The Cobra kit car is cheaper and you’ll still have money left over to buy extra performance parts for your Cobra.

There’s a life lesson to be learned here….buy a COBRA!!!!

Ok …the cobra was a kit in the 60’s -just like today.There were no V8’s in this car from England and several items were changed. Todays Cobra can get up to 24 MPG with a 302 and a computer EFI and with todays tech ,it is a better cobra by far. the Cobra handling is in the top 5 or 10 race cars as far as speed per lap on todays tracks and same goes for the the street cars.The race track is seeing these cars eating other race cars with 2 and 3 times the H power.The exotic toyota is just that and they have a place like any other car. To own a Cobra or build one is something you share with several guys that “have done it” know more about speed -to little speed -respect speed and handling.Seek before you comment factoryfive.com

The Mark III by FFR is better than the original in many ways. First off, the insurance on an original Shelby Cobra would be impossible to pay. Second, FFR cars can use OEM fuel injection for reasonable fuel economy with amazing performance thrown into the mix. Third, the Mark III corners like it’s on rails. Fourth, a top and heater/AC are available if desired. Fifth, the FFR roadster body shape is beautiful beyond description. THe FFR MARK III Rules!!

Cobra.

I just took my first real drive in my FFR Cobra and it was absolutely breathtaking. There is really nothing like building your own car, all that hard work and sweat was definitely worth it. I have never driven a Lotus Elise, but there is nothing like a V8 under the hood.

Life is funny…
My wife’s dream car is a lotus elise….
(don’t underestimate her car skills : we both are vintage class rally drivers (in france) and when we are not quite performing: OK OK when I goofed up and where way behind about to GULPS …. lose … – I hand her the wheel…)

My long time dream is to build a cobra. And just ordered the kit.

So after heated arguements here is our verdict: (i had to settle the dispute cause three days “lets settle this or else no sex….is a very persuavive arguement from my wife who is so beautiful and sexy…)

Devil vs Angel. Cobra vs Elise…

When you want to be rowdy and make noise and attract attention and get speeding and disturbing the peace go for the cobra…. but well hell is not a very nice place to be even if you have a lot of fun

When you just want to have a huge grin – gone for the weekend down this mountain road – lets be ‘classy’ and gracious but “what me officer going fast? It must be a mistake mr officer….” kind of mood go for the elise… paradise is real nice … but nothing very exciting goes on up there….

Cheers.

I do admire the over-the-top look of the Elise. Nothing on the road in this price range looks ANYTHING like it. It’s a go-kart with a body IMO.

But I have to say, building and then driving something you made, and having it hold up without hardly any issues, has been the most rewarding experience in my life.

A Lotus is manufactured. I have nothing but respect for that car. A TRD supercharger would bring up the HP to match a stock 5.0L 225HP motor, but that’s pretty much it; bolt on and go.

A FFR Cobra was by design a race car. As mentioned in their DVD, the body is mearly a skin. I wanted to see what I could do after 20 years of wrenching on various vehicles. It was for me, the pinnacle of achivement if I could pull it off. And I did. The FFR MkIII with IRS and my selection of power, a 347W putting out over 355hp and 387ft-lbs. of torque at the wheels, is purely a viceral experience off the light, in the mountains, or simply cruising the boulevard.

I’m finishing year two after completion, put in 4,000+ miles, and everytime I pull it out of the garage (literally, I relase the brakes and pull on the overriders to get it out of the garage), I still get that nervous twitch in the stomach, and the excitement and anticipation of “the drive”. I think the recent Cadillac commercial is pretty accurate for this car – “the question is, when you turn on the car, does it return the favor”…. HELL YES!!!!

I love the Cobra and have a FFR Daytona Coupe. I’ve seen a FFR Challenge car outperform higher powered Mustang and Vettes in braking and corning.

But the fastest car in the Midwest Council’s autocross (2 mile track) last year was a slightly modified Lotus Elise. It was beating the Mustang Cobras, Z06 Vettes, a FFR Cobra and everything else by one to two seconds a lap.

The Cobra is the easy choice. I’ve driven the Lotus,and I own a Factory Five. The Lotus is a fun car, but it’s not even close to the FFR. As far as the FFR not being “real”, that’s really a lot of crap. No, it’s not a Shelby from the sixties, it’s actually a lot better. The frame is much stronger. With equal drivtrain, driver skill, etc. A FFR will run away from a Shelby. I’m not a millionare, but if I was, I’d still drive a Factory Five over a Shelby.