2012 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet

Like other Mustang special-edition models, the Cobra Jet Mustang has a legacy of power, performance and victory behind it. On the 40th Anniversary of the Cobra Jet in 2008, Ford racing unveiled a special-edition Cobra Jet that lived up to the legend and won the NHRA Winternationals in its inaugural race. The 2010 Cobra Jet, which was built on the 2010 Mustang platform, has been breaking class records and competes at drag strips across the United States.

Yes, if there was an all-American badass Mustang, this is it – and it gets even better for 2012. Ford Racing has unveiled the 2012 Cobra Jet Mustang, of which the company will build 50 turn-key 2012 CJ’s.

“Ford Racing is proud to build the 2012 Cobra Jet and continue the tradition of delivering turn-key competitive race cars to Ford drag racing enthusiasts,” said George Goddu, Business Manager Ford Racing Performance Group. “With every Cobra Jet build we strive to carry the spirit of the original Cobra Jet while developing the next generation of drag racing icon. The enthusiast who races the 2012 Cobra Jet can be competitive at virtually any event, from their local track up through NHRA Stock or Super Stock classes.”

The 2012 Ford Racing Cobra Jet will be available in three color options for the first time including Race Red, Grabber Blue and Winter White. Power comes from a 5.4L aluminum V8 making 430-hp and is available with either a TVS or Ford Racing Whipple supercharger. Prices start at a whopping $103,980.

Check out the press release after the jump.

2012 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet:

Press Release:

FORD RACING ANNOUNCES 2012 COBRA JET MUSTANG

DEARBORN, Mich. – December 9, 2010 – Since its legendary introduction at the NHRA Winternationals in 1968, Ford’s Cobra Jet Mustang has created a legacy of power, performance and triumph that has carried through the decades.

In 2008, Ford Racing unveiled the 40th Anniversary Cobra Jet Mustang, which promptly lived up to the legend of the original version, duplicating the NHRA Winternationals victory in its inaugural race. The subsequent 2010 Cobra Jet, built on the 2010 Mustang platform, has been setting class records and is competitive at drag strips across the country.

Today, Ford Racing unveiled the 2012 Cobra Jet Mustang at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show in Orlando, Fla., and announced the intention to build 50 turn-key 2012 CJ’s. For the first time the Cobra Jet will be available in three color options—Race Red, Grabber Blue and Winner White—and coordinated graphics.

For decades, the Mustang has been the preeminent car in many forms of racing, including drag racing. The 2008 and 2010 Cobra Jet Mustang added to that legacy with high- profile wins at the NHRA Winternationals and U.S. Nationals, and by setting numerous Stock and Super Stock class records across the country.

The goal for the 2012 Cobra Jet is to build a turn-key race car ready to take its own place in NHRA history. The same as its predecessors in 2008 and 2010 it’s a factory-built race car intended for NHRA Stock and Super Stock racing that can also be campaigned in other racing sanctioning bodies such as NMRA, NMCA, PSCA and IHRA. The 2012 CJ will come with all of the features of the 2010 car including a full race-prepared automatic transmission, drag race-specific shocks and springs, manual steering and brakes, 8.50 certified rollcage, and an Aeromotive return-style fuel system with trunk-mounted fuel cell.

For 2012, the Cobra Jet features a 5.4L supercharged engine based on the 2011 SVT Mustang with two supercharger options, a 2.3 liter TVS unit or a 4.0 liter Ford Racing Whipple supercharger. Each vehicle has an aluminum block engine, standard automatic transmission, double keyed crankshaft, Manley H-beam connecting rods, low-drag racing brakes and optimized spring rates for the front and rear. Additionally the Cobra Jet will feature black anodized Cobra Jet wheels from Weld Racing and a new compound tire with unique Cobra Jet branding from Goodyear.

The same as Ford Racing’s Mustang FR500S and the 2010 Cobra Jet, this ready to race Mustang will get its start at the Auto Alliance International (AAI) assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich. in the first quarter of 2011. The entire 50-car run of 2012 Cobra Jets will be built on the same production line that produces the 2012 Ford Mustang production car.

The MSRP for the M-FR500-CJ is $91,900 with a fully loaded Cobra Jet priced at $103,980.

For racers who want to build their own cars, there is a Mustang Competition Roller based on the Cobra Jet that is serialized and complete, minus the power train. The third option would be to start with a Mustang Body-In-White or a donor car since nearly all of the CJ components can be found in the Ford Performance Parts catalog found online at fordracingparts.com.

- By: Omar Rana

Bill Elliott, working Hajek Motorsports and Ford Racing, announced today that he will attempt to break his 22-year-old NASCAR top speed record. Hajek Motorsports owner, Brent Hajek, said that he will work with Ford Racing on the company’s Hajek E-85 Mustang FR500C, which has been reconfigured to NASCAR specs.

Elliott will attempt to break his own record of 212.089 mph as FIA officials watch to verify and validate the record.

The Hajek Motorsports E-85 Mustang is currently undergoing final preparations at Bill Elliott’s race shop in Dawsonville, Georgia. The record breaking attempt will take place on Wednesday, May 13.

Follow through for the press release and the high-res image gallery.

2008 Ford Mustang FR500CJ:

Press Release:

HAJEK MOTORSPORTS WILL ATTEMPT TO BREAK NASCAR SPEED RECORD IN AN E-85 POWERED MUSTANG FR500C

AMES, Okla., May 6, 2009 – Brent Hajek already has a passion for living, but that passion burns brightest when he’s talking about racing, racing history and his love of all things Ford. Fortunately for fans of Ford, Hajek’s passion has prompted the Ames, Oklahoma native and owner of Hajek Motorsports to pursue his own place in racing history.

Hajek Motorsports has been around since the 1970s, and over the years Brent Hajek has amassed an impressive collection of historical race cars, predominantly Ford, that once carried some of the biggest names in racing.

Those vehicles include a NHRA Gas Ronda ’66 Ford Mustang, Bob Glidden’s ’88 Ford Thunderbird, Parnelli Jones’ ’63 NASCAR Mercury Marauder, David Pearson’s ’69 Ford Torino Talladega, and Bill Elliott’s ’87 Ford Thunderbird, which is the all-time NASCAR speed record holder.

For Hajek, a successful oilman and a farmer, owning motorsports history wasn’t enough. He wanted to make his own racing history.

“It all changed when I first saw the Mustang FR500C,” said Hajek. “That car was amazing and it really got me thinking about how we could really accomplish some cool things if we put our minds to it. The FR500C has won championships and it has won high profile races, but I felt like it hasn’t received the credit or attention it deserves. So I decided it was time to chase some of these records and to make a little history. I started talking with the guys at Ford Racing and they have been incredibly supportive of our efforts.”

Last August, he took an E-85 converted Mustang FR500C to the Bonneville Salt Flats in search of the land speed record for an Ethanol powered car. Forced to run in the unlimited fuel class, his E-85 Ethanol powered Mustang posted an initial run of over 252 mph. A mechanical failure didn’t allow the team to make the validation run, but the 252 mph run earned their car the unofficial designation by some as the “˜fastest production Mustang on earth.’

On Wednesday, May 13, Hajek Motorsports will embark on its next challenge, with technical support from Ford Racing, when they attempt to break the 22-year-old NASCAR speed record held by Bill Elliott. Elliott himself will pilot Hajek’s E-85 Mustang FR500C, which has been reconfigured to NASCAR specs, at Talladega in an attempt to break his 212.089 mph qualifying lap from 1987 at the same track. FIA officials will be on site to verify the attempt and to validate the record.

Hajek Motorsports and Ford Racing hopes to continue the success from Hajek’s last Ford Racing-related program. It was Hajek who eagerly accepted the challenge of taking delivery of the first 40th Anniversary Mustang FR500CJ, better known as the Mustang Cobra Jet. With only a month to prepare, he entered four Cobra Jet’s for the NHRA season opener in Pomona, Calif. Not only did his team meet the deadline, but Hajek’s Cobra Jet driven by John Calvert duplicated the success of the original CJ’s by winning its debut race at the NHRA Winternationals.

“Brent and his team typify the high level of enthusiasm and dedication we see from a lot of our grass roots racers and private teams that campaign Ford cars and trucks in a wide variety of series every week,” said Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North American Motorsports. “Hajek Motorsports has set their focus on breaking a variety of racing records and, although they are a private team, we are glad to aid them with engineering and technical support in their quest to make motorsports history while driving a Ford.”

“It got to the point where I was running out of cars to collect so I decided I better create some new classics,” said Hajek. “Nobody has ever taken the same car to Bonneville and Talladega, so we decided to be the first to do it. I have always thought that the only person who should break Bill Elliott’s NASCAR speed record is Bill Elliott, so next week will be pretty exciting for everyone involved.”

The Hajek Motorsports E-85 Mustang is currently at Bill Elliott’s race shop in Dawsonville, Georgia, going through final preparations. Early next week, the team will scrub tires and do initial testing, in anticipation of breaking the record on Wednesday afternoon.

- By: Kap Shah

Ford will only be making 50 units of the race-ready 2008 Ford Mustang FR500CJ. One of the units, signed by the legendary John Force, was auctioned off at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., for a total of $375,000.

John Force was there on hand to say a few word about the Ford Mustang FR500CJ which sold for a total of $306,000 over its retail price-tag. Proceeds from the auction will go to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Refresher: Power for the NHRA-legal FR500CJ comes from a 5.4L supercharged V8 producing 428-hp. The drag-racer Cobra Jet is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and a drag race wheel/tire combination.

2008 Ford Mustang FR500CJ:

We saw the 2008 Ford Mustang FR500CJ briefly last month, but today Ford took the wraps off the race-ready Mustang at the 2008 SEMA Auto Show. Known simply as the Cobra Jet, it will join the Mustang FR500S, the Mustang FR500C and the Mustang FR500GT.

The Cobra Jet is the drag racing version of the Mustang FR500S, “allowing those interested in NHRA sportsmen drag racing the opportunity to get involved with an affordable vehicle that can compete right off of the truck and run in the 10-second range.” By affordable FoMoCo means $69,000. Oh and did we mention - Ford will only be producing 50 units for the 2008 model year all of which have already been ordered by Ford dealers for delivery to customers. In other words – it’s sold out.

Power for the NHRA-legal FR500CJ will come from a 5.4L supercharged V8 producing 428-hp.

2008 Ford Mustang FR500CJ:

FoMoCo is working out the final kinks to release a limited-edition racing car inspired by the 1968 Cobra Jet Mustang. The Ford Mustang FR500CJ recently hit up the Michigan Milan Dragway showing off its skills.

Power for the NHRA-legal drag racer comes from a 5.4L V8 used on the GT500 producing 428-hp.

Ford says that the Mustang FR500CJ will have a limited run of 50 units and will go on sale in December with prices starting at $69,990. Deliveries will begin in February 2009.

Click through to see a video of the 2009 Ford Mustang FR500CJ in action.

2009 Ford Mustang FR500CJ: