G8 GT vs. Cobra

Fenixfire

Slower than ever
Established Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
1,631
Location
ABQ, NM USA
I'm going to mini hijack the thread and contribute...hopefully.

Who drives a white 03 Cobra (Terminator rims) in High Point that drives down highway 68 every morning? I would like to see what my car will do against your car. Also, what mods do you have?

Now on to the contribution...lol

As most of you guys stated the driver REALLY makes the difference in a street race. As most of my fellow G8 owners are aware of, assuming the drivers are equal, stock vs. stock a Cobra will easily beat a G8 GT. A stock G8 GXP vs. a stock Cobra is a little closer but I would still have to give the edge to the Cobra. I ran 12.70 bone stock in my 04 Cobra when I had it. My GXP might run 12.8s to 12.9s stock.

With that being said, anyone who knows car knows that the Cobra has brutal potential right out of the box. The LS3 has a lot of potential too but you have to sink more money into it.

Having had both cars I can say that I like both of them for different reasons. I LOVE the LS3 motor but I wish GM would have thrown forged pistons and cranks in them. That would level the playing field. But, they didn't and it isn't so I'm moving along. I liked the Cobra for the same reason most of you guys like it...POWER!!! The car stars lined up against me and my daughter was born right after getting the Cobra and the responsible thing, at the time, for me to do was sell it. Well, my daughter is 5 now and I can safely afford the G8 GXP. I like the G8 for the room and comfort. In my opinion, it's the baddest 4 door car for the money.

Now that the 2010 taurus sho is around....I think that statement can be challenged.....

Intake modded(not cai) with alittle more boost than stock and tune and thats it.....well and the ugly wheels too....

Widget share
 

VictorySong

New Member
Established Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
1,073
Location
TX
Now that the 2010 taurus sho is around....I think that statement can be challenged.....

Intake modded(not cai) with alittle more boost than stock and tune and thats it.....well and the ugly wheels too....

Widget share

Great engine for sure.:rockon: But I have heard terrible things already about the drivetrain holding more power. Only time will tell I guess.:shrug:
 

Fenixfire

Slower than ever
Established Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
1,631
Location
ABQ, NM USA
Great engine for sure.:rockon: But I have heard terrible things already about the drivetrain holding more power. Only time will tell I guess.:shrug:

Ive "heard" in stock form with zero bolt ons they are good for 500 hp with no problems. How true that is I dont know.
 

VictorySong

New Member
Established Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
1,073
Location
TX
Ive "heard" in stock form with zero bolt ons they are good for 500 hp with no problems. How true that is I dont know.

A sho owner posted a 12.7 video on MFords and said he and his tuner did not feel it could go over 390.It's all second hand info there really to new to know there limits. :shrug: I hope they can take alot of power. Ford is really gambling with a 6 when the competition is running V8's. They might end up being 4 door 6 cylinder terminators who knows!:banana:

Edit: I was surprised by the times some of the G8 owners posted. I could see the Cobra getting walked with a bad driver.

Edit2: I belive the weak link was said to be the transmission. Not the engine.
 
Last edited:

mustangmanjeff

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
4,228
Location
somewhereland mexico CT
I have a G8 GT, it runs 11s stock. I also pull ZR1s from a roll with it, the trick is to neutral drop it while rocking back and forth in your seat. Fastest car evar dooodz, you guys just don't know.

lol yes and my evo with 3 mods runs 10.2@140 and owns 600hp cobras, and I gained 300hp with just 3 bolt ons. so my shit owns!:rockon:

This is the problem with the internet. I wasn't mad/sarcastic or anything along those lines. Just making a statement that it's funny that people feel compelled to join a site for the sole purpose of defending their car. I never doubted what these cars run. I just said it was funny. If I came in here and was bashing everyone and their brother, then I would deserve to be laughed at like some of these idiots in other threads who think Ford is the only company that ever made a car.
That being said, I wasn't calling anyone out to make them feel unwelcome here just making a broad statement about the quirks of the internet. If you feel like I was attacking someone, then I guess that's just how it's going to be. Time for me to attend to more important matters in life. Enjoy your evening :beer:. I know I will :banana:

I agree with you 100% this website is full of these import trolls, I dont think this is a mustang forum anymore, theres more morons on here that think imports own, and get mad when mustang guys arent into imports, last time I checked this is a mustang forum, and I wil give credit where credit is due, but dam soon as u post about a civic, or evo ,or gtr,srt4 camaro, or g8,evo etcc all the nut swingers and fanbois come out of the woodwork, the way I look @ it if i wanted a import I wouldnt of bought a mustang or joined mustang / svt forums, there in a mustang forum pissing and moaning if u dont like it take ur import,gtr,evo,civics,honda eco turbo box,,srt4,etc etc to ur right forum along with ur other fanbois,

but this isnt all guys,because I myself love g8 gt's and alot of nice guys on here that dont drive mustangs, but in the past year all these morons make isane claims, like the nutswingers defeding a guy claims to gain 200+awhp with 3 mods. etc theres so much :bs: its gonna cause :pop::lol: but like stated before I think theres alot of guys on the :wf: the best about the import guys on here or bench racers, if 1 car does it that means all of them run it, oh 1 guy in a gtr blah blah ran 10's bone stock, so ur 800hp cobra will lose to my godly gtr or my stock turbo evo or srt4 makes 500hp and i smoke 500hp cars and i have 3 mods blah blah blah, im sick of this crap to theres so many unrealistic claims by import guys online its funny as shit!

and the minute a guy posts a race of his mustang vs import etc, the owners or fanbois will go out there way to make a name on a mustang forum or come out of nowhere to defend there internet honor and expect every 1 to belive anything over the internet. anything to try to prove there car owns a mustang, I'm so sick of that, every where i go theres always some tool in a srt4 or evo import etc trying to race me or talk shit to me, or if u ever try to hold a logical conversation with a import driver, there best kill is always " I beat a mustang gt with blah blah" it pisses me off does that help them sleep @ night there goal is to be faster then a mustang? and im minding my own business and dont say shit, and all they do is talk shit " oh ur car is slow" mustangs are junk i smoke them blah blah" does that help these trolls and import owners sleep @ night that there faster then a mustang, and even if its ricer bs there goal in life is to make others belive it and make them sleep @ night being faster then a mustang lol


perfect example, 1 or 2 guys run 10.80's in a stock z06, to vette nut swingers on here, if ur in a 500+hp cobra and post a kill of beating a stock 1 they have to come out the woodwork to defend there honor,as if all of them run 10.80's same goes with srt4 guys, evo guys etc etc..
 
Last edited:

kirks5oh

kirks5oh
Established Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2004
Messages
7,444
Location
wi
Gonna agree with the general view here that it is possible, but would take a bad driver in the Cobra for the G8 to walk that much. From a dig it would be much more likely to go down like this.



+1

from a roll, to have this outcome, the cobra had to have been stock, or hurt, or a horrible shift point/driver. the cobra is much, much easier to drive from a roll, and has one hell of a 3rd gear. my GTO has a catback, intake, and dyno tune (375rwhp), and would get walked by a stock cobra (if there is still such a thing). cobra should have a 400lb weight advantage, and be very close with power.

from a dig, yes this is easily possible.
 

CLN 6R

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
1,511
Location
St. Louis
lol yes and my evo with 3 mods runs 10.2@140 and owns 600hp cobras, and I gained 300hp with just 3 bolt ons. so my shit owns!:rockon:



I agree with you 100% this website is full of these import trolls, I dont think this is a mustang forum anymore, theres more morons on here that think imports own, and get mad when mustang guys arent into imports, last time I checked this is a mustang forum, and I wil give credit where credit is due, but dam soon as u post about a civic, or evo ,or gtr,srt4 camaro, or g8,evo etcc all the nut swingers and fanbois come out of the woodwork, the way I look @ it if i wanted a import I wouldnt of bought a mustang or joined mustang / svt forums, there in a mustang forum pissing and moaning if u dont like it take ur import,gtr,evo,civics,honda eco turbo box,,srt4,etc etc to ur right forum along with ur other fanbois,

but this isnt all guys,because I myself love g8 gt's and alot of nice guys on here that dont drive mustangs, but in the past year all these morons make isane claims, like the nutswingers defeding a guy claims to gain 200+awhp with 3 mods. etc theres so much :bs: its gonna cause :pop::lol: but like stated before I think theres alot of guys on the :wf: the best about the import guys on here or bench racers, if 1 car does it that means all of them run it, oh 1 guy in a gtr blah blah ran 10's bone stock, so ur 800hp cobra will lose to my godly gtr or my stock turbo evo or srt4 makes 500hp and i smoke 500hp cars and i have 3 mods blah blah blah, im sick of this crap to theres so many unrealistic claims by import guys online its funny as shit!

and the minute a guy posts a race of his mustang vs import etc, the owners or fanbois will go out there way to make a name on a mustang forum or come out of nowhere to defend there internet honor and expect every 1 to belive anything over the internet. anything to try to prove there car owns a mustang, I'm so sick of that, every where i go theres always some tool in a srt4 or evo import etc trying to race me or talk shit to me, or if u ever try to hold a logical conversation with a import driver, there best kill is always " I beat a mustang gt with blah blah" it pisses me off does that help them sleep @ night there goal is to be faster then a mustang? and im minding my own business and dont say shit, and all they do is talk shit " oh ur car is slow" mustangs are junk i smoke them blah blah" does that help these trolls and import owners sleep @ night that there faster then a mustang, and even if its ricer bs there goal in life is to make others belive it and make them sleep @ night being faster then a mustang lol


perfect example, 1 or 2 guys run 10.80's in a stock z06, to vette nut swingers on here, if ur in a 500+hp cobra and post a kill of beating a stock 1 they have to come out the woodwork to defend there honor,as if all of them run 10.80's same goes with srt4 guys, evo guys etc etc..
That was tough to read.
Now that the 2010 taurus sho is around....I think that statement can be challenged.....

Intake modded(not cai) with alittle more boost than stock and tune and thats it.....well and the ugly wheels too....
Read again "For the money." For the money, the SHO is not the baddest 4 door.
 

kirks5oh

kirks5oh
Established Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2004
Messages
7,444
Location
wi
That was tough to read.

Read again "For the money." For the money, the SHO is not the baddest 4 door.

i've got 3 kids, and its tempting to turn in my GTO and go for the GXP G8. i keep thinking about it.
 

Fenixfire

Slower than ever
Established Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
1,631
Location
ABQ, NM USA
That was tough to read.

Read again "For the money." For the money, the SHO is not the baddest 4 door.

That depends what are you talking about? An optioned out G8 GXP is not a cheap car. In fact, starting msrp for a g8 gxp is $37,610 and starting msrp for a taurus sho is $37,170 and the sho comes with more bells and whistles than the G8 does.

Add in the sub thousand dollars it costs for a tune on the sho to make it rip 12s off and Id say its a pretty freakin nice car for the price that will also get it done quite nicely at the strip and you havent even started adding bolt ons.
 

rocket5979

Member
Established Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2002
Messages
836
Location
Lake Villa, Il
That depends what are you talking about? An optioned out G8 GXP is not a cheap car. In fact, starting msrp for a g8 gxp is $37,610 and starting msrp for a taurus sho is $37,170 and the sho comes with more bells and whistles than the G8 does.

Add in the sub thousand dollars it costs for a tune on the sho to make it rip 12s off and Id say its a pretty freakin nice car for the price that will also get it done quite nicely at the strip and you havent even started adding bolt ons.


I get where you are coming from here. I personally think the new SHO's are purely badass. However, the G8 (GT or GXP) engine, transmission, or rear end is not even really starting to break a sweat while hitting 12's while with the SHO people are somewhat doubtful. Now we just don't know if those doubts about the SHO drivetrain are unfounded yet. But it has been proven on many ocassions that the G8's can take some power and make damn good ET's, even while in stock form let alone with boost. Now please don't interpret what I just said as one of those "Well my car will beat yours if it had a turbo too!". I hate those kinds of comments. However, I do feel it worth noting that the G8's have lasted past 700+rwhp with an almost essentially stock engine, transmission, and rear end. I would really be surprised to see the SHO do that, even if I am rooting for them too. My personal G8 makes 500rwhp/570rwtq with the TT system I have on it while running low boost on a very conservative tune. Just remember that in a performance car moddability and strength potential makes for one heck of allot more value for a given price.
 

Fenixfire

Slower than ever
Established Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
1,631
Location
ABQ, NM USA
I get where you are coming from here. I personally think the new SHO's are purely badass. However, the G8 (GT or GXP) engine, transmission, or rear end is not even really starting to break a sweat while hitting 12's while with the SHO people are somewhat doubtful. Now we just don't know if those doubts about the SHO drivetrain are unfounded yet. But it has been proven on many ocassions that the G8's can take some power and make damn good ET's, even while in stock form let alone with boost. Now please don't interpret what I just said as one of those "Well my car will beat yours if it had a turbo too!". I hate those kinds of comments. However, I do feel it worth noting that the G8's have lasted past 700+rwhp with an almost essentially stock engine, transmission, and rear end. I would really be surprised to see the SHO do that, even if I am rooting for them too. My personal G8 makes 500rwhp/570rwtq with the TT system I have on it while running low boost on a very conservative tune. Just remember that in a performance car moddability and strength potential makes for one heck of allot more value for a given price.

I agree. Its also a consideration of how much do you have to spend to get a certain amount of power out of a particular car. A tt system or any force induction is gonna cost alot of money even if you are putting it on an otherwise stock car. A simple tune change picking up nearly 100 hp on a conservative setup for an otherwise stock car is a significant hp jump for a small amount of money.

Of course this is the advantage of cars that come stock with FI drivetrains. As you said its too early to tell what the limit will be of a stock internals/tranny taurus sho.

As far as a G8 goes I dont see them holding 700 rwhp "reliably" on a stock drivetrain. Cast pistons and rods can only take you so far in any engine. That said, obviously a motor isnt gonna be under the constant strain of that much power all the time. Only when you put your foot into it and start filling it with boost, but even still it will eventually fail. When? Who knows, but its a time bomb. Heck you can take any car and shove a 200 dry shot of nitrous and it wont go boom right away, but it wont be long before it does. lol

Neither one of these cars could really be considered a cheap car, but when it comes to immediate costs for a gain in performance Id say the sho presents pretty good bang for the buck. Once you start adding components that start costing thousands of dollars........well it can branch off into a number of directions.

A case can be made for either car, but in reality it will come down to preference.
 

DHG BULLITT

Try to find Mr. Warren G
Established Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2004
Messages
5,921
Location
Lewisville, Tx
I like the G8...I hate most of the people that drive them.

They're the same group as 370z owners, late 20s to late 30s, living well, and DUMB. They think the 350hp they're running around with will beat anything on the street just like the salesman told them it would.
 

Fenixfire

Slower than ever
Established Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
1,631
Location
ABQ, NM USA
I like the G8...I hate most of the people that drive them.

They're the same group as 370z owners, late 20s to late 30s, living well, and DUMB. They think the 350hp they're running around with will beat anything on the street just like the salesman told them it would.

I certainly changed that thought process for one G8 owner that thought my "mustang gt with a mach 1 appearance package" :dw: had no chance against him. At the time I was stock. After he got owned he received alittle friendly education on where his stock G8s place was in the world.
 

CLN 6R

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
1,511
Location
St. Louis
That depends what are you talking about? An optioned out G8 GXP is not a cheap car. In fact, starting msrp for a g8 gxp is $37,610 and starting msrp for a taurus sho is $37,170 and the sho comes with more bells and whistles than the G8 does.

Add in the sub thousand dollars it costs for a tune on the sho to make it rip 12s off and Id say its a pretty freakin nice car for the price that will also get it done quite nicely at the strip and you havent even started adding bolt ons.
You are describing a "nicer/more luxurious" car for the money, not the "baddest." Put a stock SHO vs. a stock G8 GT, see what happens. Put a stock SHO against a stock GXP and watch the SHO driver cry. :lol1:
I like the G8...I hate most of the people that drive them.

They're the same group as 370z owners, late 20s to late 30s, living well, and DUMB. They think the 350hp they're running around with will beat anything on the street just like the salesman told them it would.
Same can be said about a lot of Mustang owners, or any group of car "enthusiasts." :shrug:
 

rocket5979

Member
Established Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2002
Messages
836
Location
Lake Villa, Il
As far as a G8 goes I dont see them holding 700 rwhp "reliably" on a stock drivetrain. Cast pistons and rods can only take you so far in any engine. That said, obviously a motor isnt gonna be under the constant strain of that much power all the time. Only when you put your foot into it and start filling it with boost, but even still it will eventually fail. When? Who knows, but its a time bomb. Heck you can take any car and shove a 200 dry shot of nitrous and it wont go boom right away, but it wont be long before it does. lol


You might want to look into this further. The Gen IV GM LSx engines have been holding a shit-ton of power in totally stock form with just connecting rod bolt upgrades and a swapped valvetrain. I am not saying 700+rwhp is going to last all day every day in a daily driver but the 6.0 L76 in the GT and especially the 6.2 LS3 in the GXP have been putting down some real good power without much issue. There are people pushing 600+ at the tires on their LS2 GTO's and LS2/LS3 Corvette DD's and have been lasting for a long long time. Those engines are very very similar to what is in the G8 GT and GXP. The GM engines, especially the newer ones, are considerably stronger than you may think. They aren't "Terminator strong" but it is not uncommon to see a 10 second GTO or Vette daily driven on mostly stock drivetrain.
 

rocket5979

Member
Established Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2002
Messages
836
Location
Lake Villa, Il
Same can be said about a lot of Mustang owners, or any group of car "enthusiasts." :shrug:


I agree that every car enthusiast group has its dummies. But I do think that some of the other G8 owners do get an inflated idea of what their car can do. Some of the threads on the G8board kill section are just ridiculous with some of the claims people make; or the cars that they call slow when comparing to their G8. In that regard I would have to agree with Fenix. :shrug:
 

Black Talon

KnightOfTheOldRepublic
Established Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2006
Messages
10,341
Location
earth
I like the G8...I hate most of the people that drive them.

They're the same group as 370z owners, late 20s to late 30s, living well, and DUMB. They think the 350hp they're running around with will beat anything on the street just like the salesman told them it would.

So, just like 2010 Camaro drivers. Yes I see.
 

svttim

MCA National Director
Established Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2005
Messages
232
Location
Wausau WI
Im sure a vast majority of G8 owners are daily drivers that bought the car for its looks. Now, yea, I think its a rip off off a bimmer but I do think its a great looking car. So I certainly would put it on a short list for a great buy for someone who needs or wants 4 doors. Anything can made to be fast. But, Unlike Cobra's most G8's will stay stock, just like most SHO's
 

rocket5979

Member
Established Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2002
Messages
836
Location
Lake Villa, Il
Im sure a vast majority of G8 owners are daily drivers that bought the car for its looks. Now, yea, I think its a rip off off a bimmer but I do think its a great looking car. So I certainly would put it on a short list for a great buy for someone who needs or wants 4 doors. Anything can made to be fast. But, Unlike Cobra's most G8's will stay stock, just like most SHO's


The G8's are basically a rebadged Holden Commodore. The Commodore in present body style have been around longer than the current body style bimmers. The reason you guys tend to think that the G8 is a rip off of a bimmer is because you are not aware of what has been happening across the pond.

I think you are mistaken when you assume that most G8's will stay stock. I really really doubt that considering most people who bought the G8's seem to be Ford or Mopar guys who, at that time, were not satisfied with what their own company were providing or are former GTO and Vette owners who wanted a 4 door with balls. There are not a whole lot of G8's in total but I have seen a shit-ton of them already modded. Some just lighter mods and others starting to get fairly heavy into em.
 

svttim

MCA National Director
Established Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2005
Messages
232
Location
Wausau WI
The G8's are basically a rebadged Holden Commodore. The Commodore in present body style have been around longer than the current body style bimmers. The reason you guys tend to think that the G8 is a rip off of a bimmer is because you are not aware of what has been happening across the pond.

I think you are mistaken when you assume that most G8's will stay stock. I really really doubt that considering most people who bought the G8's seem to be Ford or Mopar guys who, at that time, were not satisfied with what their own company were providing or are former GTO and Vette owners who wanted a 4 door with balls. There are not a whole lot of G8's in total but I have seen a shit-ton of them already modded. Some just lighter mods and others starting to get fairly heavy into em.

Thanks for the History
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top