Yahoo Autos 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet Claims Mid-Eight-Second Quarter-Mile
Plug your ears and hold your breath: Ford has a new tire smoker made specifically for the drag strip. Fresh off its celebration of National Mustang Day, Ford has announced the 50th Anniversary Cobra Jet, accompanied by claims that the drag racer will be able to run the quarter-mile in the mid-eight-second range.
The first Cobra Jet was released in 1968, and honoring that date, Ford will build just 68 examples of the 2018 Cobra Jet cars. When it made its debut, the 335-hp 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine replaced the 390-cubic-inch V-8 from the top-spec ’67 Mustang. Ford then outfitted the car with a wide-ratio four-speed transmission, a 4.89:1 rear axle, a roll bar, and Goodyear Blue Streak slicks before racing it in the ’68 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Winternationals.
Today’s car uses a similar formula, starting with a supercharged 5.2-liter Coyote V-8 under the hood. Available in Race Red or Oxford White, the non-VIN-production Cobra Jet is equipped with a unique four-link rear suspension with a nine-inch solid rear axle from Strange Engineering. It also includes an NHRA-spec roll cage, Racetech FIA seats, a drag race-specific coil-over setup, and 50th-anniversary Weld Racing wheels.
Ford built the car to be legal for NHRA racing, and it should be a force when it hits the strip. Ford claims it will run in the mid-eight-second range in the quarter-mile and will be able to top 150 mph during those runs. The rest of the numbers, including power and weight, will not be released until this summer.
For the Mustang faithful, Ford will also offer a commemorative 50th-anniversary graphics kit that includes special badging. Ordering information will be announced this summer.
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