GTvsCObra

I would take a 96 Cobra over any 96+ GT.
cobra has DOHC, 6800 redline, better brakes, rotors, transmission and IRS(depending on year), better exterior, more potential and better response to mods than a GT ever will. after owning 3 cobras, I will never have a GT again.

99-2004 GTs make 260hp and have better flowing heads ("PI heads" that the weaker 96-98 GTs didn't have). 96-98 GTs make between 215-225hp (depending on the year). The new 2005+ GTs however make 300 hp and are a 3v SOHC, and no longer a SOHC 2v motor, like all the other GTs.

All cobras are DOHC 4v motors. The 96-98 Cobras made 305hp while the 99 & 2001 Cobras make 320hp. There are no mass production 2000 Cobras, only 300 Cobra R's were made that year instead. In 2003 Cobras became power added (supercharged). And 2003-2004 Cobras make about 380hp Supercharged.

96-98 Cobras have a Solid Axle in the rear, while all 99 and up cobras have an IRS (independent rear suspension). The IRS is better for everyday driving and road courses, but nothing beats a live axel on the drag strip. ALL GTs have live axels

The GTs have more power down low, while the cobras make their power up high, in the rpm ranges.

Personally I would recommend getting a cobra if you could afford one. They retain their value better and the DOHC motor is a beast However with a cobra, comes insurance problems. SOOO if you are stuck getting a GT, make sure that its a 99 or newer. Those "non-pi" 96-98 GTs are dogs, even with mods

I would go with 96-98 cobra. Those got more power than 99GTs, are lighter (aluminum vs iron block), and hey it's a cobra! Don't expect cobra to be that much faster than numbers are showing: 260rwhp vs 220rwhp. You would think 40rwhp difference would mean a lot in racing from the stop. Blame it on cobra's lack of torque at low RPMs.
Here's another small thing: according to EPA, cobra gets 26mpg and 99GT (manual) gets 24mpg.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

SteedaGTJ22 said:

99-2004 GTs make 260hp and have better flowing heads ("PI heads" that the weaker 96-98 GTs didn't have). 96-98 GTs make between 215-225hp (depending on the year). The new 2005+ GTs however make 300 hp and are a 3v SOHC, and no longer a SOHC 2v motor, like all the other GTs.

All cobras are DOHC 4v motors. The 96-98 Cobras made 305hp while the 99 & 2001 Cobras make 320hp. There are no mass production 2000 Cobras, only 300 Cobra R's were made that year instead. In 2003 Cobras became power added (supercharged). And 2003-2004 Cobras make about 420-430hp Supercharged. They are rated factory at 390 but underrated.

96-98 Cobras have a Solid Axle in the rear, while all 99 and up cobras have an IRS (independent rear suspension). The IRS is better for everyday driving and road courses, but nothing beats a live axel on the drag strip. ALL GTs have live axels

The GTs have more power down low, while the cobras make their power up high, in the rpm ranges.

Personally I would recommend getting a cobra if you could afford one. They retain their value better and the DOHC motor is a beast However with a cobra, comes insurance problems. SOOO if you are stuck getting a GT, make sure that its a 99 or newer. Those "non-pi" 96-98 GTs are dogs, even with mods

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fixt. good summary though.

I would like to add to your good post the performance stats in general.

96-98 GT's- 14.9-15.2@92-94
99-04 GT's- 13.7-14.2@99-101
05-06 GT's- 13.4-13.6@101-104

96-98 Cobra's- 13.6-14.0@101-103
99-01 Cobra's- 13.5-13.9@101-104 (99's w/o fix ran slower than 96-98's)
00 R- 12.5-13.0@108-114 depending on driving
03-04 Cobra- 12.6-13.0@110-114 depending on driving
06 Shelby- 12.4-12.7@115-117 depending on driver.

*these are accumulative, I have not seen 05+ GT's and Cobras run yet. I can vouch for all 96-04 times because I have seen those.

greg97svt said:

I would go with 96-98 cobra. Those got more power than 99GTs, are lighter (aluminum vs iron block), and hey it's a cobra!

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The gt's have aluminum blocks. The only iron 4.6 block is the 03-04 cobra's.

If you are aftermarket crazy...

There's nothing like owning a Cobra. It has commanded respect from day one, even it's older versions. If however, you can't leave well enough alone, you might consider the GT route. I have spent an unholy amount of money fixing the abuse from my 99's previous owner. One thing I have learned, is that DOHC/IRS parts are expensive and selection is no where near the choices of the SOHC/Live axle versions. If you find a "deal" on any Cobra (read: way the hell underpriced), have it checked top to bottom by a Pro.