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The Ford Mustang has, for many years now, been one of the most expensive and charismatic muscle cars of them all. Through all its different generations, the muscle car has kept up with the times and the latest generation for 2024 feels like a throwback to the muscle car of yesteryear, with big V8 power at its heart. . Ford is clearly not ready to let the Mustang die.
Along the way, there have been a lot of super cool Mustang variants. One of those was the 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R, a car that for many was the peak of the 1990s. This is a car that has recently been explored by Doug DeMuro, and for good reason. The SVT Cobra R at the time was the fastest factory Mustang ever produced, and it did a lot to right the wrongs of the Cobra horsepower controversy that occurred in 1999. While it’s easy to overlook some Mustang variants, the SVT Cobra R is a car that deserves special attention.
What Made the CVT Cobra R Special
At the heart of the Mustang SVT Cobra R is a pretty special engine. It is a 90-degree, DOHC 32- V8 engine. A 5.4-liter V8 engine and one of the most powerful yet seen in a muscle car. This engine is built by SVT, and it produces a relatively handy 385 hp. That horsepower figure is more than adequate, and it brings the 0-60 mph time to just 4.7 seconds, a figure that’s easily comparable to many sports cars today in 2022.
Impressively, the SVT Cobra R’s 1/4-mile run time is 13.2 seconds, and top speed is 170 mph. Again, these are numbers that are quite sufficient and the rivals of many current sports cars of the world. As a true R-model, the SVT Cobra R is very light, while it also has good track-capable brakes for ultimate stopping power. In fact, the brakes on this car are so good that you can stop it from 60 mph in just 127 feet. Not many cars can manage that, which makes that statistic even more impressive.
Keeping Weight Down to a Minimum
Like all SVT Cobra Rs before it, the 2000 R has track use in mind. While this is also a road car, this is where the real fun will be had. Because of this, it was stripped of almost any stock feature that the driver wouldn’t need for track use, or anything that would add extra weight to the car. Gone are your conventional seats and in are Recaro racing seats, offering comfort and the bonus of less weight. Remember, this is all in the name of extra performance.
Even Ford has made some other changes to the car to extract as much performance from it as possible. A side-exit dual exhaust is one such change, while a front air splitter and high-mount rear wing help with downforce and give the Cobra excellent handling. The stability of the SVT Cobra R is simply outstanding, making it one of the best cars of its era to spin around a racetrack like Laguna Seca or Road America. The SVT Cobra R is also one of the rarest of any Mustang variant ever produced. Only 300 units were eventually produced, all in Performance Red Clearcoat paint.
The 2000 SVT Cobra R is a Dream to Drive
The 2000 SVT Cobra is an absolute joy to drive for all those lucky enough to get behind the wheel of one. No wonder DeMuro is so excited about his video! This fun handling is not only due to its aero, but also to other features such as its independent rear suspension which is a production Mustang first. There are still many sports cars today that can put the 2000 SVT Cobra R to shame, while it also has the power to pull away on the straights.
A Rare Mustang That Is Highly Desired
The 2000 SVT Cobra R is one of those Mustangs that, for some reason, flies under the radar a bit. This provided the perfect antidote for Ford, after they suffered the 1999 SVT Cobra Mustang scandal for falsely advertising the car’s horsepower numbers. People have learned to forgive and forget and the 2000 SVT Cobra R went a long way to make people do that. It is a stunning looking, aggressive and powerful track weapon that still holds up today. It’s a Mustang that we think is the pinnacle of the 1990s, and sets Ford up nicely for the 21st century.
Sources: Doug DeMuro YouTube Channel, Ford
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