Until the Ford Mustang Cobra R came along in 2000, the Shelby GT350R was perhaps the superstar of all Mustangs. A limited production car with a high price tag, the 2000 Cobra R produced 385 hp from the factory and sold for nearly twice what other Mustangs were going for. Someone saw the collector potential for this car and put it into storage for more than 20 years. At just 103 miles today, it’s in Rye, New Hampshire, and available here on eBay for $159,900 (or Make Offer).
In 2000, a “standard” Mustang Cobra stickered for $27,600. For another $23,840 (this is not a misprint), you could add the “R” competition option which gave you the fire-breathing 5.4-liter V8 engine, a special 6-speed manual transmission, adjustments to the suspension, braking, and exhaust – and no access to factory air conditioning. It also had a race-ready fuel cell and minimalized interior, so you could head straight out to the racetrack if you wanted to. At a $55,000 total price tag, only 300 were built
The original buyer of this car saw a huge future upside on the collectability of these cars and squirreled it away. In 2016, it was in Texas and featured on Car and Driver when it was for sale then for $80,000. We’re guessing it sold because it’s now in New Hampshire with its original wrappers still on the seats and just over 100 miles on the odometer. And the asking price has doubled.
We’re told this car is being offered out of a private collection where it’s kept company with several other 2000 Cobra R’s. This Mustang’s original sticker price would equate to $88,000 in 2021 dollars. The $80,000 price tag in 2016 is up to about $92,000 in 2021 terms. Even though it looks new and has the mileage of a demo car, it’s still a used automobile, rare as it is. But has its value doubled in the past five years? Only the next owner knows the real answer to that.
The original owner may have projected “huge future upside” but definitely didn’t realize it. It was on it’s 3rd owner by the time it was listed at $80k in 2016. What really did the 1st owner make after paying for storage, lost opportunity cost of capital for the first 13 years? The present owner is just on a fishing expedition, having just bought it a few months ago for $80k and now listing it at $159k.
Hi JCA how do you know what the current owner paid for the car anyway?
Built to race and drive fast and will 99.9% chance do neither ever. Its just a piece of metal and plastic Art.
I agree with you on this. Well spoken. It’s pure insanity to pay this price for this car. Like you said just plastic , metal and glass nothing more.
It’s a shame that this wonderful car sits unused now for 22 years, and a bigger shame that this owner sounds like he has other Cobra Rs keeping this one company. He’ll probably lose money on every one, when you consider storage and transportation costs.
Weird that the one on BF classifieds a couple of weeks ago was also from NH. Two mint Cobra Rs 35 miles apart from each other.
This is one sweet ride-although it hasn’t gotten a chance at showing itself. Its really a piece of stock. I don’t mean that in a bad way and it is nice to look at a nice look at, what is a still as new. Another example is a neighbor Has super nice mustang that just sit in the drive way.Its a 2004 roush gt mustang. It has a cool looking stance and is the same color as this featured car. Its at least been there for 5 years, not even a cover until this summer. I thought it was broke until i meant the wife of the guy that owns it. He is 75 years old don’t do much but nap and watch the tube. When he does drive its his truck. I asked if it would be for sale and she said never, he got it new and quit driving it to keep the miles off. Another rare car destine to rot away. He says its his retirement. I wish i could get it and save it.At least they know where i live and I get a knock on my door!
The old fellow would have been far better off putting his money into a mutual fund back in 2004. Roush Mustangs are generally not worth that much, compared to factory specials. And if it’s in the driveway, I assume that means it’s outside, which is not good. The old codger’s descendants are going to be awfully annoyed once he expires, especially if it’s after the coming market correction!
You would think this car would sell itself with the fact it only has 103 miles on it, but if the seller thinks someone will just plunk down $160K for it you’d think there would be more than 6 postage stamp size pictures.
I am certainly not selling my original 65 Shelby GT350 for only $160k ha ha ha!!!! Not even double that!!!!
Real hot rods don’t need air conditioning.
I could never understand the fascination of this body style.
It always make me think that it’s part Toyota.
It takes more than the ability to make fast to be an awesome car.
He’ll, in that case – strap a jato to the back of a pinto.
$159K. Gimme a break. For that money I’m getting a very nice 65-66 Shelby GT350.
I am certainly not selling my original 65 Shelby GT350 for only $160k ha ha ha!!!! Not even double that!!!!
Ah…..The Greater Fool Theory……..bitcoin anyone?
Saving a Car like this is a lot like not making love to you S/O keep the miles off of it and save it for the next person. They are only new once, They are only worth what someone wants to pay for them, If people quit getting stupid with them the prices wouldn’t be outta reach. Me I’m a POOR MAN, I gotta work for what I get and once I get it I USE IT.
There was no “standard Mustang Cobra” for 2000. The Cobra R was the only Mustang Cobra sold that year.
After the overrated HP and IRS vibration problems forced Ford to buy back dozens of ’99 Cobras, SVT suspended the Cobra model until those issues could be sorted for the 2001 Cobra. John Coletti, director of SVT at the time wanted to vindicate Ford of those failures for the turn of the century Cobra model. So he swung for the fences to build the untimate factory race weapon with the Cobra R (“Race is what the “R” was meant to stand for).
If you look at the way it was positioned at the time, the Cobra R was a rolling showcase of factory integrated parts from aftermarket suppliers that worked to help develop the car, and were happy to have their products featured. I always thought this was a bold approach after SVT had spent years marketing their Mustang Cobras as being superior to aftermarket builder cars from Saleen, Steeda, and Roush. In the end it worked out well for everyone. Coletti kept the Cobra model alive to deliver a great 2001 car, and later the excellent “Terminator” Cobras. And the suppliers all sold a ton of performance upgrade parts that they could now claim to be “race proven” by Ford.
Sadly very few of these cars ever saw track time, and most got squirreled away like this one to “protect their future value”. Makes me wonder if the seller might get closer to their highly optimistic asking price if this car had a legit racing provenance
I agree Leslie.
Without any track time where is the value?