New Cobra? Yikes! It's Hideous
 

All

In an effort once again to corrupt and use the icons of our youth to try to market products to we baby boomers like most of the rest of corporate America (witness Judy Garland as Dorothy selling whatever, geezer rock used to sell pathetic Cadillacs, the GTO name on a rental car, etceteras) - Ford has brought back the Cobra name on a body that wouldn't pass muster on a remote controlled toy....

I know, I know, what do I really think??? The proportions of the original are so right and so pleasing to the eye, it is not something that lends itself to updating to the current rules of traffic engagement very well. It is not like the GT40 which, although when together with a real GT40 which I saw at Monterey last summer, is not very much like the original car in many respects but still looks fabulous. Nor is it like the new Mustang ,which also does not resemble the original but looks so good I intend to be driving one in the fall..

It is more like a box....

See for yourself, what do I know, people buy French Provincial furniture and Velvet paintings too....

http://www.autonet.ca/Autoshows/Stor...?storyID=10704

Always known for responses in column 3...

Mulv

I agree that the "new" cobra is not that appealing.

CS's series 1 has much better styling. Maybe I'll get a used one someday.

I have figured this out...

Shelby has found a way to unload the unattractive Series One...

Mulv

CC member Buzz has all ready redisgned it. Check it out here:

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/t48908-20&pagenumber=1

Ernie

Re: New Cobra? Yikes! It's Hideous
 

Things change.... That car (new Cobra) was designed to appeal to people a lot younger than myself... It wasn't designed to appeal to the "old farts" that own the replica Cobras of today. What we revere and honor may be of no consequence to the sports car buyers of today.... Detroit and Japan and Germany are cranking out cars with massive HP on a regular basis... They've got Mercedes sedans that will beat most of the Cobras on the road today.
Chrysler has a car at the Detroit show that is capable of 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds... and they look GOOD!!!!

The kids are putting massive amounts of money into the "rice burners" and getting spectacular results... The Honda Civics are their 57 Chevrolets...The price of a global economy.

I think the new design Cobra is right on track to appeal to the buyers of today... Audi, Lexus, Mercedes, Dodge, Infiniti, Nissan seem to be doing pretty well with that design concept and will sell a lot more cars in one year than Shelby and the replica people did in forty.
The Original Cobra is a classic and will always be a car to attract attention but it is a fifty year old design. Not something that would increase an auto makers bottom line...


What is you opinion on the Shelby Concept 1 car and the new Ford design Cobra???

Got to run, they're having a sale on velvet COVERED French provincial furniture at the flea market... Don't want to miss out on this deal again... You see a lot of velvet pictures and French style furniture but, a combo of the two,now that doesn't happen everyday!;)

Don't forget to get a Velvet Elvis!

David:D

Re: New Cobra? Yikes! It's Hideous
 

:D **) :3DSMILE: :D **)

Hope the folks over at Blue Oval development read this stuff....

Chassi and engine 100 pts.

Styling and cockpit 0 pts.

Good package; lousy wrapper.

I really like the tech numbers so please; please please give it another go.

The ricer burner fans also don't write the size of checks necessary to haul this price tag down; so don't worry about what appeals to them.

The midlife guys with a home, garage, and paying jobs are your market.

;)

I am surprised that the chassis and engine division group isn't pissed off at the body division for designing that "HIDEOUS" body...

Chassis and Engine....( A+ )

Body............................( F )

I like it--it's cool! But they really shouldn't call it a Cobra--there's only one Cobra! At least the GT looks like the CT40!

B]I like it--it's cool! But they really shouldn't call it a Cobra--there's only one Cobra![/b]

I have a suggestion.... how about the turd?

Ooops that's already been taken by another Cobra.

Perhaps along the same line, only a bit more vulgar. That's to your imagination, this is a family station after all.

The New GT40 >:D :cool:

The new and refined COBRA > :confused: %/ :JEKYLHYDE

I think it is interesting that the round tube ladder frame didn't show up on the new Cobra,and that the body is in fiberglass primarily.The frame looks alot like the square tube frames commonly found on many of the fine replica Cobras available today.It kind of puts another spin on the round/square tube frame and fiberglass/aluminum body discussions.Maybe Ford could sell the chassis sans body,and the aftermarket could apapt an old school body and interior to it.


Gary

Round Tube Frame?
 

How in the heck can you expect a round tube ladder frame (50+ year old relic) to appear on the new Cobra?

I'm sure that Richard Hudjins could give us the techinal details, but how could you get that kind of chassis technology through all the government safety and crash testing standards?

The new Cobra is just that. A new car. It's not an update of a 1965 Cobra. It happens to look like crap, but Ford could fix the styling. They just need to spend more than 30 minutes on it!

Ford is not going to sell a car sans body. How would they get around those government standards that preclude Shelby, Superformance, ERA, etc from selling cars with drivetrains in them?

P.S.:

Ford did a better job on the retro styling cues on the 2005 Mustang.

We don't know that the new Cobra has or will pass all goverment standards,at least not in it's current form.It may end up looking very different by the time it's done jumping through those hoops.The Plymouth Prowler is a classic example of that!

As for the new Cobra appealing to someone younger. It doesn't I wasn't born when the Cobra was introduced in 1964.

I think for CS to cry about getting ripped off by ERA and FFR and then be a party to ripping of an Audi TT Roadster is pretty ironic. The fact that the new car is fiberglass is just hilarious.

I thought the Viper was the logical extention of the Cobra, but then there was the Series 1... er.. CSX continuation and CAV Cobra. Anyone who thinks this is anything more than a chicken farmer turned chilli dealers way of separating you from your retirement is a fool. Remeber the Shelby Dakota? I didn't think so.

As a friend observed:

"The new Cobra is designed to be marketed to people nostalgic for something they never understood in the first place."

I saw the new cobra on the TV show "Rides". I will be going up to the Detroit auto show this weekend to see the car in person. It is hard to tell on TV. I thought it looked ok, a little Audi TT with a big V-10 engine. I got a kick out of seeing "Ol Shel" doing donuts in the old cobra and new cobra. The racing stripes looked good. Who knows the car might grow on us. Its got to be fun to drive with over 600hp.


Gary

YUK!:CRY:

Steve B. and myself went up to the Detroit Auto Show. I never seen so many people in one building in my life. Talk about people invading your personal space, about 4 hours of it. Once I manuevered myself up to the rotating podium where the new Cobra sat, I got to see it in person. The car looked much better in person. I think the car will grow on us enthusiasts if we give it a chance. The V-10 engine was huge with 605hp. By the way we also "gawked" at the new Ford GT. Now that car is beautiful. 500hp/500ft. pounds of torque.


Gary