This 1996 Ford Mustang Cobra would be a stand-out simply for having less than 10 original miles and being the top-shelf performance model, but it will also (literally) catch your eye for being one of the small batch of cars painted in the flip-flop shade known as “Mystic.” To me, this is one of the cooler special editions offered by a major manufacturer in recent memory, as the shape-shifting qualities of the paint are quite unique. Find this time-capsule Cobra here on the Vintique Motors website with the price unlisted.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Adam for the find. The Mystic paint job was limited to 2,000 cars, and the story behind how BASF pitched Ford on eventually using this unusual paint scheme is fascinating. The paint has holographic ingredients that are shared with the same recipe used to print $100 bills, making it essential that no paint deposits escape into rogue hands for fear of enabling counterfeiting operations. The website www.mystic-cobra.com has some great details on this.
Of course, in addition to the paint, we’re talking about what amounts to a brand-new Mustang Cobra. The interior essentially presents as flawless, with leather bucket seats showing no signs of use, along with the carpets and steering wheel. While not necessarily the most sought-after version of a Cobra, it’s still hard to believe someone won’t pony up the cash for the chance to own a brand-new one, especially an example that wears such an exotic paint job that rarely comes up for sale today.
I love the shot of the fender here, showing the wide variance of color baked into this paint. Of course, it’s hard to rationalize using this car for anything other than a centerpiece to a collection, and that’s for a few reasons: one, the mileage is so low that evening putting on a few hundred per year threatens much of the original investment. And second, God forbid the Cobra should be hit or otherwise require paintwork, it will be exceedingly hard to get it back to original spec. Feel free to prove me wrong, but I suspect this Cobra will forever be a static display.
A true time capsule. The Fox Mustangs are my childhood Stangs and the ones who be always wanted, but these ones always seemed like a much nicer car. It was going to be tough for anything to follow the 79-93 cars with an iconic body style and 14 year run. The color of this one is nice to look at but not for me. This thing will probably never be driven and that’s a shame, but it deserves a spot in a museum.
Well, I’ll tell ya’, I sure loved my ’95. It was everything my ’88 5.0 LX was not. While mine was no Cobra, it had a V6 and a 5 speed, and the V6 did just fine. It went almost as well as the ’88. Comfy, shifted like butter, got okay mileage, it was a much improved car. I think these were some of the best modern Mustangs, before they got all,,,IDK, weird looking.
I’m glad this one exists, being an example of as-built conditions. It’s lived this long undriven, probably should continue in that status.
I’d like to have one of these. For me the fun would be to drive it to shows, and have the inevitable conversations about the eye-catching paint and its back story.
I bought a 1996 Mystic last year with 7456 miles on it. Still smells new and rides like a dream. The SN95 body is superior to the fox body even though the fox is more widely popular. Sooner or later, the SN95 will get its reward and I’ll be sitting here with a half dozen of them.
I know this is an article about a Cobra; this is also a good time to open up discussion about Cadillac and Buick offing a color that, we were told, had what was ChromaFlair, using in $20 bills. Sharkskin on the Buick, Thinder Grey on the Cadillac.
More information
Back side
I have worked in the auto refinish industry for over 30 years in various capacities from a refinisher (20 years) and for the last 15 years I have been in marketing for a large auto paint supplier. The ChromaFlair pigment has been used for many, many years in the auto industry but is not used in the printing of money. The pigment for printing money was used for auto refinishing for a few years, mainly in custom finishes but was discontinued about 10(?) years ago because the government decided to use it for printing money. The pigment for the printing of money is a completely different pigment technology.
Very nice car though.
That makes sense, as the GM models are from 2009. I kept the info card that long! The color was available on the 2009 Cadillac CTS, DTS and the Buick Lucerne. We were told by the marketing team and engineers that the color did contain the same pigment used in $20 bills to prevent counterfiting. How much? They didn’t say…
Actually not.
That’s why I love this site, cool back stories and forgotten factory colors, options, etc. In 1994, Ford offered a color called ‘Sunrise Red’. Tbuderbirds, Cougars, even Escorts and Mercury Tracers (remember those?). The color would look pink in the sunlight, red in the shade. It was almost like a sliver base with an iridescent red top coat.
Seems like a case of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” Were I in the market for such a car, I’d quadruple the mileage in the first hour of ownership.
Given what you’d pay, you’d probably trailer it from place to place! Never understood the appeal of mega low miles. Sure it’s great it exists but you could never drive it without losing all your money.
Blue plug wires? Hmm, I am going to have to go look at mine, I don’t think that is correct. Mine has a ton of miles on it, just over 10,000…
No price means another seller looking for the “right buyer” (= a sucker with more money than common sense).
Whenever I hear a seller say they’re looking for the ‘right buyer’, that’s a signal to me to run away.
Did you not read the comment you before yours??? Its going on bring a trailer that’s why no price is listed. Do you know what bring a trailer is?
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Call for price…. That means it is way too high. I will never call for any price. If it is not printed, I will pass…. personally I thing a price should be required in every ad.
I’ll admit that they handle better than the average Fox Body, I’ve had 3 Fox Bodies. My son had an SN95 GT convertible and I loved the handling. I don’t hate these but could never really warm up to the bodystyle. The C4 Corvette falls into that category for most Corvette people. Great car but as many people in love with them. Excellent example here in this one. Museum piece for sure.
Should’uv done somethin about those mirrors.
Natec is mistaken! The color shifting pigment that BASF used was also used in the production of $100 bills. I was a BASF Technical Paint Rep. when this color came out. If memory serves me correctly only Ford dealers that were enrolled in the SVO program could get these cars. When one of them was damaged a BASF rep had order the paint through BASF and then be present when it was refinished. The color was very easy to blend in since it flip/flopped so much you could panel paint or blend it.
That color does not look good nor right on a Mustaby!
Just sayin.
I’d go for this Mustang and it is my favorite color! As a retired mechanic & body shop owner we had one of these “weird” but intriguing paint jobs! It was the Ford Aerostar Van(?). Despite my body & paint guy’s objection I was able to convince him to do it. The sad part was we didn’t make any money on it but we did discovered the technique to it. It was 99% accurate though. It was MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! If I bought this Mustang, I’d shrink wrap it and keep it in my garage with a picture of my dedicated body & paint man inside!
The seller is asking north of $60k for this car. It has RUST on the underside from being stored improperly. Who knows what else is wrong with the car from sitting and being stored improperly for 24 years.
There have been a few Mystic Cobras with less than 1000 miles sold in the last few years that were 100% perfect in every way, with no rust. They sold for no more than $39k.
For those who want REAL info on the paint – how it relates to money – and more. Mystic-Cobra.com
How do you know the seller is asking north of $60k when it’s going to auction?
How do you know the seller is asking north of $60k? Your comment is highly speculative. Did you personally speak with the seller?
Seen photographs of the underside of the car as well as text message screenshots from the seller stating my claim.
I emailed Vintique Motors, about the undercarriage rust issues.
Waiting for a response, But I won’t hold my breath.
You just emailed at 3:33am… It’s now 7:50am. Quit acting like you reached out a week ago. Do you have a serious interest or is bashing cars on the internet your entertainment?