While most of us were glued to our favorite news channels on November 4th, waiting for election results, the folks at Ford Racing were offering news of their own: forty years after the original Cobra Jet Mustang was released (in 1968), they were offering a new version of the classic car to NHRA sportsmen class racers during the 2009 season. Technically referred to as the Mustang FR500CJ, the 2008 Cobra Jet had its official debut as part of the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Since the original version was introduced decades ago, the Mustang has been ever-present on the racing scene, earning a spot in history as an iconic pony car. The current version will easily follow in its predecessor’s tracks, as the vehicle is factory-built and NHRA-legal. In fact, it’s the first strip-ready, purpose-designed car Ford has offered since the 1968 Cobra Jet first saw the light of day.
In a statement to the press on November 4th, Brian Wolfe, director of Ford Racing Technology, said, “The Cobra Jet is one of the transformational vehicles for Ford Racing. The 2008 CJ will get us more involved with the sportsmen racers in drag racing. At this point there are a lot of little guys who are running Fords from the 60s, 70s and even a few from the 80s, but those cars aren’t necessarily relevant to what we are producing today.”
He continued, stating, “Those Ford racers are among the most loyal Ford supporters and customers we have. The CJ makes a statement for our company that even in times as tough as these we can introduce something as special as the Cobra Jet. As a guy who has tracked Ford history from the beginning and understands the significance of the CJ, this is by far the best factory drag car that we have produced.”
And Brian Wolfe should know. He is one of the pioneers in Mustang Drag Racing, a staple of the Pro 5.0 class that I currently compete in back in its original conception days. Living a dream with his appointment as Director of Ford Racing Technologies, Brian is doing a great job of reaching out to the most loyal of all the Ford following: its racers. *tangent* (I’ve owned and raced nothing but Blue Oval for the past 10 years myself! In fact, my 6.69 @ 207mph was done with a factory Ford engine block and Super Cobra Jet heads, a world record I believe!) */tangent*
Joining Ford Racing’s stable of championship-able, consumer oriented cars that already includes the Mustang FR500S, FR500C, and FR500GT, the 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang is race-ready from the moment of purchase, and will be available either from Ford dealers, or through the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog.
Produced from the same platform as the base V6 Mustang, the 2008 Cobra Jet comes with a 5.4-liter, 400-horsepower supercharged engine mated to a standard six-speed transmission, though there is an optional automatic version. It ships with a drag race wheel & tire combination. NHRA-legal to 10-second ETs, the car weights about 3,300 pounds and features an NHRA Stock Eliminator-legal interior. The appearance of the vehicle is unique, but retains the usual Mustang neatness, and is offered with an optional 2008 Cobra Jet graphics kit to give a bit more oomph o its design.
With a price of $69,900 (high enough to make searching for insurance quotes a must for new owners), it should come as no surprise that every one of the initial 50 2008 models have already been promised to eager customers, but no worries: Ford Racing has promised that future versions of the Cobra Jet will roll off the assembly line in the future.
It seems clear that Ford is as eager for the 2008 Cobra Jet to be on the track as their customers are. As Wolfe said, “We’ve built a Mustang for drag racing that we’ve very proud of. We’re confident that this, like all Mustang race cars, will be competitive, and a value for those looking to enter a variety of sportsmen classes. We can’t wait to see the car in the hands of customers.”
Delivery of the first fifty 2008 Cobra Jet Mustangs is slated for the early part of 2009, and the car is expected to see its first competition at the 2009 WinterNationals in February, in Pomona, California.
Now, I’m just waiting for Ford to launch a FORCE edition Mustang.
A Car Update! Shiny new Heads!