I agree with you on a couple of points here:
Mini Python, 100%, that is the way I see it. Like a practise model for the bigger ship.
Also: I use mine as a passenger runner, three cabins and 20 berths; it is a great little credit maker for less than half a million re-buy. What's not to like? Apart from the boost speed of your average tortoise, just like the Python.
I also have to say that when I brought the L.P., I believed, the Cobra IV would be waiting for me somewhere, like the Friday paint jobs and not an exclusive I had to buy. I don't really hold with exclusive 'offers' as they are like 'pay to play' add ons. Yes it is nice to be told, 'you are getting a paint job because.....whatever', but to have it as an offer: No thanks. Using the word; exclusive, in the sales pitch, has unfortunately, forced it to become that and to break that contract, could cost FD a lot of issues.
Nice ship, bad marketing, in my opinion.
By meta-ship like the Python what I meant was that the Python is the biggest medium pad ship, which is something worth having if you need to go to an outpost currently. If there were small pad only docks the Cobra MkIV (and hopefully LWB Hauler
I agree the Cobra MkIV was marketed ambiguously, and those ambiguities were not addressed well. It is in the past now though, we are all now aware of how it played out.