Ford launches Cobra Jet and Boss Mustangs

Two new potent Mustangs that channel the past but pack serious modern muscle will soon be available for enthusiasts.

Ford revealed the 2012 M-FR500 Cobra Jet Mustang for drag racing at the Performance Racing Industry Show in Orlando on Thursday. For road racers, the Blue Oval is adding the 2011 Mustang Boss 302S.

A mere 50 Cobra Jets will enter production for 2012. The car has a sticker price of $91,900 and comes fully loaded for $103,980. It will be available in red, blue and white with graphics. The Cobra gets a 5.4-liter engine with two supercharger options: a 2.3-liter TVS unit or a 4.0-liter Ford Racing Whipple supercharger. The Cobra Jet summons the spirit of the '68 car that dominated the NHRA Winternationals.

The racer also is fitted with an automatic transmission, a double-keyed crankshaft, low-drag racing brakes and optimized spring rates. It's set for the NHRA's Stock and Super Stock classes.

For enthusiasts who want to soup up their own 'Stangs, there is a rolling-chassis Mustang based on the Cobra Jet, minus the powertrain. Bodies-in-white also are available.

Then there's the Boss, another favorite with a 40-year lineage. This demon is also limited to just 50 examples for 2011 and stickers at $79,000. The 302S meets requirements for competition in the SCCA World Challenge GTS class and the NASA American Iron Series.

The car has a 5.0-liter V8 paired with a six-speed transmission. The suspension has two-way adjustable coil-over dampers and Ford Racing antiroll bars in both the front and rear. It also gets a six-point, FIA-spec roll cage and Recaro race seat.

Other features include a fiberglass heat-extracting hood, an adjustable front splitter and a carbon-fiber rear wing. There's also a retro Boss 302 graphics package that harks back to the original 1969 car.

The Cobra Jet and the Boss 302S will be built at the Mustang plant in Michigan.

By Michelle Koueiter