``This is the fastest, best-handling Mustang ever. It will set a performance benchmark for the competition,'' says John Coletti, Ford Special Vehicle Engineering manager. ``Cobra R combines high-performance hardware and engineering that go a long way toward making it the best of the breed.''

Tom Scarpello, specialty vehicle marketing manager at Ford, says the 2000 Cobra R is both a race car and a modern icon.

``Three hundred people will be able to have a lot of fun in this car, and be very competitive racing it,'' Scarpello says. ``That's what Mustang, and Cobra R in particular, is all about. This car elevates the whole idea of Mustang -- without changing what it's been for more than 35 years.''

Cobra R equipment includes a 385-horsepower 5.4-liter 4-valve DOHC V8 engine from Ford's modular engine family, a McLeod aluminum flywheel, a Tremec six-speed manual transmission, 18 x 9.5-inch wheels and tires, Brembo 4-piston aluminum front brake calipers, Eibach racing springs, and a 21-gallon Fuel Safe fuel cell. A rear wing and front splitter provide high-speed aerodynamic stability. The car's top speed is more than 170 mph.

Winning on a road course is all about transitions in and out of corners, and handling those corners is the 2000 Cobra R's forte. With lateral acceleration higher than 1.0g on the 100-foot skidpad, Cobra R sets a new benchmark for road-holding in its class.

``Everything we've done on this car is a notch, or several notches, above anything we've done before,'' Coletti says. ``This 2000 Cobra R pushes the performance envelope far beyond the capabilities of any previous Mustang.''

SOURCE: Ford Motor Company

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MW Note: We were sent a bogus press release that mentioned that Cobra R Production had been delayed that was posted for a few hours on Monday morning (3/20), this was NOT true. We apologize for the error with that posting.