The Chevrolet COPO Camaro will have some new competition at the dragstrip this year. Order books are now open for the 50th anniversary 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet—a purpose-built Mustang drag racer.
The new Mustang Cobra Jet celebrates Ford dealer and racer Bob Tasca's original model, and there are numerous nods to the nameplate's past. Foremost, Ford will build just 68 non-VIN production cars to honor the 1968 Mustang Cobra Jet's model year. And you read that right, the Cobra Jet won't be street legal.
Customers can select either Race Red or Oxford White to mimic Tasca's 1968 original. Ford will also offer a special commemorative graphics package and anniversary badging.
50th anniversary Ford Mustang Cobra Jet
The Cobra Jet looks special enough with its cobra graphics in front of the rear wheel, but it's the power and capability that earns the drag racer its nameplate. Ford says the car will dispatch the quarter-mile in the mid-8.0-second range and clip 150 mph. Powering the potent pony is a 5.2-liter supercharged V-8, while a unique four-link rear suspension along with a Ford 9-inch solid rear axle help it put all that power to the pavement. Other racing add-ons include an NHRA-certified roll cage, Racetech FIA seats, and a drag race-specific coil-over front suspension.
All of the upgrades are enough to make the 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet the brand's quickest factory-built model. Who needs a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon? Well, maybe anyone who also wants to drive their drag racer on the street.
Ford did not provide pricing for the Cobra Jet, but we expect a figure in the neighborhood of $100,000 if past Cobra Jets are any indication. And we'll eagerly await the first COPO Camaro versus Mustang Cobra Jet matchup in the near future.
