Dilema..............SVT vs VR4?????

Ok, I finally got the title to my SL, and I am now ready to sell the car, but I'm not 100% sure of which car to get, I like the 99 3KGT, it looks awesome first off, but I do like RWD car, if AWD, I like them with a Longitudal engine positioning, I REALLY HATE TRANSVERSE.

So, this is my Dilema, to either get a 96-97 Vr4 or the 2001 SVT Cobra, I saw the Cobra recently, and they look sweet as hell, though they are a little more costly, which would you go for??????

96-97 Vr4 - 6 sp, 320hp V6 AWD

01 SVT - 6 sp, 390hp v8 RWD?? probably cost 4-6 K more.

tough choice dude... svt is a little more badass in my book (barely) and would feel a little more like an older muscle car (which are hella fun to drive)... on the other hand vr4 def looks better to me.. not sure which one would be faster if thats important to you... for me I'd lean towards the Vr4 simply for the fact that there are less of their bodys on the road and there are a million mustangs. but I'd ask the mustang guys also...

I'm not a Ford fan so that may have something to do with it. I'd take the 3kgt. You should go with whatever you are most comfortable with. If you like going to an auto x race then get the VR4. If your looking for something that you can take down a straight line quickly, then mabye a SVT though VR4's are good for bolth. One last thing, 3kgt's are 10x sexier in my opnion. If I wanted a rectangle on wheels I'd buy a stang. Good luck.

edit: damn you liquid punk you beat me to the punch. j/k

if your not in a tight spot, be patient, save a little more and go for the 99 VR4.

but if you must make a decision promptly, go for the VR4, simply to save the money. The SVT Stang is badass, but for the money id go with one of Chrysler's new Hemis.

and yes, i must agree with whats stated above, 3kgt is WAY nicer looking.

First of all, the Ford Mustang Cobra does not have 390 HP until 2004+
Stock HP on a 2001 Mustang Cobra is 320 (and 317 ft/lb of torque) so you want to get your numbers right when you compare the vehicles.

Secondly, the VR4 will retain it's value much better than a Mustange (VR4's are much much rarer than a Mustang...)

Thirdly, Stock for stock, a VR4 would kill the Mustang Cobra up until 2004 model year.

My answer would be to buy the VR4, hands down. However, I am biased. Ask the same question at a Mustang forum and they for sure will tell you to buy the mustang.

It's your choice, but the VR4 is a much better choice. Much more of a "looker". Too many people own mustangs and it will just be another car that drives by, however drive by with a VR4 and heads will turn.

oops, sorry, confused there, yeah, the 390hp is for the 04, that was to be option 3, but, hell, I really don't have that much to blow. My beef with the stangs has always been the primitive tech on them. Solid rear axle in the 21st century?????? that's terrible.
I just checked on the price, I'll be leaning on the VR4, the 00-2 SVT are still costly. Thanks for the input guys. Will be shopping for a VR4 soon..................

also you could still put 3k in a VR-4 and get 400hp at the fly and still save money.

oops, sorry, confused there, yeah, the 390hp is for the 04, that was to be option 3, but, hell, I really don't have that much to blow. My beef with the stangs has always been the primitive tech on them. Solid rear axle in the 21st century?????? that's terrible.
I just checked on the price, I'll be leaning on the VR4, the 00-2 SVT are still costly. Thanks for the input guys. Will be shopping for a VR4 soon..................
You realize the Cobra's since at least 99 have had a IRS(Independant Rear Suspension) right?

And most Cobra guys swap out the IRS for a solid axle anyway for the drag strip.

Also the 03 was the first year of 390hp.

There was no 02 Cobra.

There's only 3 Cobra's I would consider. A 93 because of its rarity. A 2000 Cobra R again because of its rarity. Or the 03/04 because of the power.

You need to weigh the pros and cons of each. They both look good IMO. THe 3k definitely is sexier though. Mustangs are a dime a dozen. 3k's 97/98 especially are rarer. Mustangs interiors feel cheap and like to devolop unknown rattles. THe 3k interior is just untouchable in this certain market. The 3k has a severely limited aftermarket compared to the Mustang. No one wants to work on 3k's while almost anyone can work on a Mustang. Parts are cheaper for Mustangs. And I could go on.

Also I am not sure how much you are planning on spending but remember 98's are the rarest of the VR4's so if someone has a good condition one and knows these cars you arent going to get it for a steal. With Mustangs you can shop all over the place and find one in your range easier than shopping for a 97/98 VR4.

also you could still put 3k in a VR-4 and get 400hp at the fly and still save money.


You could probably hit 400 at the fly with less than $1500

Sorry I'm thinking NZD again.....

Off topic: Ralliart, what does your speedo go up to in kph? I remember I was in Canada taking a taxi to the hotel after having one too many and I saw his speedo and it said we were goin like 70kph through the town. (I, being too impaired to realize it was kph instead of mph) Kind of freaked me out :eek: .

its either 290 or 300kph although my car has a top speed of 310kph my speedo is in both MPH and KPH I know it does 180mph.....

Like everyone else said, I'd get a VR4, cuz everyone and their mother has a mustang. I was gonna' mention the cheap interior, but stealthee beat me too it. How many mustangs get mistaken for Lambo's and ferraris on a daily basis???? The poon ratio has to be like 25 to 1 for the VR4 man, so do it for the titties... VR4 all the way!!!!!!

VR4

Though I do love the look of the newer Cobra's...

wasnt until 03 that the cobra had 390hp and ran high 12's

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/tb_mustang.jpg


For '99, Ford has equipped the Cobra with its first independent rear suspension, which does wonders for the car's handling, but hurts the Mustang's dragstrip performance.

Dump the Stang's clutch with too many revs and its halfshafts wind up, causing enough wheelhop to hack the wax from your ears.

What works best is to come out of the hole just off idle and allow the DOHC V8 to bog a bit. This way, you take the rear suspension completely out of the equation. The Cobra's tires hook up, and it's all up to the engine's torque to pull the car.

And pull it does. The engine revs slowly and it's geared tall. The engine falls flat at 6200 rpm, 600 short of its redline, so we made our two gear changes on that mark. That's right, two gear changes. The Cobra goes through the traps at 103.45 mph in Third gear, which is odd. Every other car with a manual transmission, except the Mitsubishi, finishes in Fourth.

Shifting the Cobra is a snap with its strong clutch and short throw shifter, and full-throttle powershifts reward the driver with rubber in Second and Third.

This car's definitely one of the quickest Mustangs of all time, but it would be quicker with shorter gearing and a live rear axle. And we'd love to see what it could do with the Lightning's blown V8.

Test Summary:
Ford Mustang Cobra

* Base price: $27,995, Price as tested: $28,190
* Engine: 4.6-liter/280.0 cu.-in. DOHC 32v V8
* HP: 320 @ 6000 rpm, Torque: 317 ft.-lb. @ 4750 rpm
* Trans: 5M, Drivetrain: front engine/rear drive
* Rear axle: 3.27:1 limited-slip w/8.8-in. ring gear
* Curb weight: 3430 lb, Weight/HP ratio: 10.7
* Horsepower per liter: 69.6, Tires: 245/45ZR17
* Acceleration: 0-30 mph: 2.25 sec. 0-60 mph: 5.41 sec.
* 1/4 mile: 13.51 sec. @ 103.45 mph


heres for some erection lol

http://media.popularmechanics.com/images/tb_mitsubishi.jpg

Putting the power to the pavement is the name of the acceleration game. The Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 has 320 hp, much less than the Jag and Lightning, and the same power rating as the Mustang Cobra. So what gives the Mitsubishi the advantage over them? Traction.

This is the only all-wheel-drive car in this test. That means no wheelspin. Launching the Mitsubishi is so simple, it's like flying into outer space - even a monkey can do it. Just tach up the DOHC twin-turbocharged V6 up near its 6000 rpm power peak and drop that clutch. Granted, this isn't the best thing for the car's durability, but it sure gets this 2+2 off the line like a slingshot. All four 18-in. tires dig in, the 3000GT squats like Mike Piazza, and you are gone.

Don't expect any rubber when you throw gears, either. Tire slip in this car is harder to come by than a date with Pamela Anderson. Shifter action and clutch takeup could be a bit smoother, so quick gear changes aren't easy. But the V6's surprising amount of low-end torque really gets the heavy Mitsubishi going. And the motor pulls right up to its 7000 rpm redline.

One thing missing from the Mitsubishi's stellar performance: the right sounds. Its hair dryer exhaust note just doesn't cut it.

Test Summary:
Mitsubishi 3000GT

* Base price: $44,600, Price as tested: $45,140
* Engine: 3.0L/181.0 CID DOHC 24v twin turbo V6
* HP: 320 @ 6000 rpm, Torque: 315 ft.-lb. @ 2500 rpm
* Trans: 6M, Drivetrain: front engine/awd
* Final drive: 3.87:1 w/center viscous coupling
* Curb weight: 3737 lb, Weight/HP ratio: 11.7
* Horsepower/liter: 106.7, Tires: 245/40ZR18
* Acceleration: 0-30 mph: 1.70 sec. 0-60 mph: 5.00 sec.
* 1/4 mile: 13.44 sec. @ 101.79 mph


the cobra traps higher than the vr4, thus telling you that atleast for a certain amount of time, from a roll, the cobra will have an advantage
and most likely pull on you. though our cars do have a high top speed wich (if the race goes on for long enough) the vr4 can come out at the end

You could probably hit 400 at the fly with less than $1500

mbc+gauge $50
bigass k&N $75
downpipe + gutted precats $270
Smoking Cobras priceless!

sorry...had too :biggrin:

Honestly I like cobra though, I've raced quite a few cobras, won some, lost some, got absolutely handled once. I respect the displacement and SCs (when applicable) but I honestly have never been a Ford guy and would never own 1. Ford's reliablity is an issue, they are extremely common, etc. Anyway, as said above, if you asked in a mustang forum, I'm sure you'd get only 'cobra' responses. We all made our decisions.

mbc+gauge $50
bigass k&N $75
downpipe + gutted precats $270
Smoking Cobras priceless!




actually I was going to do the same thing as that and change my number, but I was lazy :)

vr-4, without question. The only good mustang is a blown cobra. I really think the pre-03 cobras are overrated as i've seen them even get walked by stock LS1's without much of a problem, and they're all equally rated from the factory. However, the 03+ cobras are very very sick.

The vr-4 can actually have about 380 to the fly with less than $100 in mods. Just your basic air filter, gut your precats, test pipe, mbc, and boost gauge. With just that you can run up to around a 12.7 in the 1/4 mile if you know how to drive.

If your comparing a vr-4 to a pre 03 cobra, then i'd say vr-4 all the way. If your comparing a vr-4 to an 03+ cobra, then it all depends what you want out of the car. Straight line speed? Looks? Handling? etc

About me, I'm picky about cars, kind of stupid on a limited budget, I absolutely love the way the 99 3KGT looks, that's priceless, the only beef I've had with them was the transverse engine placement. I find it very limiting, my thought was to get the SL, then mount a VR4 Rear sub-frame with the Diff, then mount the engine Longitudal, use a T-56 tranny, and get a Mitsu Montero Bell housing to finish the swapp.
Unfortunately, I found someone who did the FWD to AWD, and it was tons of work, so I figured I'll get the VR-4 and just yunk the AWD, sell it, and swapp in a T-56, I had someone to do the work, but then I ran into an 04 SVT with 295 wheels, and it looked SEXY as hell, dropped to the ground. but the cheapest I found was 25K with decent miles, so I'll put that off.
Wow, I didn't know they swapped the SVT to IRS in 99, that's sweet.
I'm now even more confused then before as to what car to get..................... Got a good deal on a 330Ci BMW, I wanted a VR-4 w/99 conv, and the SVT looks sweet to me w/ 04 body kit, and you can't beat the sound, - INS rates which are tons higher!!!!!!!
I'll sit down and meditate on this one, but thanks for the info guys....................

The swapping the engine to longitudal mounting would be about as much work as the AWD conversion itself. So many things have to overcome. It would be a huge waste. Then you lose the launching ability of AWD.