LOL I will call BS on it. Of course I am sure you are armed with the one Sport Compact Car comparison that had the mustang slightly faster on a road course -- but then I guess you read the times and not the article to come out with that opinion.

I owned a 98 Cobra. Mustangs are wonderful cars in many ways, but good track cars when stock? Not by a mile.

 

I figured you would Yeah, they didn't like the GT too much, but since the GT was 2.5 seconds faster, I think it is more then slightly faster than the ITR. Considering they then reconfigured the course to give the ITR a chance, and it was able to edge the GT by half a second, it might be fair to say the ITR is a capable handler, but lacks power.

Considering how much animosity SCC has against the Mustang, if they say it is faster around a road course by 2.5 seconds, I have to believe them, I don't think they expected that result. They wouldn't be the first magazine to rip on a car that blows their poster child out of the water.

 

No kidding, I was to say the least amazed to see them print those results and anticipated months of angry ricers disputing the results on Internet boards.

I always felt my cobra was a capable track car, but it needed major suspension tweaks (way too much dive when on the brakes), better rubber and for god sakes some better seats -- you had to learn to hang onto the wheel and brace yourself with both legs when driving agressivly.

I dunno, maybe I'm wrong, maybe the GT is stock a faster track car, but I'd rather not have to prove that point.

 

Yes, they are quicker than both the S2000 and ITR, but I don't think they are as nice about doing it. Horrible ergos, sloppy shifter, but very broad power delivery, fair brakes, good grip.

On my last open lap day I was quicker than the couple of Mustang GT guys, but that is due to driver not car I'm sure as I was more comfortable and aggressive thru the turns and esses at Waterford Hills. Down the straights there was nothing in it. They could not gain any lost ground nor could they make good any advantages coming out of quicker turns.

The BIG advantage is the very broad power curve compared to the very narrow curves of the Honda cars. That said I'd take a DC2R, DC5R or S2K over a Mustang GT, Mustang Cobra or Mustang Cobra R. But that's just me.

 

There is a lot of apples to oranges comparing going on here. I guess the S must not be nearly as good as the ITR. Some ITR owners or former owners are getting delusions of grandeur or something!!! That said I miss my 97 and yes it had less body roll than my stock S. Do I think it handled better though? I can say that at least over a given mountain road that I have frequented for the last 6 years that the S is faster PERIOD The ITR is an amazing car just the same. I wish I still had mine. Not enough money for 2 cars though.

 

I think I might have an interesting perspective on the subject. I sold my S2000 to buy my 97 ITR. Personally, I think I made a great decision. I can say that my ITR does handle better than my S, this may be due to many factors. One being that I am no Michael Schumaker, that being said, I always felt my S was very tricky at times, it would give you no advanced warning before it got ugly. With the ITR, its natural, the car makes you feel like Juan Montoya, much more feedback, and much easier to drive at "the limits". However, I may have backed off on the S being that the thought of putting a 35K car in the wall is enough to make me cry, so I may have not pushed my abilitys with the S. As far a straightline speed, I am sure, as are many of my friends that my ITR is faster, not by much, but it is faster. Having said that, I do not have any scientific proof, such as a timeslip, but I have used a very primitive form of stopwatch tech to measure both and the ITR is consistantly faster. You have to remember that no 2 ITR's are the same. The engines are hand built (to an extent), thus I have seen really strong ITR, and really weak ITR's. Mine Dyno'd completly stock at 176 at the wheels which is very strong, most I have seen dyno at roughly 158-165 whp. My S2000 on the other hand felt very weak compaired to a few others in the area that I had a chance to drive. Both cars are very good, but for me the ITR wins out. IMO the best front wheel drive car ever made (I refuse to acknowledge the Mazdaspeed Proteg'e), a back seat, a covered roof, (Convertible just wasnt for me, in the year I owned the S, I might have had the top down 2 times) and great looks and power. To each their own. I loved the S2000, I always said that if they ever make a 3 door coupe version, Ill be the first to pony up the cash, but until then, Ill enjoy my ITR.

 

Very good info thanks