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On a side note, I just traded in my 2012 Mustang GT. I got bored with it. The C5Z feels like a comfy race car compared to the stick axle luxury truck 5.0. But that Coyote motor kicks a$$! :p
It's not a close one stock for stock. Not near a close one. How would a car that weighs less and makes more power/torque with superior gearing/traction/aerodynamics and is NA rather than FI ever fall behind.
Oh idk probably because they are underrated and make a ton of tq. They hook probably near identical. A stock c5z will Dyno @ 360whp making sense as its advertised at 405. A terminator will do @ 390whp and is advertised 390.
30whp is about 50hp at the crank; given @ a 500lb difference in curb weight, not accounting the driver; it becomes VERY close, with the nod given to the z06 mainly for gearing. I'm willing to bet the z is the harder car to extract the # from though stock.
I currently own both.They are apples and oranges. I love both cars for what they are. The Cobra makes 527/537 to the tires and runs 11.5's @ 122 with a ported factory blower and pulley swap. Z06 is exhaust and cam and ran 11.9 @ 116, no idea on horsepower. Cobra is 600+ lbs heavier.
The Cobra is just plain fun and raw to drive with over 500lbft of torque instantly, but for a spirited all round drive the Vette is the clear winner. They are both great in their own way.
I currently own both.They are apples and oranges. I love both cars for what they are. The Cobra makes 527/537 to the tires and runs 11.5's @ 122 with a ported factory blower and pulley swap. Z06 is exhaust and cam and ran 11.9 @ 116, no idea on horsepower. Cobra is 600+ lbs heavier.
The Cobra is just plain fun and raw to drive with over 500lbft of torque instantly, but for a spirited all round drive the Vette is the clear winner. They are both great in their own way.
This is what I'm talking about. Massive power benefit to the terminator, yet only 4/10ths quicker. I really like Cobras, but it takes more power to keep up with a z06
Whats nice about a Z06 is that it still feels like a modern car, really fun to drive fast and handles fantastic, especially on a curvy road.
The Cobra is a different story, really feels old school like a drag car from
the sixties, and granted some people prefer that. An absolute horror on a curvy road, doesn't give you any confidence at all.
Stock 405hp Z is a low 12@115+car stock Cobra is a high 12@110+car they aren't that close stock for stock and here's an article of a BASE C5 Vert beating a Cobra in the 1/4.
I owned an '03 Cobra. With just CAI and cat back it dyno'd 408 hp to the wheels. It was fast, sounded great, looked great and was comfortable. Plus, they are underated cars on a road course. Love my c5z but really miss that Cobra
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
The Termi's will hold its value, and increase in value better the a c5z...but obviously that's not why you would get either one of these cars. I personally like the Z as it can do everything well
The C5Z is clearly the better car for quite a few reasons but as pointed out already, one would be considered a sports car while the other a muscle car. This would also be reflected in the MSRP of the 2.
The way I understand the OP's post is he wanted real life experience from enthusiasts with both cars and not what just the specs and stats are as I'm sure he probably looked (or will) that up on his own. This is the reason I didn't post up what Ford, Chevy or Road N Track/Motor Trend had to say.
A high 12 sec car and a low 12 sec car comes out to be very close in the real world, light to light or roll races. As I stated I did own a C5Z and still currently own my Cobra. I have raced them side by side and in no way do I see the C5Z being far superior to the Termi in acceleration. Better-sure, but not far better (or superior). And certainly the Termi could use some light mods to even things up do to the power to weight ratio and dynamics.
Best advice is OP should drive both and not listen to those who do not have experience with both cars or make silly bias statements such as "well this 1 looks way better than that 1"....
Good luck with your decision OP
Last edited by Boba Fett; Oct 22, 2014 at 12:15 PM.
Just what i expected from this thread, a bunch of magazine racers and people who have never sat in a Terminator, Let alone drove one Lol.
Terminators are not known for their stock power, Finding a stock pullied car is like finding a needle in a haystack now. Most Terminators are pushing 450RWHP-650RWHP on stock drivetrain via a pulley swap tune-blower swap.
One thing for sure, A Corvette wont ever come within a fraction to sounding as good as a Terminator.
And i call BS on the guy who bought a Terminator for $15k with 18k miles and couldnt sell it for that. You mustve bought a 99/01 Cobra considering you wouldve had a line down your neighborhood for that price. Terminators sell for more than a C5Z and they cost way less new.
Wish I could own both, when I sold my Saleen last year I planned on a Terminator, but when I realized I could afford a low mileage Z06 for the same price it was a no brainer. I love the vette and couldn't trade it for another mustang but I still drool when I see a nice Terminator. As far as the sound comment above, my Z with headers, o/r Xpipe and Borla stingers sounds as good if not meaner than any Cobra I have heard.
I saw a c5z lose /gain no ground on the first run, a bunch of heat soaking repeats with a kid who can't shift; not to mention bogged the **** out of those rolls. What was he in? 3rd?
Then a c5z gets worked once the air was cold and he hit gears right. Hell he even missed one and didn't get caught.
You guys are up there on your horses pretty good. There's tons of youtube stock cobras getting vettes. Sure there are loses, but to act like its some sort of turd is laughable at best.
I've beaten faster cars in my coupe; but out driving them doesn't mean their cars don't run.
I've owned both, last Cobra I had made 650 to the gorund with a whipple supercharger and etc. Funnest car I have ever driven. But going around town a couple times on a Friday night I would literally burn a full tank of gas.
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