Underpowered Pony? I think not!

The Paparazzi: They're ALWAYS causin' problems...
Much press has been given to the newly styled 1999 Mustang GT and Mustang SVT Cobra, both good and bad. We were originally attracted to the Mustang GT for its power and speed, but had never considered purchasing one until the 99 model year - the new styling, with it's crisper lines and more powerful engine were all we needed to fall in love with not just ONE but TWO Ponycars. As the proud owners of both a 99 GT and 99 Cobra we tend to disagree with much of the negative attention surrounding the Cobra and the rumored 'performance inadequacies.'

Let's clear up a few misconceptions...
For starters, these problems did NOT plague all 1999 SVT's. Ford elected to perform these Horsepower Upgrades on a voluntary basis, as a response to SOME dissatisfied SVT owners. Fortunately, some Cobras managed to come off the lot in prime condition - and with the upgrades to the fuel chip, intake and exhaust system? WOW!

While my GT boasts a respectable 260hp, and even though it's equipped with an automatic transmission, can easily hit the 60 mark in the advertised time, it pales in comparison to the gut-wrenching power and sheer G-force put out by the Cobra. Even prior to the upgrade, the Cobra was on par with both the Corvette and Camaro SS (although the advertised 0-60 times on these are slightly lower than that of the Cobra). Our Cobra was even fortunate enough to leave in it's wake a highly supercharged Supra equipped with Nitrous!

Clutch in, let up on the...Or was it...?
Driving the Cobra requires a complete re-education in shifting and cornering. Most day-to-day driving will find you in 3rd or 4th gear, reserving 5th for only the highest of freeway speeds. You will immediately feel its power as you squeal off the line in first gear. But even more impressive is the monstrous pull of SECOND gear, and this is where you will gain your greatest acceleration. Third is nearly as powerful, and quite often you may find that you 'bark' the tires when speedshifting from 2nd to 3rd. Drivers may at first be startled by the subtle lift of the front end of the car when accelerating suddenly.

How ya like my curves?
The handling and suspension are sheer perfection. The independent rear suspension allows you to take ramps, hills and curves at full speed with no lean or instability - no turn is too sharp for this snake! Shifting is crisp and quick, and with each successive gear, you'll feel all 320 of those horses just bucking to be set free! We had been advised that it would be possible to lower the suspension up to 3 inches, but have found this will not be necessary - the slightly higher stance gives the driver an excellent command of the road without sacrificing handling capabilities in the least.

Fits you like a glove!
The front seats are form-fitting and highly-supportive, even on long roadtrips, and front seat passengers can enjoy oodles of legroom! Backseats are comfortable, however rear legroom is limited. But let's face it - this is a sports car, not a minivan! The Mach 460 Soundsystem produces excellent, clear sound, though you may want to crank it in order to hear it over the roar of the V-8.

The Cobra and the GT are pure driving enjoyment, both in daily traffic and on weekend excursions. The slightly crowded backseat and limited trunkspace are hardly worth mentioning when compared to the overall perfection of these performance machines.

Author's note: Beware of Lot Lizards!
One thing to keep in mind when purchasing a Cobra is that due to the limited release (only 3,500 per model year will be produced), some dealerships will try to impose a surcharge of over $6,000. DON'T PAY IT!! When the first dealership tried to sell us this car at close to $35,000, we walked. They attempted to convince us that it was FORD, not the dealership, that was imposing this fee - they called it a 'Limited Release Surcharge.' Upon investigation, we found that another local dealer also had one Cobra on it's lot, and they were in fact NOT overcharging. So stand your ground and don't let them fool you! A fully-equipped Cobra hardtop should run you in the neighborhood of $28-29,000.

The final word?
Last but not least, there is one positive result of all of the negative press surrounding the performance - you will find that other drivers (particularly those in other sports cars) may underestimate the power of your car. Just be sure to wave and smile as you leave them behind!


Author's Addendum: September 28, 2000
Our Cobra is a 1999, and despite what some people think, there were no 2000 Cobras. This has made the 1999's even more sought after (at least down here in Florida, where it seems there are more Mustangs-per-capita than anywhere else in the U.S.! Some dealers still have a few left on the lot, and I've seen price gouging even worse than 16 months ago when we purchased ours. But if you can get your hands on one, I'd highly recommend it!