Lotus Elise vs. Ford Mustang Cobra

[3000ways]

Originally Posted by Mr Payne

Where do you get your Cobra stats?

From what I've seen at the track and from what I have read. Believe me I know if you slap on some slicks on the Cobra it will run high 12s, but I'm going stock for stock right? So slicks should not be considered, the stock Cobras have traction problems with the stock tires. I've seen around 6 or 7 STOCK Cobras at the track (Also seen many modified ones), have yet to see one crack the 12s, this is just what I've seen. Although I did see one do a 13 flat with some non-stock tires (not slicks) and run a high 110MPH (high 12s trap speed).
Also Road and Track tested the Cobra at 13.3@108MPH, Motor Trend tested the Cobra at 13.0@110MPH, Car and Driver tested the Cobra at 12.9@111MPH, and Hot Rod Magazine 12.9@114MPH. So it's never exact, the 13.1 was rough average of what most Cobras should run, but we all know these numbers can flucuate from driver to driver, from car to car, from track to track, so to be safe, it's better to say that the Cobra with a good driver on a good track should be able to run anywhere in the high 12s to the very low 13s on stock street tires. The same goes for the Elise. The other stats such as handling and braking, are the average of different sources I found on the cars. The Elise, I had to use European models with similiar HP, since the US Elise has yet to be tested.

[3000ways]

Since I am on the subject of 1/4 mile drag racing, please people take into account track conditions when ever you race or witness drag racing. I remember awhile ago getting into an argument with an EVO owner claiming EVOs can not get into the mid and low 13s, because his stock EVO with a 1.8 60FT ran a best time of 13.7. I told hime just because his ran so slow doesn't mean all EVOs run that slow and besides I have seen plenty of EVOs run mid to low 13s stock. He then proceeded to post his time slips and yeah, his EVO did run a best time of 13.7. Then I noticed something, his slip looked like.... yeah it was a slip from LACR which is very high in elevation, I thought everybody knew (guess not) that time slips at LACR are slower and a 1/4 mile time would be 3 to 4 tenths faster closer to sea level. The last time I went to LACR about a year ago, a stock Cobra ran a best I believe of 13.5, which is a 13.1 at Carlsbad or Fontana. Shoot when I had my Modified VR4 it only ran a best of 13.59@102MPH there, that's why I stopped going there.

[Mr Payne]

Originally Posted by 3000ways

From what I've seen at the track and from what I have read. Believe me I know if you slap on some slicks on the Cobra it will run high 12s, but I'm going stock for stock right? So slicks should not be considered, the stock Cobras have traction problems with the stock tires. I've seen around 6 or 7 STOCK Cobras at the track (Also seen many modified ones), have yet to see one crack the 12s, this is just what I've seen. Although I did see one do a 13 flat with some non-stock tires (not slicks) and run a high 110MPH (high 12s trap speed).
Also Road and Track tested the Cobra at 13.3@108MPH, Motor Trend tested the Cobra at 13.0@110MPH, Car and Driver tested the Cobra at 12.9@111MPH, and Hot Rod Magazine 12.9@114MPH. So it's never exact, the 13.1 was rough average of what most Cobras should run, but we all know these numbers can flucuate from driver to driver, from car to car, from track to track, so to be safe, it's better to say that the Cobra with a good driver on a good track should be able to run anywhere in the high 12s to the very low 13s on stock street tires. The same goes for the Elise. The other stats such as handling and braking, are the average of different sources I found on the cars. The Elise, I had to use European models with similiar HP, since the US Elise has yet to be tested.

You think the average Cobra will only be .3 seconds faster than the average Elise? Seems HIGHLY optimistic.

[3000ways]

Originally Posted by Mr Payne

You think the average Cobra will only be .3 seconds faster than the average Elise? Seems HIGHLY optimistic.

Not to me, the power to weight of both cars are quite similiar (Elise weighs almost twice as less, but the Cobra has twice the power), although I do believe the Cobra will trap at higher speeds.

[youngvr4]

no, stock without slicks a 03 cobra will and has plenty of times run high 12's all the time check car and driver. lots have run it at 12.7 most will get more like 13.0 or 12.9 depending on the driver

[Moppie]

Why does every thread have to come down to a debate about drag racing?

Who really gives a fuck!
It has to be the most worthless measure of a cars performance ever used.

[911S_TARGA_RSR]

I chose the Elise, of course. My question is why do people care? I mean we all know that the power to weight ratio is important, yet people still argue that heavier cars with more power are on the same level as light cars with enough power to make them out distence the heavy piece of shit.

Just my observation. This coming from someone who owns a light car with lots of power so I might be biased.

But no hard fellings either way.

[3000ways]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Why does every thread have to come down to a debate about drag racing?

Who really gives a fuck!
It has to be the most worthless measure of a cars performance ever used.

Hey were Americans, and it's something we love. We also love American football while the rest of the world loves soccer.

[Mr Payne]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Why does every thread have to come down to a debate about drag racing?

Who really gives a fuck!
It has to be the most worthless measure of a cars performance ever used.

Forward acceleration is an aspect of performance....deal with it?

[Polygon]

No question, the Elise. I would never own a Mustang, but I would kill someone to get an Elise.

[Jimster]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Why does every thread have to come down to a debate about drag racing?

Who really gives a fuck!
It has to be the most worthless measure of a cars performance ever used.

Needless to mention insulting to ones intelegence.


You can find Drag Racing on Lotus' list of Prirorities though, it is found somewhere down near the bottom, just below fitting 4 15 Inch Subs into evey new car it sells.

[Demon_Mustang]

Well obviously if the person's preferred car doesn't win in acceleration, then it's not important. That's the number one rule man!

[Polygon]

Originally Posted by Demon_Mustang

Well obviously if the person's preferred car doesn't win in acceleration, then it's not important. That's the number one rule man!

Perhaps to you. There are those of us that prefer to go really fast around these things called corners. The Elise is brilliant at it and no Mustang can touch it. Straight line acceleration is simple, easy; a trained chimp could do it. Driving fast around corners requires a quite larger degree of skill and that is what makes it so enticing and a much better choice to people like Moppie, Jimster, and myself.

To each his own.

[Joseph1082]

I agree that dragging/acclereration isn't the only statistic, but it is indeed the MOST important. When you are out in your car, and someone revs at you at a redlight, you don't tell him to meet you at a road course. How often to car owners race/autoX thier cars... having a sports car is mostly about burning everyone else on the road... even when we street race (I know it's illegeal) it's usually a quarter mile... the WRX, DSMs whatever don't ever challenge people to a road course, come on now, this is real life.

[Polygon]

Originally Posted by Joseph1082

How often to car owners race/autoX thier cars...

You would be surprised. Straight line acceleration takes no skill with an auto and the ability to know when to shift with the manual. Driving in the turns requires much more of the driver and car. I would much rather have a nimble car that could better avoid an accident than a big lumbering car that turns about as well as the Titanic.