! Stepping up and laying down that kind of money for a car that's singing it's swan song is not being financially frugal whatsoever, it's actually being financially irresponsible. You gotta really want one of the oldies to buy one at this point, which is why Ford has been discounting heavily to try and unload those last cars..
My second point is this. Your premise was "buy an '04 Cobra and have 390 h.p. for only 3-4 grand more!!" Well, 3-4 grand will probably buy a blower kit for an '05, AND, after the '05's are released, the re-sale values on the '04's will PLUMMET. So, you think it's smart to buy an '04 instead of an '05, when the value of the '04 will drop like a rock in a year whereas the value of the '05 will hold strong?? Buying the '05 and making it as fast as an '04 Cobra, BIG PICTURE, would be a far cheaper long-term than buying a new/old Cobra and watching your equity go "poof" months after you drive it off the lot.
