2007 Shelby Cobra GT500 vs Corvette Z06

Corvette Z06 versus Mustang GT500: 500+ Horsepower

So, your nest egg is sitting pretty and you’ve got the sports car itch? Like many Americans we turn first to Detroit to wet our appetite. Though the past ten years have been decidedly dull out of the Detroit engineering labs, 2007 marks the end of dark times! The news is out, 2007 promises uncompromised horsepower. I have always been a Chevy guy since those early days of cruising the streets in my 1969 Camaro listening to the Stones. Despite my Chevy heritage, I must admit the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 definitely has my attention. Which of these two American sport cars is best for you?

The Chevrolet Corvette and the Ford Mustang are nostalgic brands that carry heavy loyalists. These two brands until recently were never regularly compared against each other as typically it is the Camaro versus the Mustang. This paradigm all changed with the introduction of the 2007 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500. There are a few factors in deciding between these two modern muscle cars that will guide you through your decision making.

Design: Modern or Reborn
The 2007 Shelby GT500 is an undoubtedly hot looking car, but it’s no news that it takes its styling from the nostalgic days of Mustang history. Modeled to look much like the 1967 GT500, the 2007 model sleekly combines nostalgic characteristics with modern technology. From the overall boxy body style to the ringed gauge cluster hiding behind the memorable steering wheel. The mustang looks exactly as it should with today’s modern engineering. A buyer must ask themselves if they like the nostalgic/modern blend of this unique car. For many, they either love the 2007 Shelby or hate it. Some say that Ford should have never tampered with such an icon in Mustang history, while others welcome the modern twist on an age-old great. If you are one that just can’t warm up to the nostalgic styling, then perhaps the Corvette is the better bet.

Designed to look like the American version of the Ferrari, the 2007 Corvette takes the cake! This car is beautifully designed to look aggressive even while it is sitting still. From the inset headlights to the wrapping interior this car has performance engineering written all over it. If you love the look of the “squalo” (Italian for shark) look of the Ferrari, but want the affordability of an American car, the Z06 is likely your match.

Price: Investment or Road Warrior
These two cars are actually very commonly priced. The Z06 base price is just higher than a fully optioned GT500, but do pennies really count when we’re talking about 500+ horsepower? The real question is what do you expect to do with this car? Are you going to race? Are you going to drive it only on sunny weekends? Will this be a daily driver? These questions all beg important answers. If the car is to become a daily driver (or a notorious Road Warrior) what does it mean to the value of the car down the road? Obviously the fewer miles we put on the car the better price it will fetch down the road. Hence the $400K price tags of the vintage GT500’s that have been in storage for 30 years. If you are going to drive this car, you must think about how often. These cars are not cheap by any stretch of the imagination: $65-$75Kdepending on the options. The GT500 is actually the lower base price vehicle between the two and due to the nostalgia of the Shelby name; it may also be worth more 30 years from now.

Test Drive: Which one makes you feel like a kid in a candy shop?
For many there is a very youthful feeling of sitting behind the when of the GT500. It makes you think of all of the attributes that made the original such a profound machine. On the other hand sitting in the Corvette can provide the “I am KING” sensation of stature and refinement. Upon test drive, both of these cars are mouth watering. Personally I felt like the Corvette handled a little better on the road, which is a plus with all those ponies under the hood. The Mustang handles well too, but it still has that boxy Mustang feeling that the brand has never been able to shake. The Corvette interior seems to fit your body more like a glove as the Mustang gives you the open vintage feel of the 60’s muscle era. It breaks my heart that both of these fine vehicles have plastic exposed throughout, but I guess that’s even the case for some Ferrari’s these days. This might have been a good opportunity to consider full carbon fiber, but I guess it’s not me leading the design team. I had great sales reps riding with me as they both let me drop the pedal to the floor while traveling at highway speeds. I actually got the Mustang to scorch the tires at 60 mph, which I couldn’t get the Corvette to demonstrate.

Buying a new sports car can be a very exciting time in a person’s life. These two cars are both uniquely different in their own right, yet they both pack intense horsepower. I personally like both cars, but the GT500 seems to offer the best bang for the buck. The Z06 Corvette takes the cake in overall comfort and design, but it is higher priced. If your decision is all about the ponies, then you must decide which one of these cars “Lights your fire.”

07 Shelby Cobra GT500 vs Corvette Z06