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Ford Mustang Cobra Coupe crams 305 hp into ultimate pony car
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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Mustang, Ford's remarkable pony car, set a generation on edge with envy when it debuted in 1964.
The editions of 1996, rigged with sensuous exteriors and impressive power packages purring below that long hood, still warp the mind with lust for those who love slick wheel sets that feel good and deliver car-fun in racy packages.
Yet Mustang represents a narrow focus that's almost retroactive: Detroit steel muscled up with heady horsepower directed to the rear wheels.
Today's Mustang in cute coupe and risque ragtop poses as three different animals.
In base coupe trim, Mustang with 3.8-liter Essex V6 aboard, serves as the bargain buy at $15,700. Add about $6,000 and you can drive the dazzling convertible variation.
You won't set speed records in these entry editions, as horsepower runs to 150, but you'll look good in a sharp package and still get all the basics -- from the mystique of the Mustang label and that slipstream styling to contemporary safety assets like dual airbags and a clever interior design which debuted in the 1994 remake.
Mustang's image as raucous 'guy car' hinges on beefy power from rip-roaring engines, and to find this kind of Mustang you must step up in price as well as performance.
The good news for 1996 is that Ford has installed two new 4.6-liter V8 engines in Mustang's serious editions, which also come with sport-tuned suspension hardware and other high-performance paraphernalia.
Mustang GT carries a revised version of Ford's single-cam V8 which in this installation produces 215 hp.
That power rating compares evenly against GT's former plant, a 5.0-liter pushrod V8, but the new version is far smoother and delivers strong low-end torque for faster accelerations in stop-light derbies.
Mustang GT utilizes the same standard 5-speed manual Borg-Warner transmission of the base Mustang, or an optional wide-ratio 4-speed automatic.
In addition, GT's suspension has been addressed in 1996 versions to reduce understeer with new 30-mm front stabilizer bar and a thicker one at the rear. Firestone R-rated 16-inch all season tires appear standard, with Goodyear Gatorback Z 17s optional.
With GT, Ford's list price for coupe nears $18,000, or $24,000 for convertible.
But, you say, you're the kind of guy who wants it all -- all the looks, all the action, all the power.
Well, Mustang can deliver on all counts now.
Call it Cobra.
As the snake in Mustang's stable, Cobra packs enough power to choke a horse.
Cobra also carries all of the accoutrement necessary for hair-raising action in rip-roaring mode.
To create this new Cobra, Ford lifted from Lincoln Mark VIII the dual-cam 4.6-liter V8 with 32 valves and sequential electronic multi-point fuel injection. Power from this engine climbs to 305 in Cobra, with 300 lbs/ft of torque at 4800 rpm.
How fast is it?
Well, in private tests I ran a Cobra up to 60 mph in about five seconds and change. Official figures put that mark at 5.5 seconds, ranking it at the top of a short list of American muscle cars.
Extensive experience in the 1996 Mustang GT and Cobra -- on a high-speed Wisconsin race course, at home during a week's worth of city driving, and zipping through the Santa Inez Mountains of California to flats of the high desert -- produced new opinions about Ford's legends-in-progress.
First, those new V8 engines, long overdue, upgrade Mustang into a class act for smooth but muscular action.
Cobra in particular, although produced in quantity limited to only 10,000 units for 1996, easily represents the best Mustang ever built. It sells for about $25,000, with a convertible variation due at mid-year.
This story goes beyond raw power, though, because Cobra earns new suspension settings to tame the ride quality.
Response is tight, even crisp, and the quietness factor has been dramatically improved due to a chassis boosted by sturdy steel structural supports added as extra measures to guarantee rigidity.
All the right hardware has been packed inside Cobra: Modified MacPherson strut front suspension with separate spring on the lower control arm; power-assisted rack and pinion steering and power-boosted 4-wheel disc brakes connected to a computerized anti-lock system that's optional for Mustang and GT.
This means Mustang turns and rides, glides and slithers up snaky mountain roads in a far different manner than its immediate predecessor.
More importantly, it makes this one easy to live with for day-to-day driving.
Slip into the driver's seat and you'll find an impressive bucket designed to fit your form and provide stiff side bolsters for hard-cornering action.
That interior design impressed me with dual cockpit positions reminiscent of the original Mustang.
The design employs contrasting colors to define each front passenger's post. The dark dash line arches high over driver's instrument panel and rider's storage box, then dips through the center section in a low arch which clusters controls for Mustang's climate and sound systems.
A padded armrest mounts atop the console's storage container, just the spot to park an elbow between shifting chores. Side pockets in sculptured door panels add additional storage spaces up front.
All riders sit inside the structure of a steel cage, which contains built-in crumple zones and reinforced door panels to stem side impacts.
Even base Mustang promotes a long list of standard features, from analog instruments like the handy tachometer to comfort systems such as the tilting steering wheel.
Packaged options make ordering easy -- power equipment for windows and locks, for instance, or leather upholstery.
1996 FORD MUSTANG
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1996 FORD MUSTANG COBRA Specs |
| Description: |
Compact coupe, convertible |
| Model Options: |
Compact coupe, convertible |
| Wheelbase: |
101.3 inches |
| Overall Length: |
181.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
Mustang: OHV 3.8-L V6
GT: SOHC 4.6-L V8
Cobra: DOHC 4.6-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Mustang: Manual/5, Auto/4
GT: Manual/5, Auto/4
Cobra: Manual/5 |
| Drive: |
Rear |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/opt. ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
Cobra: 18/26 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 15,700 to $ 27,000 |
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