Ford just built its 10 millionth Mustang and while that does call for a celebration, it’s not the only thing. Now to honor the 50th anniversary of its turnkey drag car, Ford is bringing a new Mustang to the stable, the Cobra Jet.
The original Cobra Jet first hit the drag strip and the street in 1968. Back then it came with a 428 ci V8 turning out around 410hp. However, if you ask Ford, it’ll tell you it was only 335 in an effort to keep the insurance low.
Flashforward to today and the new Cobra Jet comes with a bit more grunt than the original. Just how much more is a bit of a mystery though. Ford took a page out of the old drag racing handbook and didn’t mention anything about power.
What we do know is that under the hood is a 5.2-liter V8 with a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger. All this runs through the driveline to a solid axle Ford 9-inch rear end.
To further help with traction, the rear four-link suspension comes with coilovers and Panhard bars.
Ford does claim the car will run mid-eights in the quarter at 150mph. These number put the power output in the 800 pony range, depending on the weight.
This also stacks up nicely against other drag cars on the market. Both the Hennessey Exorcist and Dodge Demon are capable of a sub-10 second quarter mile. However, they’re both still over a second slower than the Cobra Jet.
Owners of these cars don’t need to worry though. Unlike the original Cobra Jet, the new one isn’t street legal. While this is disappointing, we’re sure crowds everywhere are happy they don’t have to run for their lives.
As for the price, the Cobra Jet will start at $130,000. However, you can add things like an NHRA roll cage, FIA seats, and special edition racing wheels. These will all inflate the price, but it’s unknown by how much.
If you’re keen on picking up a Cobra Jet, you can currently order one. Quantities are a bit scarce though. Ford is only producing 68 of these cars to honor the year of the first Cobra Jet.
To see the Cobra Jet in person, you can stop by the Ford booth at this year’s Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, Michigan. Since it’s a public outing involving a powerful new Mustang, maybe give it a wide berth…
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