If you were in a position where you could spend up to $100,000 on a Ford Mustang, which model would you go after? Would you choose the modern solution and opt for a Shelby GT500? Or would you go further back and look for a nice Mach 1? I guess the answer depends on what you're going to do with it at the end of the day. If drag racing isn't your thing and you'd much rather hoon around a track, then we've got something you might like.
The 2000 SVT Cobra R is a limited-edition model as you may already know, and just 300 units came off the assembly line in Dearborn that year. There's no supercharger under the hood of this thing, as you'd find in a Terminator Cobra.
But let's look at the stats for a second. The 2003 model runs on a boosted 4.6-liter V8 that's capable of delivering 390 hp and 390 lb-ft (530 Nm) of torque. And the coupe version weighs about 3,665 lbs (1,662 kg). Meanwhile, the naturally-aspirated 5.4-liter V8 of the SVT Cobra R is fairly similar in terms of performance figures.
It puts out 385 hp and 385 lb-ft (522 Nm) of torque. Of course, some people have pointed out that this vehicle might have been underrated, and that its true potential would be uncovered by driving it. With that kind of power, you could theoretically drive it up to 177 mph (282 kph).
The SVT Cobra R also happens to be lighter than the Terminator Cobra, at 3,590 lbs (1,628 kg). After all, it doesn't have backseats, air conditioning, radio, or cruise control. This vehicle was built for the hardcore Mustang driver who could afford to pay almost $55,000 for one back in 2000.
Photo: ACRSNK / Bring a Trailer
The cool thing about this particular Mustang is that it's the last one of its kind to leave the factory floor. That's right, this is #300 out of 300 units and that makes it all a bit more exciting. What's even better is that there are only 3,800 miles (6,115 km) on the odometer.
That means this could be a veritable gold mine if you think you'll be able to let it go in a few years. It has seen some racing duty, as part of the T1 class in SCCA events. If you manage to outbid everyone else, we'd highly recommend taking it out to the track. This shouldn't be a garage queen!
Speaking of which, the listing was just posted recently, and the highest bid already stands at $60,000. Looking over the transaction history on BaT, you'll notice that in seven years only 12 such listings have made their way onto the site. In 2015, someone sold their SVT Cobra R for $32,000.
But two cars got auctioned off for over $100,000 last year. The cheapest one to go in 2021 went for $61,500 but it had been driven for 42,000 miles (67,592 km)! At the current rate, we wouldn't be surprised if this car manages to set a new BaT record. So this might be your chance to own a piece of Ford history for a relatively low budget.
The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S. Full profile
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