There was a brief lull in the wave of Fox body Ford Mustang Cobras that came to market over the last few months, but here’s yet another example still practically new in the wrapper. With just over 11,000 miles from new, it lends further evidence to the fact that many of these SVT models were socked away as future collector’s items when new. But when so many low-mileage examples come to market at once, it can create the illusion that such a car is not all that hard to find. Of course, this is a rare muscle car no matter how you slice it, and the seller is asking $55,000 for it listed here on eBay.
What’s odd to me when a niche car like this comes to market more frequently than it ever has before is whether the owners are sensing a market shift that dictates they sell the car sooner versus later. Sure, some of the older muscle cars could be getting more challenging to unload as the demographics that buy such vehicles continue to shift, but the Cobra of the Fox body years was a bucket list item for many GenXers and old millennials. It would seem like it has a fairly generous runway at this point, with the potential to go higher. The paint on this Cobra is in beautiful condition, with the seller noting just a few rock chips on the front end as flaws.
The interior is likewise in beautiful condition, with unmarked gray leather seats and corresponding dash panels and carpets. The seller notes he hasn’t owned this Cobra all that long and is choosing to let this car go to keep a few other vehicles in his rotation. The Cobra of this era was not dramatically different from other Fox bodies, which always struck me as a bit of a miss; a car like this surely deserves a set of Recaros from the factory. The seller notes that “…everything works” inside the car, which we would assume to mean the air conditioning as well as the power locks and windows.
The familiar 5.0L V8 was tuned up a bit to offer a respectable 235 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers aren’t particularly mind-blowing today, which tells you how far we’ve come in the performance arena that numbers like those don’t really grab our attention anymore. Still, it will sound incredible courtesy of the only modification made to this Cobra, which is a Flowmaster cat-back exhaust. Is this a near $60,000 car? It’s a valid question, and I suspect if it were a rarer color, it might be. But black isn’t rare when it comes to a mid-90s Cobra, so it will be interesting to see whether this near-new high-performance Mustang will find an owner who wants to hold onto it for the long haul.
Good write-up Jeff. I’ll offer my observations on some of your comments:
— These have indeed greatly increased in value in recent years. Perhaps more low-mileage examples have been on the market lately, it’s hard to say. If so, maybe just the normal reaction from buyers and sellers when something quickly increases in value.
— I don’t think there is much chance of prices going down. As you point out, the demographics of those who like it (Gen X, millennials, even boomers who enjoy more than 60’s-70’s muscle cars) are favorable to its continued popularity.
— Ford indeed could have made it more distinctive (especially inside), instead concentrated on the powertrain and subtle exterior changes. I’m glad they offered it, as a sort-of farewell to the venerable Fox Body.
— The Teal ones do seem to draw the most interest.
I don’t closely follow their prices but I suspect it isn’t far off.
I’d prefer Teal as well. The ones I drove were red, which was not good for staying anonymous….
But after driving both the “normal” Cobra and the “R” model, I still have pretty vivid memories of them and, frankly, none have to do with them not being different enough from other versions. The changes to engine and suspension were pretty apparent, especially after 100 miles or so of back roads. I remember talking to one of the “Cobra” project engineers, who gave me a pretty thorough insight into what was altered. A surprising amount of the improvements came from playing mix-and-match in the Mustang parts bins.
And it’s worth noting that the rumored output of the massaged 5.0 was rather higher than Ford’s published claim. I tend to believe that.
I wanted one then, but couldn’t scare up the scratch. Nothing has changed in 31 years.
As a current 5.0 owner (’95 GT 5-speed coupe)and having owned 7 ’82-92 Fox bodies(one being an ’83 Mercury Capri),I see nothing mind-blowing on these,as they only have 10 more horsepower than a regular GT.Put these wheels,rear bumper and taillights on a 93 GT and its a dead ringer.Put a cold air intake and underdrive pullies and you have more horsepower than a Cobra.It was simply Fords idea to profit from the Cobra nameplate from back in the days that it actually meant “more power than a base Mustang”.Just one man’s opinion…
Upgrade city – this is no ’93 GT:
1993 was 1st year and Grandfather of SVT Mustangs, launched at ’92 Chicago Auto show.
Check the history:
this ’93 came with underdrive pulleys- crank by 14% and water pump also.
Upgrades??:
New Special Vehicle Team went to town with special intake, cam, Crane Cams roller rockers, milled combustion chambers, larger injectors and mass air flow meter + tuned EEC IV computer.
And rear disc brakes.
1993 launched the Era of specialty mustangs and could not be more different than a plain ’93 GT – not even close.
I owned the 82, 83, 84, 86 when new and they were old news compared to the SVT mustangs.
So with ALL of that “breathed on” the 302 by the team,it only upped the HP to 235?And if that number is underrated by Ford,why on Earth would they do that,when people are expecting more bang for the extra bucks?There are no more Trans Am racing series where manufacturers lied about output.(remember Chevy’s famed 302, factory rated @ 290hp when Dyno tests consistently show the number closer to 400)At any rate,my 95 GT has every bolt on available,the last piece of my puzzle is a supercharger,putting me at approximately 400hp to the wheels,and smoking this $60k Cobra at the street light wars.All for less than $10k, including the purchase price of my car.
More than 10HP but that’s what Ford wanted to rate it at. Would walk a GT, worked at a dealer and did line them up. Would slowly walk away from the GT. PS, the Lightning would Almost corner as good as a GT. Unheard of handling for a truck at that time.
You’re off. Hp was refigured late. Gats had 205. The Gt40 heads and intake make a huge difference over E7 and stock intake. Shame on you.
Hate to say this, but the misaligned numbers on the odometer scream “tampering”. And that driver’s seat has enough “stretch’ to it to suggest higher miles too.
I consider the ZR-1 mentioned above as appreciating faster than this Cobra. Unless the seller has a change of heart and asks $40k, I’ll pass.
I driven and road in a number of fast cars going back to the 60’s.
Corvettes, GTX,Chevelle, Pantera but I must say my son’s stock 13′ Shelby GT 500 with 662 hp scares me.
This Mustang would work for me.
I bought a red one brand new at Winner Ford in Cherry Hill,NJ. That car was an absolute monster, I put 3.55 gears in it an a pair of dirt track sticky tires in the back at the track ( McCreary Dirt Bozz I believe ). In my four years of ownership I amassed over 220 time slips at ATCO Dragway on street nights. That car ran consistent 12.80’s at 110 lifting the left front wheel with every 6k launch! There wasn’t a single LX.GT,Z28 or Grand Trashinal that would come close.Ford got that one right!
Former S.Jersey boy here.Saw Grumpy Jenkins at Atco I few times,but I hung out at the old Vineland Speedway asphalt oval watching # 16 Hildreth run.
The Dirt Bozz tires were the bomb.We figured if they hooked in the dirt, they will certainly hook on the street and Track. Fond memories. They were from Hoosier.
I think your right about Hoosier, I’m pretty sure I tried a McCreary tire first but it wouldn’t hook. Street night would be jam packed back then, there would be four wide in the staging lanes with 20 or more cars in each lane.
I had an LX convertible 5.0 (mint green 7-up car) of the same vintage and it was identical internally. What did the SVT Cobra add??
Thank you for setting the others straight. The 93 Cobra was putting 235 to the rear wheels while the other 5ohs were pushing 50 or 60 rwhp less. My 95 GT 5-speed, last year of the push rod 5 liter, I once saw only pushed 165 at the wheels until I got a hold of it. The 1993 Cobra is a very special and limited numbers car, a great ending to the Fox-Body Mustang.
Mister Green, TorinoSCJ69 listed the main differences at the very least. That hard top Cobra would have destroyed your heavy convertible LX. Not saying it wasn’t a nice car.
Way too much money for the performance,i got a few turbo 4cyl mustangs that would pretty blow the doors of this plastic 90s classic,would even be generous and give em’ a few car lengths…..