Ford Cobra
Published May 15, 2007
0 Ratings
What Is It?
Ford Cobra Concept
What's Special About it?
Ford (like every other carmaker lately) seems to have been bitten by the "expensive-but-really-cool-performance-car" bug. The company has taken the same design team, and many of the same components, from the Ford GT and produced yet another retro-rod concept car — in record time. It took the design team just five months to produce this fully functional vehicle that can go over 100 mph right now (many concept cars are nothing but sexy shells sitting on delicate mechanicals that aren't meant to go over 15 mph).
As with any serious performance exercise, the heart and soul of this car is the engine, a 6.4-liter V10 that produces 605 horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque. The block is all aluminum and mates to a Ricardo six-speed transmission that is topped by a billet shifter. Ford's J Mays says it can do zero to 60 mph in "under four seconds" and will "approach top speeds of 180 mph." The steering, suspension and brakes all come from the Ford GT, as does much of the aluminum space frame. But the car is more than two feet shorter than the GT; it features P275/40R18 racing tires up front and P345/35R19 tires in back.
Inside the no-nonsense shell you'll find more front-seat legroom than a Crown Victoria, but you won't find any retractable top, side glass or audio system. The lack of exterior rearview mirrors is addressed with tiny cameras mounted in the A-pillars and a small display screen on the interior mirror. The interior features carbon-fiber racing seats, five-point harnesses and a clean, simple dashboard. Behind each seat sits a billet-aluminum roll bar, further drawing upon the original Cobra's style and race-inspired theme.
And in case you're wondering, yes, Carroll Shelby had a hand in the design and production of this concept.
What's Edmunds' Take?
The cynic in us wants to shout, "Enough with the retro already!" But the other 99 percent of our being thinks this is yet another home run for Ford. The closest thing to a Cobra in the last 38 years has been the Dodge Viper (another Carroll Shelby-inspired vehicle when he was taking paychecks from Dodge). It seems only fair that Ford should bring back one of the most iconic automobiles ever produced. Ford is being coy about production potential, but the inside word is promising: this car will be in showrooms in the near future. Depending on price and final specs, it could be one of the most exciting vehicles since the new Mustang…or the new GT. And did we mention that Ford is thinking of reviving the Bronco name? — Karl Brauer
Ford Cobra Concept
What's Special About it?
Ford (like every other carmaker lately) seems to have been bitten by the "expensive-but-really-cool-performance-car" bug. The company has taken the same design team, and many of the same components, from the Ford GT and produced yet another retro-rod concept car — in record time. It took the design team just five months to produce this fully functional vehicle that can go over 100 mph right now (many concept cars are nothing but sexy shells sitting on delicate mechanicals that aren't meant to go over 15 mph).
As with any serious performance exercise, the heart and soul of this car is the engine, a 6.4-liter V10 that produces 605 horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque. The block is all aluminum and mates to a Ricardo six-speed transmission that is topped by a billet shifter. Ford's J Mays says it can do zero to 60 mph in "under four seconds" and will "approach top speeds of 180 mph." The steering, suspension and brakes all come from the Ford GT, as does much of the aluminum space frame. But the car is more than two feet shorter than the GT; it features P275/40R18 racing tires up front and P345/35R19 tires in back.
Inside the no-nonsense shell you'll find more front-seat legroom than a Crown Victoria, but you won't find any retractable top, side glass or audio system. The lack of exterior rearview mirrors is addressed with tiny cameras mounted in the A-pillars and a small display screen on the interior mirror. The interior features carbon-fiber racing seats, five-point harnesses and a clean, simple dashboard. Behind each seat sits a billet-aluminum roll bar, further drawing upon the original Cobra's style and race-inspired theme.
And in case you're wondering, yes, Carroll Shelby had a hand in the design and production of this concept.
What's Edmunds' Take?
The cynic in us wants to shout, "Enough with the retro already!" But the other 99 percent of our being thinks this is yet another home run for Ford. The closest thing to a Cobra in the last 38 years has been the Dodge Viper (another Carroll Shelby-inspired vehicle when he was taking paychecks from Dodge). It seems only fair that Ford should bring back one of the most iconic automobiles ever produced. Ford is being coy about production potential, but the inside word is promising: this car will be in showrooms in the near future. Depending on price and final specs, it could be one of the most exciting vehicles since the new Mustang…or the new GT. And did we mention that Ford is thinking of reviving the Bronco name? — Karl Brauer