Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
09-13-2006, 11:55 AM
#1
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Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
I was checking this out after looking at another post on this forum. How is it that the bullit is significantly faster than a regular mustang gt. I was always under the impression that they had 5-10 hp more than a stock gt, this being mainly due to the bullit intake. Am I missing something here?
Acceleration
The heart of a comparison such as this is how each engine moves its car. Always a good sign, opinions among us were varied in the beginning as to who was quickest, and it was an amazingly close race all the way. Regular test driver Chris Walton did the honors, with the following results.
________0-30 Mph____0-60 Mph_____1/4- Mile
Cobra____ 2.109_____ 5.25_____ 13.62 @ 105.2
Bullitt____ 1.767_____ 5.15 _____13.59 @ 102.4
Mach 1___ 1.767_____ 4.70 _____13.19 @ 106.7
How's that for surprises? Who'd have thought a Cobra was slower than a Bullitt? And dig how the Mach 1 is more than a half second quicker to 60 mph than the Cobra--no wonder SVT put a blower on the '03 snake.
Some considerations need to be made, however. For starters, Cobra acceleration didn't benefit from the slightly shorter, stiffer BBK springs. These inhibit weight transfer, making the already relatively high-strung Cobra a tougher customer off the line. Chris spent a little extra time finding what this Cobra wanted, saying, "It turns out this Cobra likes a little wheelspin and doesn't produce any axlehop. About 3,200 rpm was all it needed to break the tires loose, but unlike the stock tires, these didn't spool up uncontrollably--they were tractable and responded to 'pedaling' the throttle. Short-shifting one-two and [the] two-three [shifts] (at 6,000 rpm) made the best numbers. I let it rev in Third to make the quarter-mile."
At the Track
The overachiever of the bunch is clearly the Bullitt. Its Two-Valve engine is obviously biased to produce more low-end thrust than the Cobra--and maybe equal the Mach--and it shows in the 60-mph time. The relative lack of top-end charge is also indicated by its 3-mph-slower trap speed, even if this was a stellar set of Bullitt acceleration numbers. Chris' take on it was, "I had one magical launch that made this the quickest and fastest Bullitt we've seen yet. A 1.767 0-to-30 time exactly matched the Mach 1, but then the Mach 1 pulled away. Still, Miles owes me a lunch for getting his car deep into the 13s!"
And then there is the Mach. Clearly Ford has been running Four-Valves on the dyno--you simply can't make good quarter-mile times or especially mph without horsepower. But the Mach 1 is also the most softly sprung of the three cars here, with good weight transfer to plant the rear tires and no danger of wheelspin from the live rear axle. As Chris put it, "This was the fastest of the three to launch. I could dial in as much or as little wheelspin as I wished with my big toe. The shifter felt better--more precise than I expected--and I like the metal [shift] ****. It was also a surprise to find some useable power in the upper end revs--she just pulls and pulls. However, the best run was with a softish launch and short shifting at 6,000 rpm."
Acceleration
The heart of a comparison such as this is how each engine moves its car. Always a good sign, opinions among us were varied in the beginning as to who was quickest, and it was an amazingly close race all the way. Regular test driver Chris Walton did the honors, with the following results.
________0-30 Mph____0-60 Mph_____1/4- Mile
Cobra____ 2.109_____ 5.25_____ 13.62 @ 105.2
Bullitt____ 1.767_____ 5.15 _____13.59 @ 102.4
Mach 1___ 1.767_____ 4.70 _____13.19 @ 106.7
How's that for surprises? Who'd have thought a Cobra was slower than a Bullitt? And dig how the Mach 1 is more than a half second quicker to 60 mph than the Cobra--no wonder SVT put a blower on the '03 snake.
Some considerations need to be made, however. For starters, Cobra acceleration didn't benefit from the slightly shorter, stiffer BBK springs. These inhibit weight transfer, making the already relatively high-strung Cobra a tougher customer off the line. Chris spent a little extra time finding what this Cobra wanted, saying, "It turns out this Cobra likes a little wheelspin and doesn't produce any axlehop. About 3,200 rpm was all it needed to break the tires loose, but unlike the stock tires, these didn't spool up uncontrollably--they were tractable and responded to 'pedaling' the throttle. Short-shifting one-two and [the] two-three [shifts] (at 6,000 rpm) made the best numbers. I let it rev in Third to make the quarter-mile."
At the Track
The overachiever of the bunch is clearly the Bullitt. Its Two-Valve engine is obviously biased to produce more low-end thrust than the Cobra--and maybe equal the Mach--and it shows in the 60-mph time. The relative lack of top-end charge is also indicated by its 3-mph-slower trap speed, even if this was a stellar set of Bullitt acceleration numbers. Chris' take on it was, "I had one magical launch that made this the quickest and fastest Bullitt we've seen yet. A 1.767 0-to-30 time exactly matched the Mach 1, but then the Mach 1 pulled away. Still, Miles owes me a lunch for getting his car deep into the 13s!"
And then there is the Mach. Clearly Ford has been running Four-Valves on the dyno--you simply can't make good quarter-mile times or especially mph without horsepower. But the Mach 1 is also the most softly sprung of the three cars here, with good weight transfer to plant the rear tires and no danger of wheelspin from the live rear axle. As Chris put it, "This was the fastest of the three to launch. I could dial in as much or as little wheelspin as I wished with my big toe. The shifter felt better--more precise than I expected--and I like the metal [shift] ****. It was also a surprise to find some useable power in the upper end revs--she just pulls and pulls. However, the best run was with a softish launch and short shifting at 6,000 rpm."
09-13-2006, 12:33 PM
#2
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
I wouldnt trust those numbers. I've seen a few freak bullits.. but generally they are the same car with different intake and much better brakes.
Also... look at the 0-30; thats pretty much telling the 60' time.... cobra sucked at getting off the line... trapped much higher than the bullit.
Also... look at the 0-30; thats pretty much telling the 60' time.... cobra sucked at getting off the line... trapped much higher than the bullit.
09-13-2006, 01:33 PM
#4
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
first of all 99 Cobra was lacking in power compared to other recent cobras.
second the 99 cobra IRS sucks compared to the 03-04 IRS...even the 01 IRS was better than the 99
third the bullit has a solid rear
THEREFORE,
the bullit comes out of the whole better as the data shows and even though i believe it has less power, as most of us know.... 0.1 second on your 60 ft time means 0.2 or more in the 1/4 mile. That would be why the bullit could be faster than the 01 cobra.
second the 99 cobra IRS sucks compared to the 03-04 IRS...even the 01 IRS was better than the 99
third the bullit has a solid rear
THEREFORE,
the bullit comes out of the whole better as the data shows and even though i believe it has less power, as most of us know.... 0.1 second on your 60 ft time means 0.2 or more in the 1/4 mile. That would be why the bullit could be faster than the 01 cobra.
09-13-2006, 03:33 PM
#5
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
The Bullitt is under rated more like 275-280hp then 265 and the 99 Cobra wasn't easy to launch with the irs and wheel hop. The Mach 1's have better cams/intake for low end power compared to NA cobra plus solid axle. All 3 cars would be fun to beat at the strip for a comparrison.
09-13-2006, 03:58 PM
#6
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
WTF thats crazy, where can i get a Bullit intake?? b/c at my elevation (2235 feet) the adverage stock GTs only run 14.6-14.9 at best, and Bullits are in the same ball park and Machs are 13.9 at best stock and my buddy has bested his stock 98 LS1 Z28 13.79@102
09-13-2006, 04:04 PM
#7
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
1) The Mach 1 has basically the same motor as the 99 Cobra.. However, it does have BETTER gears, 3.55s.. Not to mention a solid axle.. And if thats not enough, it has 4-5 years of technology on its side..
2) The buillits I don't know much about.. I 'thought' they were rated at about 5-10 HP over a stock GT.. I don't believe for a second a stock Bullit can hang w/ a stock Mach 1 in the 1/4..
As you probably know I have a 99 Cobra and get sick of people bashing them, although, I know the car has its issues.. I think people look at the body style and compare the 99 Cobra to the 03/04 Mach 1 and say the Cobra must be crap if it can't beat a Mach 1.. AGAIN, the Machs have newer technology, better gears, better axle AND an Shaker hood.. Yes the 99 Cobra and Mach have the same basic body style but they are WAY different cars.. 4-5 years of todays technology is HUGE..
2) The buillits I don't know much about.. I 'thought' they were rated at about 5-10 HP over a stock GT.. I don't believe for a second a stock Bullit can hang w/ a stock Mach 1 in the 1/4..
As you probably know I have a 99 Cobra and get sick of people bashing them, although, I know the car has its issues.. I think people look at the body style and compare the 99 Cobra to the 03/04 Mach 1 and say the Cobra must be crap if it can't beat a Mach 1.. AGAIN, the Machs have newer technology, better gears, better axle AND an Shaker hood.. Yes the 99 Cobra and Mach have the same basic body style but they are WAY different cars.. 4-5 years of todays technology is HUGE..
09-13-2006, 04:37 PM
#8
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
no ones bashing the 99s...all years have their issues. I am actually looking for an 01 or 99 cobra for my next car. I was just explaining how the bullit 1/4 could be faster than the cobra.
and the diffence between the bullits and the mach 1 is a totally different engine...machs have the 4v motor...basically a terminator motor without the supercharger or forged internals.
and the diffence between the bullits and the mach 1 is a totally different engine...machs have the 4v motor...basically a terminator motor without the supercharger or forged internals.
09-13-2006, 05:01 PM
#9
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
I've never heard of a Bullitt dynoing more than 235RWHP.
I don't think they are all that underrated, if at all really.
The bullitt simply hook sup in stock fashion better than both the Mach & Cobra.
3mph & 4mph trap speeds a HUGE differences. Get a race on a highway longer than the 1/4 mile and the Bullitt will look like a GT trying to run a Mach1/Cobra.
I don't think they are all that underrated, if at all really.
The bullitt simply hook sup in stock fashion better than both the Mach & Cobra.
3mph & 4mph trap speeds a HUGE differences. Get a race on a highway longer than the 1/4 mile and the Bullitt will look like a GT trying to run a Mach1/Cobra.
09-13-2006, 05:36 PM
#10
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RE: Bullit faster than a 99 Cobra?
My main question with this point is how did they get the bullit to run so fast in the 1/4 mile. I mean it ran a 13.59 and most stock gt's have a hard time running a 14.0 flat in stock form