Imagine being able to teleport yourself to 2003 to buy a brand-new Mustang from over two decades ago. The cherry on top: The car isn’t even yet “dealer-prepped” – it comes with the protective plastics both inside and out – almost as if it rolled out of the Dearborn, Michigan, assembly plant just yesterday.
The Pick of the Day is an 8.7-mile (yes, you read that right – eight-point-seven-mile) 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra 10th Anniversary coupe listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by HGREG LUX in Pompano Beach, Florida. (Click here to view the listing)
The fourth generation of the popular Mustang pony car launched in 1994 using what Ford internally called the “SN95” design. Straight out of the gate, the car was a marketplace success: It was named Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year” for its ability to revitalize the muscle car image for a new generation of buyers. In that vein, magazine advertisements for the SN95 Mustang harkened back to the original Mustang from 1964 as “the horse that carried away a nation, untamed spirit captured in chrome.” The 1994 Mustang was said to have “that same spirit captured in an all-new shape.”
The SN95 generation lasted through 2004. Toward the tail end of that span – specifically, for model year 2003, a 10th Anniversary Mustang Cobra was sold in commemoration of 10 years of Ford’s “Special Vehicle Team.” There were 2,003 total units produced with the 10th Anniversary package.
How about a refresher on the Special Vehicle Team? “SVT” was a division of Ford Motor Company dedicated to the production of high-performance vehicles. Much like BMW has its “M” and Mercedes-Benz has its “AMG,” Ford channeled its engineering knowledge and dollars into squeezing more power, enhanced handling and sportier aerodynamics from some of its models. The first two vehicles that SVT worked on were the SVT Lightning F-Series pickup truck and the SVT Cobra Mustang.
Which brings us to what may very well be the lowest-mileage fourth-gen Mustang in the country.
HGREG LUX provided some key details and over 50 photos of the exceptional car: The Torch Red exterior retains its factory-applied protective plastics on the bumpers and the sideview mirrors – in fact, many aspects of the car are still wrapped up, including the seats, the steering wheel and even the radio display. The car’s 17-inch split-spoke wheels were exclusive to 10th Anniversary models, and handling was optimized by an SVT-specific suspension using linear-rate springs and gas-pressurized Bilstein dampers.
Power for this mean machine is provided by a supercharged 4.6-liter DOHC Modular V8 featuring a cast-iron block, aluminum cylinder heads, a forged rotating assembly, and an oil cooler. Ford rated the engine at 390 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque when new. A TREMEC T-56 six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential handle the task of getting power to the rear (original) Goodyear Eagle tires.
The car will come with the original window sticker, SVT memorabilia, magazines and two sets of keys with fobs. HGREG LUX says, “Experience the legacy and exclusivity of this 2003 Ford Mustang Cobra 10th Anniversary, an ultra-rare collector’s car with just 8 miles on the odometer. This is a pristine opportunity to own a piece of Mustang history. Don’t miss out!”
Would you unwrap and enjoy the car or stash it away for safekeeping? Either way, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a 22-year-old car as “fresh” as this Cobra. Check out the photo album, and envision yourself becoming the lucky owner of this essentially brand-new car.
The asking price is $106,998.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day of the Day on ClassicCars.com.