Got to drive a GT(40).....Ooooooh Myyyyyyyy!! W/PICS
Well as the title says I got to drive a GT on Sunday. :-D The car belongs to a friend of mine, Jim. He ordered the car in Blue with the full stripe package, wheel upgrade and stereo upgrade. The blue WITH the stripes and wheels looks stunning.
Up to this point I had only seen a GT in pictures and on diplay at the last two SEMA shows. At the SEMA show displays the car was always roped off or on a pedestal that you couldn't get close to it. Seeing the car like that or in pictures just doesn't stand the hair up on the back of your neck like it does seeing it in person!! :banana:
I don't know where to start. Once you get past the sheer awe of just seeing the car and start to look at it in detail you begin to realize the work that was put into developement of the car. Every thing on that car from the body shape, engine compartment layout, interior ergonomics, pedal placement and seat design to the style and feel of the toggle switches was VERY well thought out during the design. The only part of the car I saw that disappointed me was the rear bumper. It looks like they designed the car and where ready to start production when they realized.......sh!t, we forgot a rear bumper...lets just paint this piece of aluminum stock and throw it on. But it only takes about a milli-second to get past the rear bumper and focus on the rest of the car.
The proud owner took me out for a ride first. When he pushed the start button (so freakin' cool btw :coolman: ) and the motor came to life I was suprised how quiet the interior of the car was. I immediately looked over my shoulder, I knew the motor was right there, because I couldn't beleive how it didn't transmit any engine sound to the passenger compartment. Sure enough, right there.....just through a piece of glass sits the menacingly big power plant with the blower pulley spinning next to your ear. That didn't matter, the drivers compartment is still whisper quiet. Once we hit the road Jim tries to give me a taste of the power, but with it only being 40 degrees out the tires and road were way to cold for 1st or 2nd gear with any amount of throttle input. I did notice some very very minimal wheel hop in 1st gear once. For us 03/04 Cobra guys those same conditions would have resulted in such bad wheel hop our rear view mirrors would have come off the windshield. :bash: Jim was able to do some 2nd up through 3rd pulls. Very impressive. I expected the car to be fast so I was suprised, but I am IMPRESSED. The car pulls like a freight train!! The car is pretty quiet (compared to my catted x and Flowmasters) so it's sneaky fast.
Then Jim let me drive :bowdown:. He tried to get me to a clear area of road where I could get on it. I really didn't need to. I got to feel it with him driving, not to mention it's not my car and it's not replaceable right now. The most impressive thing to me about the car was the complete driving experience. The clutch is effortless, engagement is buttery smooth. The tranny shifts better than ANY manual tranny car I have ever driven, shifting is precise without any need to concentrate on shifting to make sure you hit the right gate. Shifter placement is PERFECT, right height and angle. Pedal placement is exact, very close together with just the right amount of room for your feet and probably right where they need to be for heel/toeing. The transmission doesn't have even the slightest amount of play or slop in it. When you shift gears properly the only thing you feel is the car going faster, no bucking or clunking like the previous IRS manual tranny Fords. Steering balance is unbelievable, very small steering wheel promoting the race car feel but with just the right amount of power assist and feedback to control the car. No hint what so ever of steering wondering with pavement irregularities. I didn't get into the brakes hard but Jim says they are unbeleivable. Understandable with the big Brembo's, weight balance of the car and the benefeit of EBD. I can only imagine what they are capable of.
All I can say is WOW!! What an UNBELEIVABLE experience. I sure hope the design and engineering team for the new Cobra pay A LOT of attention to this car, specifically the driveline and steering!!
I have a couple of pictures if anyone would want to host them for me.
And Jim, if you read this, THANKS again ever so much for allowing me the experience of driving that AMAZING car!! :bowdown: :bowdown:
Darin
Well as the title says I got to drive a GT on Sunday. :-D The car belongs to a friend of mine, Jim. He ordered the car in Blue with the full stripe package, wheel upgrade and stereo upgrade. The blue WITH the stripes and wheels looks stunning.
Up to this point I had only seen a GT in pictures and on diplay at the last two SEMA shows. At the SEMA show displays the car was always roped off or on a pedestal that you couldn't get close to it. Seeing the car like that or in pictures just doesn't stand the hair up on the back of your neck like it does seeing it in person!! :banana:
I don't know where to start. Once you get past the sheer awe of just seeing the car and start to look at it in detail you begin to realize the work that was put into developement of the car. Every thing on that car from the body shape, engine compartment layout, interior ergonomics, pedal placement and seat design to the style and feel of the toggle switches was VERY well thought out during the design. The only part of the car I saw that disappointed me was the rear bumper. It looks like they designed the car and where ready to start production when they realized.......sh!t, we forgot a rear bumper...lets just paint this piece of aluminum stock and throw it on. But it only takes about a milli-second to get past the rear bumper and focus on the rest of the car.
The proud owner took me out for a ride first. When he pushed the start button (so freakin' cool btw :coolman: ) and the motor came to life I was suprised how quiet the interior of the car was. I immediately looked over my shoulder, I knew the motor was right there, because I couldn't beleive how it didn't transmit any engine sound to the passenger compartment. Sure enough, right there.....just through a piece of glass sits the menacingly big power plant with the blower pulley spinning next to your ear. That didn't matter, the drivers compartment is still whisper quiet. Once we hit the road Jim tries to give me a taste of the power, but with it only being 40 degrees out the tires and road were way to cold for 1st or 2nd gear with any amount of throttle input. I did notice some very very minimal wheel hop in 1st gear once. For us 03/04 Cobra guys those same conditions would have resulted in such bad wheel hop our rear view mirrors would have come off the windshield. :bash: Jim was able to do some 2nd up through 3rd pulls. Very impressive. I expected the car to be fast so I was suprised, but I am IMPRESSED. The car pulls like a freight train!! The car is pretty quiet (compared to my catted x and Flowmasters) so it's sneaky fast.
Then Jim let me drive :bowdown:. He tried to get me to a clear area of road where I could get on it. I really didn't need to. I got to feel it with him driving, not to mention it's not my car and it's not replaceable right now. The most impressive thing to me about the car was the complete driving experience. The clutch is effortless, engagement is buttery smooth. The tranny shifts better than ANY manual tranny car I have ever driven, shifting is precise without any need to concentrate on shifting to make sure you hit the right gate. Shifter placement is PERFECT, right height and angle. Pedal placement is exact, very close together with just the right amount of room for your feet and probably right where they need to be for heel/toeing. The transmission doesn't have even the slightest amount of play or slop in it. When you shift gears properly the only thing you feel is the car going faster, no bucking or clunking like the previous IRS manual tranny Fords. Steering balance is unbelievable, very small steering wheel promoting the race car feel but with just the right amount of power assist and feedback to control the car. No hint what so ever of steering wondering with pavement irregularities. I didn't get into the brakes hard but Jim says they are unbeleivable. Understandable with the big Brembo's, weight balance of the car and the benefeit of EBD. I can only imagine what they are capable of.
All I can say is WOW!! What an UNBELEIVABLE experience. I sure hope the design and engineering team for the new Cobra pay A LOT of attention to this car, specifically the driveline and steering!!
I have a couple of pictures if anyone would want to host them for me.
And Jim, if you read this, THANKS again ever so much for allowing me the experience of driving that AMAZING car!! :bowdown: :bowdown:
Darin
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