New Ford Mustang Cobra Jet is quicker than Dodge Demon
Ford reveals a dragstrip-focussed Mustang that’s so fast it’s not street-legalFord Performance has officially entered the high-horsepower drag racing arena, unveiling the 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet overnight.
Deemed the fastest-ever factory-approved Mustang, the highly-fettled Cobra Jet looms as Ford’s direct rival to the manic Dodge Demon, and also celebrates the 50th anniversary of its original namesake launched in 1968.
The limited-edition Blue Oval creation certainly has the makings of a legitimate drag car. Changes begin under the bonnet, where the regular 5.0-litre V8 makes way for a closely-related 5.2-litre unit fed by a 3.0-litre Whipple supercharger.
Surprisingly, Ford isn’t revealing official power outputs for the Mustang Cobra Jet, but you can count on well over 600kW.
Regardless, the additional ponies are sent to the rear wheels via a 9.0-inch solid rear axle, paired with height-adjustable two-way coil-over shocks, four-link rear suspension, plus new anti-roll bars and panhard bars.
The dragstrip-inspired Mustang is completed by an approved rollcage, low-drag disc brake set-up, FIA-compliant seats, racing wheels and requisite badging.
Meanwhile, the racer theme is further denoted on the dashboard via a stripped-out interior with digital instrument display and Sparco steering wheel.
In sheer performance terms, the 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet takes the storied Pony car to new heights. Ford says the stripped-out Mustang is capable of completing the quarter-mile (400-metre) run in around 8.5 seconds at 241km/h.
Its most direct factory rival, the 626kW/1000Nm Dodge Demon, claims a 9.65sec standing quarter-mile (as well as 0-100km/h acceleration in as little as 2.3sec).
Unlike the Demon, which holds the quarter-mile production car record and is claimed to be the world’s fastest rear-drive V8, the Cobra Jet isn’t street-legal.
Produced only in red or white, the 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet won’t be available in Australia, where the Shelby-badged Mustang GT350 and GT500 also remain off-limits.
Production is strictly limited to 68 cars — all left-hand drive and each priced at a cool $US130,000 ($A177,000).
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