Earlier than there was the Mustang Shelby GT 500, there was the Mustang SVT Cobra, produced from 1994 to 2004. Thrice throughout that 10-year interval, the gearheads at SVT produced a track-rat Cobra R. The final, in 2000, was an ultra-hardcore beast with a 5.4-liter modular V8 cranking out a likely underrated 385 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque — this was a yr earlier than the Chevy Corvette Z06 confirmed up with 385 hp and 380 lb-ft. John Coletti, Ford’s Particular Automobile Engineering supervisor on the time, mentioned of this mannequin, “Everything we’ve done on this car is a notch or a number of notches above something we have carried out earlier than,” and, “This 2000 Cobra R pushes the efficiency envelope far past the capabilities of any earlier Mustang.”
Considered one of this Cobra SVT R’s magic methods was its consumption manifold, a high hat standing excessive sufficient to require a fair larger energy bulge within the hood. A member of the SVT Performance forum came across a prototype manifold, one Ford engineers constructed in an effort to check the manufacturing unit. Someway, the part ended up in a field in somebody’s basement, and that sure somebody forgot about it. Identical to the grandma who by no means mentions she has a Lamborghini Countach and a Ferrari 308 in her garage, we’re nonetheless undecided how such issues occur, however occur they do.
Anyway, a be aware on the facet of the consumption reads “Extrude honed,” a process that squeezes an abrasive material by a channel to depart a easy floor. Ford would have tried this course of out in an effort to stop a repeat of what happened on the 1999 Mustang SVT Cobra, when leftover aluminum flash within the headers robbed the engine of as much as 54 horsepower. The prototype additionally reveals customized work carried out on the consumption to create a bigger plenum with improved airflow.
The 2000 Mustang Cobra SVT R was the quickest Mustang ever on the time, and this consumption helped make that potential. Ford solely made 300 examples of the coupe, priced them at about $55,000 (almost $88,000 in immediately’s {dollars}), and offered all of them. Amongst a era of unloved Mustangs with New Edge styling, the 2000 Cobra SVT R has crossed the six-figure mark at auctions greater than as soon as this yr. The manifold may not be sufficient for a museum exhibit, nevertheless it deserves a house extra spectacular than a field in a basement. Head over to the SVT Performance forum to take a look at extra pictures.
