Cobra Jet. It’s a name that rings in Mustang Circles with as much reverence as GT350 or GT500. Maybe even more, because unlike those, the Cobra Jet badge has only shown up a few times over the last 50 years. Now, it’s back, and on a Mustang that will beat the Dodge Demon on the drag strip. The Ford Mustang Cobra Jet was revealed last week at the Woodward Dream Cruise.
In 1968, factory production-based drag racing was in full swing. It was near the peak of the muscle car era and the big three were jockeying back and forth to see who could win at the strip. Ford introduced the Cobra Jet. A 7.0L V8 that took an FE 428 cubic inch block and added the heads from a 427 and offered north of 335 hp.
Ford built 50 Mustangs with lower weight and those massive engines. They started winning from their very first race weekend.
The next time the Cobra Jet name came along was in 2008. This time, a supercharged 5.4L V8 took care of producing the ponies. It was rated for 425 hp, but Ford Performance said that a strip ready car made more than 1,000. It too was a track-ready car with special suspension and tires. Like the original, it made its racing debut at the Winternationals and won its first race. Ford sold this version through 2016 and more than 300 made their way into the hands of drag racers.
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Now, the Cobra Jet is back. Ford is only building 68 of the cars to pay tribute to the year the first car was launched. The new Ford Mustang Cobra Jet is powered by a 5.2L V8 that’s been fitted with a 3.0L Whipple supercharger.
Putting that power to the ground is a nine-inch solid rear axle, adjustable coilover shocks, a four-link rear suspension, and a special low-drag disc brake system. Keeping the driver safe, and NHRA legal, the Cobra Jet is fitted with an NHRA certified roll cage and FIA seats.
Ford isn’t saying how much power the 2018 Cobra Jet Mustang will make, but it is saying that the car is capable of topping 150 mph in the quarter mile, making passes in the mid-eight-second range. That’s extremely quick on the drag strip, and that’s about the only place you’ll see these cars. The “quickest drag racing Mustang ever” is track-only, and not street legal.
On top of the cage and seat, the car has a stripped-out interior. The dash has been replaced with a Racepack digital version along with a more appropriate racing steering wheel. To go with those big rear slicks, Ford’s photos show a fuel cell in the trunk with an Aeromotive fuel pump. And the wheelie bar and parachute are equally hard to miss.
The car will be available to order in Race Red or Oxford White, and it can be either plain, or with that sweet, sweet 50 anniversary badging. Get your order in fast, because these cars are likely to sell as quickly as they run the quarter. The cars have an MSRP of $130,000.
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