A limited-production 2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R has sold for $105,000, highlighting the continued rise in collector interest for Ford’s most extreme SN95-era performance cars. Built for a single model year and produced in just 300 examples, the Cobra R represented the most focused and uncompromising Mustang Ford had ever offered at the time.
Throughout its history, the Mustang has evolved alongside changing automotive trends, balancing affordability, performance, and everyday usability. Each generation reflected its era, from the growing size and comfort of early models to the fuel-conscious Mustang II and the Fox-body’s transition into fuel injection. The SN95 generation marked another major shift, moving from traditional pushrod V-8 engines to Ford’s Modular overhead-cam powerplants.
The 2000 Cobra R stood apart even within the Special Vehicle Team lineup. While standard SN95 SVT Cobras introduced independent rear suspension beginning in 1999, the Cobra R took performance priorities further by eliminating nearly every nonessential feature. There was no rear seat, air-conditioning system, or stereo, and most sound deadening material was removed to reduce weight. The result was a raw, purpose-built driving experience amplified by a Bassani X-pipe and Borla exhaust system.
Power came from a naturally aspirated 5.4-liter V-8 derived from Ford’s tall-deck Modular architecture, sharing displacement with contemporary F-150 trucks but tuned for performance. Equipped with four-valve cylinder heads, aggressive camshafts, and a distinctive intake manifold, the engine produced 385 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque. At the time, that output made it the most powerful naturally aspirated Mustang ever built, a distinction it held until the introduction of the 5.0-liter Coyote engine in 2011.
Visually, the Cobra R was offered exclusively in Performance Red and featured unique bodywork including a power bulge hood, side skirts, a removable front splitter, and a fixed rear wing. Suspension upgrades included heavier sway bars, Bilstein dampers, and Eibach springs, helping the car achieve more than 1.0 g of lateral grip on 18-inch wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich tires.
Many Cobra Rs were preserved due to their immediate collectibility. The example that recently sold showed just 280 miles, helping push its price beyond established valuation benchmarks. While newer Mustangs offer greater outright performance, the Cobra R’s rarity, mechanical purity, and singular focus continue to secure its place as the pinnacle of SN95 Mustang engineering.
