So, here's my response:

"Dear Sirs,
I read with great interest your feature on the new 2003 supercharged Mustang Cobra (Mar. 02 issue). While it's always great to see any muscle car becoming even more muscular, I don't think that many of my fellow Camaro SS owners will be as embarassed at stoplight encounters as you suggest. Most of us can't resist tweaking the already fine LS1 powertrain a little bit; in my case, some small breathing improvements including a freer-flowing exhaust and cold air intake enhancements. No cylinder head work, no headers, no nitrous, no forced induction, and yet it now delivers 329.3 rwhp and 332.4 lb-ft on the chassis dynamometer (Dynojet). Using Paxton Automotive's suggested conversion factor of 1.2 from your Dec. 2001 "Camaro vs. Cobra Final Shootout" article, that gives me over 395 hp at the crankshaft. Oh my -- that's 5 more than the new Cobra's 390. So, I wonder who's going to be the surprised driver now? "

Let's hope they print it in their "Letters to the Editor" column.

Anyone else want to respond, go to
Motor Trend Online and find the "Contact Us" link, where you e-mail your comments.

 

Hey Paul,

How are you? I don't know if you remember, but we met at the ECCC show last fall in Nashua. I was the SOM SS behind you and one car over to your left.

I like your response. Like you, I think it's great when these cars get more powerful and I agree that it won't be the slaughter that MT is trying to suggest. I ran my best ET's last fall in my third time ever on the strip ( I'm OK as a driver, but my 60' times sure need work), and I've yet to see a Cobra or other Mustang get these times without slicks, blowers, nitrous ( or both), or some major league engine mods.

I read the "Final Shootout" article you referred to and I came away thinking that they tried very very hard to bias that story towards the Mustang. The SS clearly dominated that Cobra. I remember back in the mid-80's and very early '90's that the 5.0 enjoyed the advantage. For roughly $11-12k, you could by an LX and hang with Vette's for only a couple of bucks in bolt-ons. Since '93, it's been the F-body's turn to shine. I don't know why MT seems to have it in for Chevrolet. They pulled the same silliness in their Z06 article that ran a month or two prior the Cobra vs SS article. The Z06 completely dominated the other cars they tested against it and yet they declared the BMW the winner. I don't get it...

I may offend some of the die-hard bowtie folks when I say this, but I like the Mustangs. They're all cool cars to me and I think we've all enjoyed the benefits of this 30+ year rivalry by getting to own some of the hottest street machines ever built, particularly these last couple of years of F-bodies. I'm disappointed to see our beloved Camaro going away, but I'm also anxious to see what it will return as when they bring it back. I'm hopeful it will storm back onto the scene with a vengence, and as for being surprised, we'll see......
 

With the egg on their faces not cleaned off yet, I'd be genuinely surprised if the car wasn't making the claimed numbers this time around.

Unless of course, they figure people have no where else to go...

Andy