ProudPony

The Shelby GR1 concept car that was recently unveiled will likely be the replacement for the outgoing GT in a few years.

Ford claims there was not enough interest in the revised Shelby Cobra 2-seater despite getting best of show at the 2004 NAIAS. (Beats me?!?! )

The Shelby GR1 is based largely off the current GT platform and shares many parts already, but allows for a V10 to be fitted in place of the blown 5.4 if chosen. J Mays promises the car could be in production in remarkably quick time and pass all regulatory issues.
What really suprises me about this is how quickly they are now talking of replacing the GT - as early as late 05 as an 06MY! That's a bit too soon IMO, but heck I've been wrong before.

You will find a small article about it in this months MotorTrend rag. I heard the rumors but didn't believe it, so I sat tight-lipped, but after reading this in MT, I'm not sure. Maybe they heard the same thing I did, but they are sure enough to write about it.
Go to THIS LINK and scroll down to the topic of "News" and see headline "Cobra is dead. Long live GR-1". (You gotta have a subscription to open the article - otherwise read a paper copy.)

I don't know exactly how to take this...
1) Glad to see Ford still committed to performance and supercar status.
2) Sad to see the GT go dormant - but I understand why.
3) Glad they are not screwing up the name and heritage of the original 427SC Cobra.
4) Hate to see the car that took B.O.S. at NAIAS not going into production.
5) Like the prospect of another supercar that is alltogether unique in styling and poise.
6) Hate the possibility that an awesome v10 may not be the engine of choice (still got hope tho!)

Lastly, this blows all the name-giving out the window as far as the SVT Cobra, GT350, GT500 and the likes. Now, SVT could retain the name SVT Cobra for the top-dog Mustang and have no problems with confusion between the Shelby 2-seater Cobra (since it won't exist).

Man... all those hours and dollars in the Shelby Cobra concept car for nothing...

Z28x

Shelby GR1 is basically the revised Shelby Cobra.

Your about 2 months late with this news

Chuck!

I like the whole concept of this car more than GT. The GT is cool engineering and all, but its the same car we've seen. This is something fresh and new. My roommate gets Motortrend and I saw the headline on this, but didnt read the article yet, guess I'll have to do that next uhm study break time.

SNEAKY NEIL

Well, this is a good thing for Ford. The Cobra concept had to be one of the ugliest performance cars I have ever seen, plus, it would just add ANOTHER retromobile to Fords portfolio. The GR1 is a much better looking concept in all respects although it has a resemblence to the GT. So the real reason Ford is doing this (replacing the GT) is because they know the GT has a short life span built into it and they wouldn't be able to update it and keep it going for many years, yes?

ProudPony

Nah, not late, just rehashing it!
I know we had a thread about this concept a few weeks back, but it was more about the unveiling of this new Shelby Concept, NOT so much about it replacing the GT40.

I've heard the rumors too, but didn't believe it. I choose not to pass on info that I don't find credible because it affects MY credibility.
Honestly, I still find it hard to believe, given the show "Rides" did a huge peice on the Cobra, it won B.O.S. at NAIAS, it made every publication known to man, and was on every website in existence. I don't see how the Cobra was not "interesting" enough to justify a few thousand units?!?!

I am now guessing that the real reasons behind 86ing the Cobra is cost to produce, or maybe regulations or crash test issues. Who knows. I just don't buy the "not popular" thing regarding the Cobra - I think that's a lame excuse... almost calling .
(I've probably not used that smilie 3 times on this site either, so THAT'S saying something.)

ProudPony

The current Ford GT will NOT be able to pass many new federal safety regulations that come into effect in 2007. The regulations were passed right after Ford committed financing to do the GT project in late 2001(?) so the project was allowed to continue as planned. The decision was made not to do any freshenings, but to terminate production and switch to another halo car - and Project Daisy seemed to fit right in with the plan.

95 Z/28 LT1

I caught the end of a TV show on either the Discovery Channel or TLC about this car not too long ago

Intersting how it is based off of the GT yet has a front mounted engine.

muckz

anyone have a link to the autoshow concept? That's not the one without the roof, is it?

Magnum Force

personally, I'd rather have that Cobra...But I guess Ford wants to go in a new direction...

I still think that the basis of the GR-1 in size, shape, weight and performance (not to mention an MSRP which will probably drawf the GT) would have been MUCH better suited as an Aston-Martin or Jag, who is really in dire need of new, exciting products...

Z28Wilson

I actually prefer this GR1 concept....the Shelby Cobra won BOS probably because of the name and the man attached to it more than anything. I thought it was rather homely and devoid of character quite frankly. I'm curious to see if the GR1, specifically that exact roofline, will carry over into production. Headroom in that car has to be a B----!

jg95z28

I saw that TV show too (Can't remember if it was Rides on TLC or a special on The Discovery Channel). However on the show they admitted it was a inspired by the Cobra Coupe, so what's actually in a name?

It's still one badass supercar.

0toinsanein5.4sec

Im glad the cobra wont. that thing was ugly as sin. (although it did sound pretty bad ***). Im not a huge fan of the gr1 but its better than the cobra. but i would just rather have the GT altogether

sorry to go a little off topic but this pic (in the second link in original post) of the mustang makes it look so incredibly bad ***.

Gold_Rush

Same here. We seem to be a minority. I REALLY loved the Cobra concept and thought it was a good looking car. It had elements of the original, but also had a very modernistic flare.

Judging by what i saw online boards, the Cobra concept induced a love it or hate it type of reaction as far as styling. A lot loved it, but a lot also viewed it as ugly. This newer shelby/ford design is more appealing to the masses it seems.

Magnum Force

not to mention that cobra concept was something around 3050 lbs...add that to 600 hp, and you probably have the world's best power/weight ratio in an unmodified car

MunchE

I remember everyone I talked to being lukewarm at best on that new Cobra concept. It had no life. Looked vaguely like the old Cobra and that was about it.