The Mustang Cobra Jet is now known as Ford's factory-built drag racer, but the "Cobra Jet" badge was actually created for a 7.0-liter V-8 engine back in 1968. This is also the year when the Blue Oval produced 50 lightweight Mustangs for the said engine and shipped six of them to Holman Moody and Bill Stroppe to be prepared for NHRA racing. Fifty years later and Ford is celebrating the event with a special-edition Cobra Jet model.

The first Mustang-based drag racer since 2016, this Cobra Jet comes with all the goodies you'd expect to find on such car. There's a revised body that looks similar to the facelifted sixth-gen model, skinny wheels up front and fat tires to the rear, a competition-spec interior, and a massively supercharged V-8. Making things even better, it's the quickest and most powerful Mustang that Ford has developed specifically for drag racing in history.

Continue reading to learn more about the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet.

What Makes the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet Special?

Just like its predecessor, the new Cobra Jet sports the body of the regular, road-legal Mustang. In this case, it also gained the features that came with a mid-cycle facelift, such as the redesigned lights unit and the revised bumpers.

Up front, the Cobra Jet is identical to the Mustang GT if we ignore the skinny tires and the bulged engine hood. The latter has a tall center section to make way for the supercharger, and it's made from exposed carbon-fiber. Onto the sides, there aren't many details that set the drag racer apart from the regular coupe except for the race-spec wheels and tires.

The same goes for the rear fascia, although the diffuser was modified to make way for the small wheel and the parachute. The exhaust pipes are also gone, as the Cobra Jet has a shorter exhaust that exits under the car.

The new Cobra Jet is available in only two exterior colors. There's the traditional Oxford White that's pictured here and Race Red. Ford also offers an exclusive 50th Anniversary graphics package that includes "CobraJet" lettering on the rear fenders, gold-and-black cobra decals on the sides, gold stripes on the engine hood, and special badges on the front fenders.

Inside the cabin, Ford removed all convenience features and amenities in order to save weight. The center stack remains familiar, but it features a new command panel with new switches and buttons. There's also a new display mounted behind the steering wheel for info on performance. Race-specific features include a Sparco steering wheel, an NHRA-certified roll cage, and FIA-approved seats.

Under the carbon-fiber hood lurks a 5.2-liter V-8 engine. The mill was developed specifically for the Cobra Jet from the 5.0-liter "Coyote" mill, and it's been paired to a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger. Unlike the regular Mustang, which has an independent rear suspension, the Cobra Jet employs a nine-inch solid rear axle.

The coupe was also fitted with two-way coilover shocks with adjustable ride height, a four-link rear suspension setup with antiroll and Panhard bars, and a low-drag disc braking system developed by Strange Engineering.

Ford didn't disclose output information but did say that the new Cobra Jet is the most powerful of its kind. The company also unveiled that it runs the quarter-mile in the mid-eight-second range while crossing the finish line at around 150 mph. Needless to say, it's the quickest Cobra Jet ever made!

Production of the 50th Anniversary Cobra Jet is limited to only 68 units, in tribute to the original car's debut year, 1968. Pricing starts from $130,000. As usual, the Mustang Cobra Jet will face competition from the Chevrolet COPO Camaro and the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak.

Cobra Jet History

The Cobra Jet name was first used in 1968 when Ford launched the iconic 7.0-liter V-8 engine. Later that year, Ford produced 50 lightweight Mustangs with the Cobra Jet engine for road use. Six of them were sent to Holman Moody and Bill Stropp to be prepared for NHRA racing, and that's how the race-ready Cobra Jet was born. The coupe won its first race with Al Joniec behind the steering wheel, and it quickly made a name for itself in NHRA championships.

The name remained dormant until 2008 when Ford revived the factory race car after 40 years. Based on the fifth-gen Mustang, this Cobra Jet used a supercharged, 5.4-liter V-8 and became the first Stock Eliminator car to run the quarter-mile in less than nine seconds. Only 50 cars were produced.

Ford continued making Cobra Jets between 2009 and 2016, with 250 units being sold across the U.S. The Cobra Jet scored dozens of wins, records, and championship across NHRA, IHRA, NMCA, and NMRA series in these seven years.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford Mustang.

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet.

Read more Ford news.