The Shelby Mustang started manufacturing in January 1965, because the Shelby GT350. It was the brainchild of the acclaimed Carroll Shelby, who by this time triumphed within the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 and created his model, Shelby American, in 1962. The firm developed the formidable racing machine the Cobra, which might snatch victory on the World Manufacturers’ GT Championship months after the GT350 arrived. With the racing legend’s cachet behind it and GT within the identify, the Shelby Mustang made a transparent assertion: this mannequin was supposed to be quick — very quick.
The common Ford Mustang had definitely had few points establishing itself when it arrived the earlier yr. A household four-seater providing as much as 271 hp in its 289 efficiency guise for June 1964 (leaps and bounds above the unique base Mustang’s 101 hp), it was a mix of practicality and energy that may go on to ring a bell certainly.
With the may of mid-Nineteen Sixties TV commercials behind it, CBS News stories, 263,434 drivers would snap up the car earlier than the yr was out. Nevertheless, as any firm will inform you, there’s all the time extra money to be made. To that finish, in line with the company, Shelby was approached by Ford Division General Manager Lee Iacocca to assist develop a brand new kind of Mustang: A real efficiency mannequin.
The Shelby Toyota 2000 GT bought for $2.535 million, changing into the costliest JDM automotive ever bought.
The automotive was one in every of solely three racing examples constructed by Carroll Shelby, including to its worth.
Appreciation for JDM vehicles just like the 2000 GT continues to develop, setting report costs available in the market.
The demand for particular and important traditional vehicles has continued to develop lately. Many vehicles from this period are primarily Italian exotics or American muscle with some particular British vehicles. But JDM cars have been receiving a lot of love lately ever for the reason that debut of the Fast and Furious franchise. Other reveals like Initial D and Wangan Midnight have additionally helped popularize the Japanese automotive tradition and made lovers respect JDM cars extra.
This appreciation has led to a excessive demand for these JDM vehicles and has made them fairly costly and collectible. Cars like the Lexus L-FA and Nissan R34 GT-R are commanding million-dollar costs relying on the spec and rarity. While Toyota would not play on this subject of uncommon and fascinating JDM specials, there’s one automotive that has defied the chances and claimed the title of the costliest JDM automotive ever bought.
Find out how Yamaha was instrumental in shaping the Toyota 2000GT’s physique, its inside and tuning the supercar’s inline-six engine
In order to provide the most modern and correct data attainable, the info used to compile this text was sourced from varied producer web sites and different authoritative sources, together with CNN. Hagerty, Gooding and Company, and Classic.com.
The Toyota 2000GT Sold For $2.5 million
When speaking about the costliest JDM automotive ever bought, you’ll routinely assume it might be a Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition with costs hovering across the $1.7 million mark. Another guess could be a particular Z-tune GT-R however it’s a Toyota. The first time a Toyota bought for loopy cash was in January 2019 when the newly revived Supra sold for $2.1 million at the Barrett Jackson. However, this was an outlier as this was the very first manufacturing Supra, however in early March 2022, the Toyota 2000 GT turned the costliest Japanese automotive ever bought.
The final price for the 1967 Toyota 2000GT was $2.53 million beating Toyota’s earlier report by greater than $400,000. This was the very first 2000 GT to cross the million-dollar mark and has now set the tempo for different vehicles to comply with. While this was a report worth, it bought decrease than the estimated worth which was between $2.75 and $3.5 million. After this sale, one other 2000 GT crossed the million-dollar mark on Bring A Trailer however that automotive solely bought for $1.15 million.
A Brief History Of The Toyota 2000 GT
Toyota
The 2000GT was quite a special car and a halo project aimed toward altering the boring picture of Toyota within the 60’s. The aim was to have a top-of-the-line sports activities automotive that will draw individuals into the showroom and assist drive gross sales of different fashions. Many automotive manufacturers made use of this technique and it labored so Toyota needed to strive it out.
The 2000GT was built in conjunction with Yamaha as a entrance mid-engine sports activities automotive/ grand tourer. It was unveiled in 1965 on the Tokyo Motor Show with the primary manufacturing hitting the roads in 1967. Only 337 had been produced throughout its three-year manufacturing run which resulted in 1970. This makes it one of many rarest Japanese sports activities vehicles out there and they don’t come up on the market usually. It was such a leap ahead by way of technological developments and design that it was dubbed Japan’s first supercar.
These Toyota sports activities vehicles left their mark on the automotive panorama as one of the best of one of the best
The Shelby-Tuned 2000 GT
The report worth of this 2000GT might sound insane at first however there’s extra to this story. While there have been 337 vehicles made initially, this specific instance is one in every of simply three racing examples that exist and so they had been constructed by Carroll Shelby. The well-known Carroll Shelby who helped Ford win consecutively at Le Mans with Ford GT had his arms on a Toyota.
Shelby constructed three 2000 GT race vehicles and a pair were entered into the 1968 SCCA production car races. They each carried out properly however that was the one 12 months they participated. Toyota took again one of many Shelby race vehicles and restored it in the identical paint scheme as their record-setting automotive which set a high pace of 144 MPH.
Toyota 2000 GT Racing In Japan
Goodingco
The Shelby vehicles weren’t the one 2000 GTs that went racing. Before Shelby took them racing, they already participated in races at house. Before the manufacturing vehicles hit the street, Toyota entered the 2000 GT in a contest the place it positioned third on the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji. Its first win was on the inaugural Suzuka 1000 Kilometers in 1966. Other wins included the 24 Hours of Fuji and the Fuji 1000 Kilometers in 1967.
13 FIA world records were also set with a 2000 GT on the Yatabe High-Speed Test Track. This feat was achieved throughout a 72-hour endurance check which was subsequently overwhelmed by Porsche in a purpose-built 911 R. Unfortunately, the report automotive was destroyed in a tempo automotive accident and was scrapped. It has now been changed with the aforementioned Shelby race automotive.
Here’s looking at some Shelby American vehicles that may preserve Carroll Shelby alive endlessly!
The 2000 GT Is Considered One Of The Most Beautiful Cars of its Era
Yamaha
When speaking about probably the most lovely vehicles on this planet, the Jaguar E-type, Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari 250 SWB, and Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic are a few of the vehicles that at all times come up. Design inspiration for the 2000 GT was taken from the attractive vehicles of this period and many of the automotive’s design was initially executed by Yamaha’s Jiro Kono. But when it was time to construct the automotive, Toyota agreed to partner with Yamaha however the design could be modified to go well with their picture.
Toyota’s Satoru Nozaki was referred to as upon to design the 2000 GT and he took inspiration from GT vehicles from that period with inspiration from the attractive Jaguar E-type. There had been some design components taken from Toyota sports cars just like the Sports 800 which was Toyota’s first sports activities automotive. But wanting on the 2000GT, you possibly can see components from the E-type. It was low, lengthy, huge and seemed like rolling artwork on wheels. The automotive design was adequate that it ended up starring in a James Bond film.
James Bond Appearance
The 1967 James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice” featured a Toyota 2000 GT. The film passed off in Japan when the 2000GT had simply been launched for manufacturing and it made sense to have Japan’s first supercar featured within the film. Jay Leno checks out one of many two Convertible examples of the 2000 GT, that had been made particularly for the film. Although convertible variations had been by no means made for manufacturing, the automotive made numerous press for Toyota.
During filming, the 2000GT was seen racing via the streets of Tokyo which made many individuals surprise which automotive that was. When they came upon it was made by Toyota, visits to native dealerships elevated since individuals needed to see the automotive in individual. Recent Bond Actor Daniel Craig voted the 2000 GT as his favorite Bond Car of all time which is excessive reward contemplating the vehicles which have appeared in Bond films.
Explore the automotive brilliance of Yamaha as a silent manufacturing associate serving to automakers to supply dependable, high-powered engines
The Shelby 2000 GT Is Powered By An Inline-Six
Inline six engines had been fairly fashionable decisions for efficiency vehicles on this period, the Jaguar E-type, Mercedes 300 SL, Aston Martin DB4, and Maserati 3500 GT all made use of straight six engines. Regular Toyota vehicles used inline-fours however the 2000 GT needed to have a straight six engine with ample energy and Toyota already had an engine for the job. It made use of an analogous inline-six engine discovered within the Toyota Crown however with a number of adjustments for its utility.
Engine Specifications
Engine
Inline six
Inline six
Displacement
2.0 liters
2.3 liters
Power
150 Horsepower
140 horsepower
Torque
129 pound-feet
148 pound-feet
Transmission
Five-speed guide/three-speed automated
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive
(Source: Toyota)
There had been two out there engines for the 2000 GT, Both had been related in design to the unique crown engine however with slight variations. The first was the two.0-liter engine with twin overhead cams which made probably the most energy. The latter is the bigger 2.3 liter engine with a single overhead cam which made much less energy however extra Torque. The second engine was made primarily for the American market to match the torquey attributes of big V-8 engines. Most of them got here with a five-speed however some variants had the three-speed automated sending energy to the rear wheels.
The 2000GT additionally had some engineering firsts for Toyota and Japanese sports activities vehicles as a complete. These included:
A limited-slip differential
Four-wheel power-assisted disc brake, a primary for a Japanese automotive
Coil springs
Magnesium wheels
However, this would not be a Shelby automotive if it did not make extra energy than normal. It made use of the two.0-liter engine with three Weber twin-choke carburetors as an alternative of the Mikuni-Solex ones that got here initially with the automotive. It is estimated that the automotive made 210 horsepower which is 60 horsepower greater than inventory.
While each are related in design and equally iconic, there’s much more than displacement that separates the 2JZ from the 1JZ
Other Expensive Japanese Cars Sold At Auction
Toyota
In 1968, If you needed to purchase a Toyota 2000 GT within the US, you’ll spend $7,150 which was costlier than the Jaguar E-type and Porsche 911s at $5,539 and $6,790 every. In right this moment’s cash, the Toyota 2000 GT could be value $63,367 which isn’t even near latest values as they easily sell for 10 times more than that. This Shelby instance is a type of uncommon gems that promote for giant cash and relying on the situation of the opposite race automotive it would promote for related or much more cash.
This latest sale has set the tempo for vehicles just like the 2000 GT and can deliver extra eyes to this traditional Toyota. Just like different vehicles which have bought at report costs, it could trigger common 2000 GT fashions to begin creeping up in worth much more. Japanese/JDM vehicles have continued to understand lately and it will not be lengthy earlier than we see extra vehicles setting report costs.
Most Expensive JDM Cars Ever Sold
1967 Toyota-Shelby 2000 GT: $2.5 million
2020 Toyota GR Supra #1: $2.1 million
2021 Lexus LC500 Convertible VIN #100001: $2 million
2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring: $1.87 million
1989 Mazda 767B: $1.75 million
2016 Acura NSX #1: $1.2 million
Nissan Fairlady 240Z ‘432’: $1.1 million
2002 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R M-Spec Nür: $675,000
1998 Subaru Impreza STi 22B: $604,517
1994 Toyota Supra – ‘Fast & Furious’ Movie Car: $550,000
Remember the Shelby Series 1? Released in 1997, it was an odd catfish-faced trying try at a supercar that got here straight from Shelby American, promising Cobra-like efficiency with modern-era tech. Instead, it delivered patrons with an Oldsmobile-Aurora-powered parts-bin GM automotive that suffered from severe high quality issues. Just 249 were made, so that you’re forgiven should you forgot about it. The Series 2, launched in 2018, promised to repair all of these woes, and now — 25 years after the introduction of the Series 1 — orders are open for a batch of ten Series 2 coupes, constructed underneath license by Wingard Motorsports.
While this technically is not the primary run of the Series 2 — four Series 2 cars were sold in 2018, additionally underneath license by Wingard — that is the primary time that the Shelby Series 2 can be accessible as a hardtop coupe. Three of those ten whole coupes can be made solely out of aluminum; the remaining seven will get carbon-fiber physique panels. Wingard is constructing the vehicles as engineless rollers, however has assembled a number of drivetrain decisions for homeowners to have put in later, together with a Windsor V8 with a sequential six-speed transmission or an unspecified “Performance EV” electrical package deal. The chassis is reportedly able to dealing with as much as 1,100 horsepower, and six-pot brake calipers come customary on all corners, so these accessible drivetrains can get a bit of loopy if desired.
Whatever drivetrain patrons select, they should come ready to pay for it. The Series 2 curler begins at $385,600 for a carbon fiber mannequin; aluminum-bodied vehicles will begin at $498,200. The least expensive drivetrain will begin at an extra $83,500 — earlier than set up — and climb from there, that means even these seeking to scrimp can be spending round half one million {dollars} to drive their new Shelby Series 2. The vehicles, regardless of being rollers constructed underneath license with out engines, will get a Shelby American serial quantity and be recorded within the official registry of Shelby vehicles.
2018 Shelby Series 2 Interior
The unique Series 1 was a little bit of an automotive oddity, and it is good to see the remaining components nonetheless used to construct drivable vehicles. Let’s simply hope that for half one million, the inside will get one thing a bit extra… premium this time.
In 2014, Ford introduced the third generation Mustang Shelby GT350, a powerful and track-focused vehicle. It was designed to compete with other high-performance cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette C7, Porsche 911 S, and BMW M4. The starting price for the 2017 model was around $49,000, excluding additional costs like the gas-guzzler tax.
Interestingly, the owner of a 2017 blue Mustang Shelby GT350 had initially planned to save $60,000 for a downpayment on a house when he was 19 years old. However, he became apprehensive about the complexities of the home-buying process. Ultimately, he decided to use the money for the purchase of the sports car instead.
The Shelby Cobra, built by former racing driver Carroll Shelby, is one of the most iconic American cars ever made and has a large fanbase.
The Cobra 427, the most desirable version, featured a 7.0-liter Big-Block 427 V-8 engine and had significant differences from earlier Cobras.
The Shelby Cobra was the basis for the Shelby Daytona, a coupe version designed to improve aerodynamics, and is the most replicated car in automotive history.
American automakers are responsible for a good portion of some of the most innovative, exquisite, and iconic automobiles. From the mass-produced Ford Model T, through the futuristic Buick Y-Job, to the Coke bottle-styled Plymouth XNR, there are many great examples that have influenced the automotive world.
But, by far, one of the most iconic American cars ever made, is the Shelby Cobra. But the iconic, V-8-powered widowmaker did not start as an American model, and it would take some time before the most desired versions came about. In a brilliant stroke of decisiveness and quick thinking, former American racing driver and farmer, Carroll Shelby went on to reimagine a compact, 1950s roadster into a V-8-powered hot rod machine.
You’ve probably watched the old recording where the Cobra’s creator says “I’m Carrol Shelby and performance is my business”. It’s the Shelby Cobra, along with the Mustang Shelby GT350 and Ford GT40 that best embody the philosophy and can-do attitude of the Texas racing driver, and while each of the cars Shelby touched is special in their own right, the Shelby Cobra boasts one of the biggest fandoms of any American sports car. Here are 10 things every gearhead should know about the iconic Shelby Cobra.
10From The Beginning, The Cobra Was Built For Racing
Top Speed
Carrol Shelby was a racing driver whose first race was in a road-going MG TC, owned by a friend of his. His winning streak, eventually, granted him a sport as a racing driver with Aston Martin, and he also set land speed records at Bonneville, for Austin Healey. Eventually, the idea of winning races in a car built by himself took form, and eventually, he built the AC Cobra, which was based on the British lightweight roadster, AC Ace.
The Cobra 427 was a few years away, however, and would not happen until 1965. The Cobra quickly dominated local events, against the Chevy Corvette, but in Europe, it lagged behind the much-quicker Ferraris and Porsches, prompting Shelby to go back to the drawing board.
9The Cobra 427 Shared Very Few Parts With Early Cobras
RM Sotheby’s
Carroll Shelby completed the first AC Cobra in 1962, after receiving a rolling chassis from AC Cars, but the Shelby Cobra 427 did not arrive until 1965. The 260 and 289 cubic-inch V-8 engines were replaced by Ford’s most advanced engine at the time – the 7.0-liter Big-Block 427 V-8, which was developed, for the Ford GT40, in order to beat Ferrari at Le Mans.
Cobra 427s are also known as Mark III Cobras, and they shared very few parts with the early 260 and 289-powered cars. Only the windshield, trunk, and hood were carried over, as the rest of the body needed to be widened, because of the big V-8. Depending on the customer’s preference, the Cobra bodies were either fiberglass or aluminum. The end result was a car, 7.0 inches wider than the Small-block Cobras – 68 inches (1,727 mm) width versus 61 inches (1,549 mm).
8The Best Blend Of British Lightweight And V-8 Power
The AC Ace was the basis for Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. By the time, the 427 cars arrived, the platform had undergone many mechanical and visual changes. But Carroll Shelby’s original idea of a lightweight British roadster with American V-8 power remained pure. Even the big-block Mk III Cobras weighed just 2,355 pounds (1,068 kg).
All 427s were coil-spring cars. Combined with the 427’s power output of 425 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 480 pound-feet (651 Nm) at 3,700 RPM, the Cobra 427 boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 398 horsepower per tonne, and that’s before the S/C (Semi-Competition) version, which bumped power to 485 horsepower. Although the Shelby Cobra is considered a handful for the uninitiated drivers, it boasted a 48/52 weight distribution, which is considered the perfect ratio, and the same as a Lexus LFA.
By the time the Shelby Cobra 427 came out, there was very little left from the original, AC Ace donor car. The resemblance was still there, but almost every mechanical aspect of the car was beefed-up to handle three times the original power of the British roadster. Among the most significant differences was that while earlier Cobras came with leaf springs, later models featured coil springs.
The AC Ace, actually, dates back to 1953, and its most powerful engine was a Ford Zephyr, 2.6-liter inline-six with 170 horsepower. That engine, however, came later in the model’s production cycle, in 1961, and only 37 cars got it. In order to handle the American V-8’s power, the Ace’s original E.N.V. differential was swapped for a Sailsburry 4HU. It featured onboard disc brakes and was the same differential found on the Jaguar E-Type. And yes, the Cobra 427s have the same differential.
6It Was The Basis For The Shelby Daytona
Mecum
For all its performance, the Shelby Cobra had an aerodynamic problem. This became apparent when Shelby took the Cobra racing in Europe. Engineer, Pete Brock stepped in and designed the Shelby Daytona – a coupe version of the Cobra with a much more slippery body.
The Shelby Daytona boasted a drag coefficient of 0.28, which was a vast improvement over the Cobra’s estimated drag coefficient of around 0.5. Even with the 289 cubic-inch V-8, the Daytona could reach 186 mph (300 km/h), which was 1.0 mph (1.61 km/h) faster than the Shelby Cobra S/C 427. Eventually, one of the six original Daytonas – Chassis CSX2286 – would receive the Ford 427 Big-block.
5The Dragon Snake Package Was Rare
Mecum
Over its lifespan, the Shelby Cobra could be optioned in a few different guises. Aside from the more powerful S/C and Super Snake models, there were the Dragon Snake and Slalom Snake packages. As suggested by the name, the Dragon Snake was a drag package, which won a few NHRA events, with Bruce Larson and Ed Hedrick, driving.
The package was built to dominate the quarter-mile. It offered reduced weight, a modified engine, new Koni shocks, Goodyear Drag Slicks, and 4.54:1 rear gears. Only six Cobras received the Dragon Snake package, and only one of them was a Cobra 427 – chassis 3198.
The Shelby Cobra is not only an American automotive icon but also highly-exclusive. Between 1965 and 1966, only 260 Cobra 427 cars were produced by Shelby American. This means that the original Cobras go for anywhere from the high-six-figure range to $13.75 million, depending on the version and rarity. To put it simply, an original Cobra, even a non-427, is not even close to being affordable. That’s where replicas come in.
The Shelby Cobra is the most replicated car in automotive history. Since the mid-1980s, it is believed that over 60,000 Cobra clones have been made, with the 427 wide-body models being the most replicated. While quality varies, some companies, like Superformance, Barkdraft Racing, and Factory 5, build high-quality replicas with the manufacturer’s grace, and oftentimes, with their own twist. The first manufacturer to build a faithful Cobra replica is believed to be DAX. The company even hired AC Ace designer, John Tojeiro, as a company director.
3Shelby Counterfeited His Own 427 Cobra
American Muscle Car Museum
Following the booming of the replica business, Carroll Shelby decided to utilize 43 left-over chassis serial numbers to release a limited batch of “original” Cobras. There were, indeed, left-over parts from the original assembly line, but later, AC Cars confirmed that the chassis for which the serial numbers were issued, were never produced.
That didn’t stop Carroll Shelby to enlist the help of McLusky Ltd. in order to build 43 new chassis and sell them to the public as original, 1960s parts. Each of the 43 continuation cars were sold for $500,000. When the gig was up, no one, actually, cared, since those were still 427 Cobras built by Carroll Shelby, himself. It’s safe to say, the Shelby Cobra 427 was so popular, even its creator went to replicate it.
2Only One Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake Survives
There are many desired, special-edition Shelby Cobra 427s, but by far, one of the rarest and most enigmatic is the Super Snake. Two original 427 Cobras received the Super Snake package – one S/C 427 (CSX 3015) and a regular 427 (CSX 3303), which was built later. All 427 Cobras were, essentially, deathtraps, but nothing came even remotely close to the 427 Super Snake.
The 427 cubic-inch V-8 received two superchargers for 800 horsepower. With under 2,300 pounds (1,050 kg) to lug around, this was one venomous snake. No wonder, one of the cars went for a swim, after jumping off a cliff, leaving chassis number CSX 3015 as the sole-surviving Cobra 427 Super Snake. In 2021, that same car went on an auction where it fetched $5.5 million.
The Shelby Cobra 427 was not a slow car by any stretch of the imagination. Even the regular 427 was capable of a top speed of 164 mph (264 km/h) while the Semi-competition variant was capable of 185 mph (298 km/h). The Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake was the fastest, with a reported top speed of 201 mph (323 km/h).
Certain packages that prioritized quarter-mile drag racing, reduced top speed, but the potential was always there. When it comes to 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) times, the numbers range from 4.5 to 3.6 seconds. The Shelby Cobra S/C 427 was also capable of blasting down the quarter-mile in as little as 12.3 seconds at 122 mph (196 km/h). To put things in perspective, the Lamborghini Miura P400 topped out at 179 mph (288 km/h) while the Ferrari 250 GTO could reach 174 mph (280 km/h).
In 2011, Ford produced a total of 5,100 units of the Shelby GT500. Out of those, only 126 had a glass roof option, making them rare and hard to find on the market today. If you do manage to find one for sale, be prepared to pay a hefty price. Recently, someone purchased one of these 126 cars with approximately 83,000 miles on it and decided to test the engine’s power output.
The 2011 Shelby GT500 comes with a stock 550 horsepower and 515 pound-feet of torque at the flywheel. This model introduced a new aluminum 5.4-liter V8 engine that was lighter and more efficient than its cast-iron predecessor. These improvements also eliminated the US Gas Guzzler Tax for the sports car.
However, the particular car being tested is not completely stock. It has been modified with a cold air intake system, a VMP heat exchanger, and an upgraded Borla exhaust system. These enhancements allow the supercharged engine to breathe better. The car in the video is running on 93-octane fuel and has a TR-6060 six-speed transmission, which remains in its stock condition. The dyno runs are performed in fourth gear, which has a 1:1 ratio.
The best result achieved by this modified 2011 Shelby GT500 is 508 horsepower at the wheels. Taking into account the average 15-percent drivetrain loss, the peak output at the flywheel is estimated to be around 584 horsepower. This is a respectable result considering the mileage and the relatively minor modifications made to the engine. In terms of torque, it registered 484 pound-feet at the wheels, which translates to approximately 557 pound-feet at the engine, again surpassing the factory numbers.
While a dyno run is not the definitive indicator of an engine’s overall condition, it does suggest that this 5.4-liter supercharged V8 is in good health.
Before the Mustang Shelby GT500 was revived in 2007, Ford sent its New Edge Mustang Cobra out with a bang. The 2003-2004 Cobras, equipped with a factory Eaton supercharger, were known as the “Terminator” and were highly regarded for their power and performance in the muscle car world.
This recent dyno video showcases the powerful nature of the Terminator Cobra. Despite only having a few minor bolt-ons, such as a pulley swap for the supercharger and an upgraded exhaust system, this 20-year-old Mustang managed to produce 498 horsepower at the wheels.
When factoring in the average driveline loss of 15 percent, this translates to around 590 horsepower at the engine, significantly more than Ford’s stock rating of 390 horsepower. It’s no surprise that Cobra owners quickly realized the underrated potential of the supercharged 4.6-liter engine.
Aside from its impressive performance, this particular 2004 Cobra stands out due to its rarity. With a production run of only 3,768 units, and just 299 painted in Screaming Yellow, it’s a special find for enthusiasts. The Screaming Yellow color option was exclusive to the Cobra and the SVT Focus, making it even more unique.
The New Edge-era Cobras, including the 2003-2004 models, were also notable for being the first Mustangs to feature independent rear suspension. This upgrade greatly improved the ride quality and handling characteristics of the pony car.
As a result of their power, performance, rarity, and modern-classic status, well-preserved examples of the 2003-2004 Cobras can command prices of around $50,000 in today’s market.
Unlock Your Automotive Passion and Explore the Road Ahead
