2000 Cobra R Mustang

Overview

The 2000 Cobra R Mustang is a full bred race car in street trim. At the time the Cobra R was unveiled it represented the wildest Mustang ever produced. The car featured a huge motor, massive brakes, hunkered down suspension, Recaro seats, and many aerodynamic aids needed to keep this beast stable at 170mph. The Cobra R was a true factory based street legal race car designed for ferocious corner carving and blistering speed. If you were looking for a ride with air conditioning, a back seat, insulation, or a radio you better stick to a Mustang GT.

The engine motivating the 2000 Cobra R was a naturally aspirated 385 horsepower 5.4 liter twin cam V-8 used in the Lincoln Navigator SUV. SVT engineers, under the leadership of John Coletti, thoroughly revamped the motor to suit their needs. Key changes included a unique intake manifold which ensured a smooth and steady supply of air, ported exhaust ports, and big tubular headers. The engine also featured a custom cam profile. Backing up the motor was a Borla X pipe and side exhaust dumps in front of each rear wheel.

Supporting all this horsepower required the addition of a T56 6 speed Tremec transmission and a special Gerodisc hydromechanial differential featuring 3.55 gears. However, the Cobra R used the basic 1999 Mustang Cobra clutch.

Suspension changes were significant on the Cobra R and required specially designed Eibach road race lowering springs. These springs were 800 pounds/inch in front and 750 pounds/inch in rear - nearly twice a normal GT rating. Front and rear struts and shocks were custom applications and were mated with huge sway bars and gigantic 13 inch Brembo brakes. This suspension combination created a stiff corner carver capable of 1G on the skidpad. Road tests suggest the car had razor sharp stiff handling but was forgiving enough to be tolerated on the street. All Cobra R's used 18 by 9.5 inch forged aluminum wheels and sticky BFG g-Force KD tires.

The Cobra R exterior makes this a unique Mustang that separates itself from any other Mustang lineage. The Cobra R has a unique chin spoiler designed to keep the car stable at high speed and ensure a good supply of air under hood. The hood features a power bulge needed to clear the massive 5.4 and custom intake. The hood has "gills" stamped that can be cut to allow the escape of heat and air pressure from the under hood. Custom side skirts follow the body line to the rear of the car where you find a firmly planted tall and wide deck spoiler which was needed to keep the car stable at high speed. The rear bumper is actually from a base V-6 mustang since there was not need to have exhaust cut outs on the Cobra R.

The interior of the Cobra R was race oriented - no sound deadening, no sound system, no back seat, and a set of specially designed Recaro seats. Interior styling was essentially a blend of black Mustang GT interior trim and Cobra white faced gauges. In the trunk of all Cobra R's was a 21 gallon fuel cell.

Performance:

Production:

Only 300 of the 2000 Cobra R's were produced making this one of the most desirable Mustangs of all time.

Specifications:

Recommended links:

• 1964 -1970 Ford Mustang
• 1971-1973 Ford Mustang
• Wiki Mustang History
• Mustang photos
• Mustang VIN Decoder