Here’s Why The Rare 1993 Mustang SVT Cobra R Is So Valuable Today – SlashGear

Under the hood, both the 1993 Mustang SVT Cobra and Cobra R used the same 5.0 liter V8 engine block as regular V8-equipped Mustangs, but with a healthy sprinkling of performance parts from Ford Motorsport (now Ford Racing) including the intake manifold, throttle body, cylinder heads, and a bespoke camshaft from Crane. Ford rated the Cobra R’s engine at 235 horsepower and 280 lbs-ft torque, a 30 horsepower gain over the standard 5.0 liter V8.

Mustang enthusiasts have long suspected that horsepower rating was extremely conservative given all the speed parts involved and indeed, their suspicions were proven correct in a 2020 dyno test. The actual result was more like 255 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque.

Road and Track recorded a zero to 60 mpg time of 5.7 seconds on its way to a 14.3-second standing quarter mile. Impressive stats for the 1990s, but the Cobra R was about more than just going fast in a straight line. The suspension had Koni adjustable shocks and struts, beefier sway bars, and chassis stiffening. Sharp-eyed readers might notice that wheels look familiar. That’s because Ford previewed the wheels from the upcoming fourth-generation 1994 Mustang GT, likely chosen for their robust 5-lug bolt pattern, whereas most third-gen Mustangs used a wimpy 4-lug setup.

Under those black-painted SN-95 wheels are a set of four-wheel disc brakes (regular Mustangs had rear drums) with vented rotors, sized 13 inches in front and 10.5 inches at the rear. The braking system is said to have cost over $2,000 — the “most expensive brakes ever fitted to a [production] Mustang” at the time, according to a Ford executive engineer who talked to LMR.