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GT500 - will it be the balanced GT car I want?

OH3Cobra

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I have two 500+HP cars, an 03 Cobra (modified 506 RWHP) and a 13 SRT300 (lightly modded). I've driven an Aston Martin Vanquish, a Ferrari TT and a McLaren MP124C and want hopes the GT500 is a move in the direction of a GT car with the modern pony look ad attitude.

My hope this car is a true GT sports car that has the ability to rocket down the strip, take on a road course, and allow my wife and I to take trips around the Midwest in comfort. I'll be ordering a Base model with the handling and tech packages. It should be a hoot and people who complain because they wanted 20-30 more HP to be "happy" don't understand that "balance" and usable performance is what makes a great car. We also own an 02 Miata (Springs, shocks, and wheels) and it makes me smile every time I drive it - proving you can have a lot of fun with only 150 HP and a car that brings "balance" to the driving experience.
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1mic

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Get a ZR1. Its faster than your current stable. Has a removable hard top and enough luggage space to travel cross country.

It'll also decimate a road course and do well on the drag strip. The GT500 wont do as well as the ZR1 on the road course (weight, grip), but It may bring a fight at the drag strip or on the streets.
 

Hack

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Get a ZR1. Its faster than your current stable. Has a removable hard top and enough luggage space to travel cross country.

It'll also decimate a road course and do well on the drag strip. The GT500 wont do as well as the ZR1 on the road course (weight, grip), but It may bring a fight at the drag strip or on the streets.
ZR1 does have the transmission positioned in the rear of the car for better weight balance.

It's a tight fit for people who are much over 6 feet tall, though. I'm not sure I could get a helmet on for use on the track.

The reputation of the car is that it has too much power for the chassis as well. I hope the GT500 receives fewer negative comments about power vs. chassis capability than the ZR1. IIRC the ZR1 has even been called "unfinished".
 

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OH3Cobra

OH3Cobra

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Like the ZR 1 but want a car that has the greenhouse and driving position of a GT tourer, the GT500 hits that and I'm really a Ford/Mopar guy. The ZR1 is an amazing piece of machinery, my buddy has one in the bright orange with the picnic table wing. He says it the favorite car in his garage (Mercedes GTS, Ferrari 488, McLaren 720). I'd take the McLaren.

The GT500 with it's GT350 derived suspension, big block feel from a blown V8 with all the creature comforts and a transmission that rips shift and we will keep this baby pulling gear after gear has made my decision clear to purchase one. Hoping for no 1st year gremlins like my first 03 Cobra had. It's a lot of kwan (guessing mid 70K) and I want it to be worth it. For the money and comparatively so it should be a bargain performance buy.
 

biminiLX

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Like the ZR 1 but want a car that has the greenhouse and driving position of a GT tourer, the GT500 hits that and I'm really a Ford/Mopar guy. The ZR1 is an amazing piece of machinery, my buddy has one in the bright orange with the picnic table wing. He says it the favorite car in his garage (Mercedes GTS, Ferrari 488, McLaren 720). I'd take the McLaren.

The GT500 with it's GT350 derived suspension, big block feel from a blown V8 with all the creature comforts and a transmission that rips shift and we will keep this baby pulling gear after gear has made my decision clear to purchase one. Hoping for no 1st year gremlins like my first 03 Cobra had. It's a lot of kwan (guessing mid 70K) and I want it to be worth it. For the money and comparatively so it should be a bargain performance buy.
Ford engineer I had a long talk with while I found him driving the mule around said just what you want to here—it’s his favorite GT car of all they benchmarked.
This will be much more comfortable than a ZR1, especially when you talk trips with wives.
I just wish I could get a glass roof like my ‘14
-J
 
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OH3Cobra

OH3Cobra

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thanks for the input! The benchmark cars if I remember the pics were Porsche and Mercedes in several pics. I'll take that !
 

biminiLX

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thanks for the input! The benchmark cars if I remember the pics were Porsche and Mercedes in several pics. I'll take that !
Even better, he mentioned a few others, including Jag.
Sounds like we’re looking for similar things and it has the potential to be a winner.
Let’s hope it delivers.
-J
 

jpindustrie

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Ford's smarter at this game... they've consistently proven this for the last 50 years..

It was obvious the original plan for 2015 / 50th anniversary was to come out strong with 2 speciality Shelby cars ; they wisely scaled back , and have been weathering the latest speculation and storms from the street and politics... all the while letting the others show their hands.

I'm glad we're seeing the car finally after this many years and after no doubt many years chance to go 'back to the drawing board' with each development in the market... I think it will be well worth it.

I expect more of that same 'Ford Performance' formula that's worked so well the last 20 years. Listen to the reviews of the GT350 before it; the others are just hopped up version pretending... Ford's cars make getting the donuts exciting and thats what sells performance cars.
 

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OH3Cobra

OH3Cobra

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I hope your thoughts on the Ford Performance formula is on point - would be great to have a car that performs at this level for under a 100 K and provides a balanced driving experience. I drove the GT350 and like a lot about it but coming from an 03 Cobra the low end (most of what i use around town) just wasn't there. So close - let's open those order banks.
 
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OH3Cobra

OH3Cobra

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Hoping for a 70K price tag with what I want. Base with Handling package and Rapid Red paint.
 
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OH3Cobra

OH3Cobra

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The plus and minus is my wife will be able to drive the car - and my kids...…. Hmmmm
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