Stepping up to a 2004 Cobra is akin to finding yourself for the first time. Its bodywork isn’t much different from the 2004 Mustang GT, aside from a vented hood, big wheels, and an emblem of a snake on the front fender. It remains relatively docile looking, and if it this were an ordinary Mustang GT that may very well be understandable. Alas, this is no ordinary Mustang GT.

The 2004 Cobra is the king of the hill when it comes to Mustangs. The subtle visual differences aren’t what makes this apparent- it’s what’s underneath it all that counts. A 390 horsepower supercharged 4.6L V8 is a big part of it, as is the stiffer suspension and bigger brakes. The overall performance of the car, right down to the 6 speed transmission, is simply above and beyond that of a regular Mustang.

What it feels like to drive a 2004 Cobra

As one can imagine, the 2004 Cobra really gets going in a hurry. The supercharged V8 ignites with the kind of fury that only super-cars are known for, and it rockets the Cobra down the quarter mile in just under 12.3 seconds. If you’ve never been in a car that runs 12’s in the quarter mile there’s no other way to explain aside from one word: wow. This is not your parent’s minivan.

The gearbox is quick and precise, with first and second gears pretty much a wash under hard acceleration- too much torque will do nothing other than keep those tires spinning. For those that love power over-steer, well, here’s a car that can summon it pretty much on command.

Do You Need A 2004 SVT Cobra?

Well, no, of course you don’t. In fact, the 2004 Cobra may be a bit too much car for your average person. Its 390 horsepower engine has actually been shown to make around 420 horsepower- that much power on the street is formidable. As well, the supercharged engine requires premium unleaded, and its suspension is a bit stiff.

But, if you are daft and don’t mind taming a beast, the 2004 Cobra is king of the road- an awesome, tire squealing, neck wrenching, torque-injected king of the road. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

It isn’t every day that a performance car so awesome comes around that its given an equally fantastic nickname. The 2003 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra, called “the Terminator” by its fans and benefactors, came loaded with blistering performance and smile-inducing specifications right out of the box.

Plenty of Horsepower and Torque

The 2003 Cobra produced an astonishing 390 horsepower and 390ft-lbs of torque, making it the most powerful Ford Mustang that was factory produced. The Steeda Q400 produced roughly 400 horsepower, and the Saleen S281 produced roughly 425 horsepower. The 2003 Cobra, however, was the hardcore Mustang for those who didn’t want to go too hardcore.

Unlike the Saleen S281 or Steeda Q400, the ’03 Cobra retained just enough civility to remain street-able for just about anyone. Though it required premium fuel, and a quick twitch of your right foot could send the rear tires up in smoke in nearly any gear at any engine speed, it was able to be docile and calm when necessary.

Strong Value and Re-sale

Due to the massive curb appeal of the 2003 Cobra, demand was huge. Big 5-spoke rims, a vented hood, and Cobra badging let the world know that this was no ordinary Mustang. The exhaust (which bellowed out a V8 rumble) made it known that this Mustang was in charge of the road- it had an exhaust note that you could feel.

Due to its relative rarity and massive performance potential, the 2003 Mustang Cobra has retained its value quite well when compared to standard Mustang GTs. Owners are reluctant to let these stallions go, and buyers are seemingly willing to pay handsomely for them. One thing is for sure: if you ever own one of these epic Mustangs you will not be disappointed.

After halting production on the 2002 in the United States (2002 Cobra information), Ford came back VERY strong with the 2003 Mustang Cobra. This car, nicknamed ‘The Terminator’, produces power unlike any other Mustang to date. Coming from the factory with an Eaton supercharger, even the stock 2003 Cobra screams like a whining baby. You can judge whether or not that’s good.

Yet another Mustang Specs post. We are planning to compile spec posts for every single Mustang! These specs were pulled from the Ford Performance Group website. If you are looking for info about ANY Ford vehicle, this is the place to look.

Picture Source: Mustang Monthly

2003 Mustang Cobra Specs

Engine Type: V8
Horsepower: 390 @ 6000 RPM
Compression: 8.5:1
Displacement: 4.6L/280 CID
Torque: 390 ft/lbs @ 3500 RPM

Obviously not as powerful as the Cobra R, but these numbers are still attractive.

Top Speed: 160+ MPH
0-60 MPH: 4.5 seconds

Cutting nearly an entire second off the 0-60 time and increasing the top speed north of 160MPH makes this model by far, the most powerful factory Cobra to date.

2003 Mustang Cobra Production Information

Talk about a lot of colors…

COUPE:
Black: 2,251
White: 621
Yellow: 490
D.S.Grey: 851
M.Grey: 302
T.Red: 638
Red.F: 955
Blue: 1,052
S.Silver: 242
Silver M.: 992

CONVERTIBLE:
Black: 1,679
White: 308
Yellow: 319
D.S.Grey: 446
M.Grey: 154
T.Red: 582
Red.F: 610
Blue: 355
S.Silver: 81
Silver M.: 548

TOTAL: 13,476

Also notably, SVT offered a 10th Anniversary Special Edition package on the 2003 cobra (since the 1993 Cobra was the first year or production).

2003 Mustang Cobra 10th Anniversary Features

1. 17×9-inch Dark Argent painted alloy wheels
2. Red-painted brake calipers
3. Special interior trim
4. Red leather seating surfaces in front and back
5. SVT 10th Anniversary badges on floor mats and rear decklid
6. Available colors: Torch Red, Black Clearcoat, or Silver Mettalic.
   Production: 2,003 units

Pretty neat features overall, not including the anniversary edition. Enjoy your weekend!

This is what happens when a 14 year old tries to drive a brand new Mustang.

NOT GOOD!

Sorry to upset you, but there is very little information to be told about the 2002 Mustang Cobra. In the United States, the 2002 was not released for sale. However, about 100 of these monsters were built and shipped to Australia. Since they were shipped to Australia, additional lights were added in the grill (lower bumper) and the steering wheel was moved to the right side of the car.

The Numbers

Horsepower: 320
Torque: 317

Source: Mustang Evolution

We received a few complaints about the injustice of the 2004 Mustang Cobra Specs post (please forgive, we weren’t sure how to layout the site at that point in time!), so be prepared for a great combination of details with our 2003 and 2004 posts that are coming up!