This is no ordinary Ford Mustang. The 2016 Cobra Jet Mustang is a factory-built race car that is legal for US National Hot Rod Association Stock and Super Stock drag racing, as well as several classes in the International Hot Rod Association, National Mustang Racers Association and National Muscle Car Association.
The modern Cobra Jet programme started with 50 cars for the 2008 model year, continuing with 50-unit limited builds in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Like its predecessors, the new Cobra Jet is limited to 50 units, making this 2016 edition among the most collectible Mustangs ever. 25 will be in Oxford White, 25 in the Deep Impact Blue you see here.
The Cobra Jet engine is made up of 75% production Mustang GT components topped by a front inlet Whipple supercharger, good for eight-second quarter-mile drag times.
The car is fitted with drag race-specific coil-over shocks and springs, lightweight racing brakes by Strange Engineering, 8.50-certified roll cage, Aeromotive fuel system with trunk-mounted fuel cell, Corbeau FIA seats, five-point race harnesses and a race-prepped automatic gearbox.
Ford Performance engineers tapped internal resources, taking technology from other parts of the company and adapting it for racing. For instance, the Cobra Jet engine uses an electric water pump from Ford’s C-Max Hybrid that allows cool-down without the engine running – resulting in more consistent racing via improved engine temperature management.
With the Cobra Jet engine’s proven components largely sourced directly from the Ford parts shelf, the car’s parts are durable, efficient and well-engineered, Ford claims. Dyno cells calibrated to simulate drag strip burnouts and quarter-mile runs were used to prove out engine durability.
“It was important to use production hardware wherever possible to ensure parts are readily available and reasonably priced for racers. The production parts are also incredibly durable in passing our rigorous dyno and drag strip testing,” said Jesse Kershaw, Ford Performance manager for drag racing parts and competition.
Made at Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan, the 2016 Cobra Jet is sold as a performance part without a VIN for $99,990 (RM426,350). The snake graphics and a wheelie bar are options. Deliveries start from Q1 2016.
Swap the cobra for a tiger and the Cobra Jet would look right at home in the Johor royal family collection. For the rest of us, the S550 Mustang will be reaching Malaysia very shortly. You’ll still need a fat bank balance though – indicative pricing was between RM435,000 to RM450,000 for the 2.3 EcoBoost and RM550,000 to RM565,000 for the 5.0 V8, but that was in June before the ringgit nosedived against the greenback. Read our sixth-gen Mustang review to learn more about the first global Mustang.
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