03 cobra vs. 03 corvette

hey guys,

my friend and i keep arguing i say a 03 cobra could beat a corvette i know the corvette has more hp then the cobra but its not much then the cobra which car wouldwin if both stock.

ac

If you mean an 03+ Cobra against a C5, the Cobra has 390HP to the C5's 350HP... but I heard the C5 still takes it due to its superiority in all other areas.

It takes more than just advertised HP numbers to make a fast car.

The Corvette will beat the stang in top speed.
The Corvette will beat the stang in the quarter mile
The Corvette will beat the stang in the slalom.
The Stang costs 1/2 what the Vette does.

Hey GTR2b, that picture is genius. :iceslolan

Anyway, I love how a Corvette's body will explode into little shreds of fibreglass upon impact if it's hard enough. :rofl:

The deciding factor between these two cars is not horsepower or how good the engine is. It's simply weight. And we all know which car wins in that department.

If you mean an 03+ Cobra against a C5, the Cobra has 390HP to the C5's 350HP... but I heard the C5 still takes it due to its superiority in all other areas.


I have to desagree. The 03 cobra wins the 1/4 mile. The C5 cant break into the 12's. The Cobra can.

Well just for the 1/4 mile if the cobra doesn't win stock it can be made very easily to beat a C5, as most factory FI cars its power can be ypped easily.

On a road course however the vette is a far superior machine.

Actually, i think the C5 hits around 12.8, which is pretty much where an 03+ cobra is, so It might boil down to driver vs driver.
Oh, and a Cobra is what, $32K+
Regular C5 what, $44K+, doesn't look like a Cobra cost near half of the vette.

even if the cobra takes the vette in 1/4 mile. The vette can handle higher speeds alot more stable than the cobra. Any person would rather take a vette over a cobra. Anyone who says otherwise is a lier.

I would rather have an 03 Cobra than a Vette. But I'd rather have a Z06 than a 03 Cobra.

03 Cobra will take a C5 in the 1/4 stock for stock.

1/4 mile is going to be about a drivers race stock. overall though, as has been said, the vette will take the mustang

Im interested to see the '05 comparo;
new stang vs C6

1/4 mile is going to be about a drivers race stock. overall though, as has been said, the vette will take the mustang

Im interested to see the '05 comparo;
new stang vs C6

But after $12,000 in suspension,brake, power mods does the Vette take it overall?

I know it's unfair to compare stock to modded but it is a consideration for some.

Actually, i think the C5 hits around 12.8, which is pretty much where an 03+ cobra is, so It might boil down to driver vs driver.
Oh, and a Cobra is what, $32K+
Regular C5 what, $44K+, doesn't look like a Cobra cost near half of the vette.

Dude I know you like Corvettes but 12.8? Sorry base C5 is low 13 second car and head to head in the 1/4 mile the Cobra wins 8 out of 10 times. Now you might come back with, well I saw it tested by this or that at 12.8, and I can easily come back with 6 or 7 publications that have tested the base C5 through out the years at low 13 seconds, and after we average everything out I bet it's low 13s. Even at the track which I attend regularly, there are plenty of stock Vettes, and all run low to high 13s depending on driving skill. Still all around, the Corvette is a better performance car.

GTStang, I totally agree with you. with a budget of 45K, there is no doubt that the mustang would take it time and time again. but for say, 55 or 60K, IMO there is more than you could do to the vette (especially the motor) that would allow for beating the mustang.


As always, it always comes down to much much money one is willing to throw down :thumbsup:

Dude I know you like Corvettes but 12.8? Sorry base C5 is low 13 second car and head to head in the 1/4 mile the Cobra wins 8 out of 10 times. Now you might come back with, well I saw it tested by this or that at 12.8, and I can easily come back with 6 or 7 publications that have tested the base C5 through out the years at low 13 seconds, and after we average everything out I bet it's low 13s. Even at the track which I attend regularly, there are plenty of stock Vettes, and all run low to high 13s depending on driving skill. Still all around, the Corvette is a better performance car.

The vette can and does high 12's in the 1/4. It wouldnt make sense for it to run just low 13's. The camaro wich weighs about 400/500pounds more and has about 20 or so hp less does mid/low 13's stock. hell, i have e ven seen a few stock ls1 ss/ws6's hit high 12's stock!!(factory freaks but still...) *shrugs

but, I wouldnt be suprised to see the 03 cobra take the 1/4 mile at all.

GTStang, I totally agree with you. with a budget of 45K, there is no doubt that the mustang would take it time and time again. but for say, 55 or 60K, IMO there is more than you could do to the vette (especially the motor) that would allow for beating the mustang.


As always, it always comes down to much much money one is willing to throw down :thumbsup:

Even at 55k or 60k the Cobra will still take the C5 down your talking $30-35,000 in mod money for the Cobra vs the C5 only having 10-15k to put into the Vette. With 10-15K the Vette could win on the track or the strip but not both. But see at that point you are in a Z06 price range which would probably get beat by both cars but it's all under warranty unlike the C5 or the Cobra.


Sidenote if we take the best magazine times from cars then the 03-04 Cobra gets to put down for a 12.5 1/4 mile all stock 500 miles.

Someone beat me to it, but I was gonna say it anyway 300... how could the VETTE be a 13 sec car when it's younger sibling the F-body LS1 is a low 13sec car... I was exactly right in what I posted, 12.8!!!! if there are F-bodies hitting 13.0 Stock then 12.8 is reasonable. The C5 runs VERY low 13s to high 12s, not be confused w/ the Camaro. And what does an 03 Cobra run, high 12s, hmmmm. What is it, a 3800lb. car vs. a 3200lb. car... yes, a 390HP car vs. a 350HP car, seems like a very close match to me, not a defintie Mustang victory.

Someone beat me to it, but I was gonna say it anyway 300... how could the VETTE be a 13 sec car when it's younger sibling the F-body LS1 is a low 13sec car... I was exactly right in what I posted, 12.8!!!! if there are F-bodies hitting 13.0 Stock then 12.8 is reasonable. The C5 runs VERY low 13s to high 12s, not be confused w/ the Camaro. And what does an 03 Cobra run, high 12s, hmmmm. What is it, a 3800lb. car vs. a 3200lb. car... yes, a 390HP car vs. a 350HP car, seems like a very close match to me, not a defintie Mustang victory.

Hey don't shoot me, pretty much every base corvette tested has hit low 13s, also all base corvettes, yes all base corvettes I have seen at the track have hit low to high 13s, and there is a certainly alot of them there too, just as many as modded ones. I'm sure once in awhile there is a Corvette out there that is a factory freak and the conditions are perfect, it clicks off a couple of high 12s. But to call this the norm? I think not. Also technically speaking the Corvette more often than not, is faster than the Camaro SS in the 1/4 mile, not by much, but the Corvette is more of an all around performance car and justifies it's higher price over the Camaro SS.

Overall, the C5/Z06 are better machines than the Cobra. The Cobra is a muscle car, whereas the Vette is a true sports car. It's lighter, it brakes and handles better, and it's got a bigger motor to work with.

Overall, the C5/Z06 are better machines than the Cobra. The Cobra is a muscle car, whereas the Vette is a true sports car. It's lighter, it brakes and handles better, and it's got a bigger motor to work with.

Yes but that is why they have the larger price tag.

Uh-huh. Don't get me wrong, I think the SVT Cobra is a better buy, because with the $10000 left over, you can mod it to be faster than the C5. But if money isn't an issue, the C5 is certainly a better platform and a better motor.

Uh-huh. Don't get me wrong, I think the SVT Cobra is a better buy, because with the $10000 left over, you can mod it to be faster than the C5. But if money isn't an issue, the C5 is certainly a better platform and a better motor.

Platform yes motor I'd argue.

The 03-04 cobra will take a stock C5 every time. The cobra actually has around 420hp ( Ford underrated the engine). The vette will out-handle a cobra though. The only GM car that is able to take the cobra is the Z06, and usually in straight line performance the Z06 versus the cobra is a driver's race.

I'm sorry, but I do not think you can say a Z06 vs. Cobra is a driver's race... Cobra's are running high 12s, while Z06's run mid 12s. 0-60 in 4 seconds. Cobra is also hauling some hundreds of lbs. more.
I've never heard anywhere that a Cobra is comparable to a Z06, not even from Mustang guys.

The cobra would get beat at the track, but at the drag strip the cobra would have a chance. Not all cobras dyno this high but there have been stock cobras that dyno at 380rwhp, which with a 15% drivetrain loss is equivalent to 430+hp. At svtperformance.com the cobra owners there think that it is a driver's race between them and a Z06. I've also seen 12.5s posted at the timeslip section of the forums by 03 cobra owners. I am not trying to cause a ford versus chevy war, but the two are pretty comparable when it comes to straight line performance. :)

ok, I can believe that, let's put it this way... not all Cobra's will, but some can run w/ a Z06

ok, I can believe that, let's put it this way... not all Cobra's will, but some can run w/ a Z06

I think it's more like all 03-04 Cobra's can run with a Z06 and some can beat a Z06. Only in the 1/4 mile of course :biggrin:

I dunno, let's say the SVT Cobra makes 420 hp at the flywheel...the Z06 makes 450, and it's nearly 500 pounds lighter. I can't really see an SVT Cobra beating a Z06 in the quarter mile, but if it happens, it happens. Not much I can argue against there.

I agree totally with GTStang. Kman10587, the Z06 makes only 405hp not 450. Maybe you mistyped it.

But still, I even read in magazines (not they are reliable) that an 03+ Cobra runs w/ a normal C5... I honestly have never hear of it running w/ a Z06... let's put it this way, I have LS6 heads/cam sitting in my garage, so when they are finally put on (I have an LS1 Camaro for those who don't know) I am sure that I will be running w/ 03+ Cobra's, all n/a I might add, but anyway, if a Z06 can still smoke me it will still smoke them, and no one can tell me a Camaro w/ an LS6 is going to get beat by a Cobra.

Most magazines I have seen put the Z06 in the 12.5 but a few 12.3's so even at 12.3 some magazines have hardtop Cobras at 12.5 so that is definetly running with a Z06.

So I will stick with what I said "03-04 Cobra's can run with Z06 Vettes and some can beat it. (if it just works out a lil less the opitimal Z06 from factory vs an optimal Cobra from the factory can beat it.)

So I will say it an 03-04 Cobra can take a Camaro w/an LS6.

The 2005 corvette will have 400 hp stock. I wonder how much the zo6 will have then :evillol:

Both cars are very similar however...if you buy one of those I doubt youre going to make it just a dragster. So if you need a daily driver or weekend driver...I would rather have the vette...its much more beautiful and it grips turns much better.

Oh crap, I wasn't thinking. You're right, the Mustang SVT Cobra would outpower the Z06 by a little bit. Hmm, makes sense now :)

I think that a LS6 camaro would definitely get beat by a 03 Cobra. The camaro ss for example almost weighs as much as a Cobra. If the cobra can hang will a Corvette Z06 with 400hp, it will beat a camaro with 400hp, especially when the cobra is pumping out 420+hp. On chevydrummer's commemt, it's official that the Z06 will get a 7.0 Liter 500hp engine. The cobra in 2007 is supposed to have 500hp also.

On chevydrummer's commemt, it's official that the Z06 will get a 7.0 Liter 500hp engine. The cobra in 2007 is supposed to have 500hp also.

Touche

Well... waht is your definition of take? A 3800lb. car rated at 390HP is going to beat a 3400lb. car rated at 405HP, does this make much sense?

The problem is that your projected weights for both of the cars is way off. The cobra has a curb weight of about 3665 pounds and the camaro ss has a curb weight of about 3550 pounds. The cobra DOES NOT have 390hp. Ford underrated the engine because of the fiasco that happened back in 1999. The engine is actually pushing more around 420+hp. The cobra will beat a LS6 camaro just like a cobra will easily take a LS6 powered CTS-V.

I think anyone that would rather have a mustang over a CORVETTE has lost there mind! Ive owned many mustangs in my time and I LOVE THEM, now i own one of the nicest Z06 CORVETTES in tampa fla. There is no comparison with the two...The bottom line is the CORVETTE is a far superior car just in design its self..Mustangs cant get the power to the ground like a VETTE..Good way to see take both cars on wet roads/ no traction control / Let em go the vette will leave it with no tire spin the mustang will spin for days..Trust me ive done it..same thing on dry road!!

Oh crap, I wasn't thinking. You're right, the Mustang SVT Cobra would outpower the Z06 by a little bit. Hmm, makes sense now :)
Mustang does not outpower a CORVETTE

When I said that a cobra compared to a Z06, I was referring to straight line performance only. The Z06 will outhandle it and will definitely win on the track. I think that the next generation cobra will compare with the C6 Z06. I think that the C6 blue devil will be more of a job for the ford GT.

I'm sorry to tell you this Z06 boy, but you're wrong. The 2003 svt cobra pumps out 420+hp compared to the Z06's 405. Mustang Cobras have been dynoing at 365-375rwhp, which with a 15% drivetrain loss, is 419-431hp. Not all cobras dyno this high, but most do!

I am a fan of both cars, but the Z06 gets Plenty of recognition. I think that the cobra is a little underrated, and that is why I stick up for it (well that and the fact that I own a Mustang and am a huge Ford fan.) As I said before, the cobra will compare with a Z06 in straight-line performance only. At the track, it compares better with the base C5.

I think anyone that would rather have a mustang over a CORVETTE has lost there mind! Ive owned many mustangs in my time and I LOVE THEM, now i own one of the nicest Z06 CORVETTES in tampa fla. There is no comparison with the two...The bottom line is the CORVETTE is a far superior car just in design its self..Mustangs cant get the power to the ground like a VETTE..Good way to see take both cars on wet roads/ no traction control / Let em go the vette will leave it with no tire spin the mustang will spin for days..Trust me ive done it..same thing on dry road!!

Of course the Z06 is the superior machine all they way around but it also has the price tag to match!!!

It's like saying anyone who wants a Z06 over a Ford GT has lost there mind! I mean yea my Ford GT will beat your Z06 in every aspect but look at the cost.

The thing that is impressive about 03-04 Cobra is can hang with cars like the Z06 in the 1/4 mile and beat them if things are right. Can seat 4 people even if it's uncomfortable. And at $35,000 is in a lot more people's price range than a Vette is. You as a Z06 owner might not find it cool but I bet you the guy in the Cobra does.