In this edition of Muscle Car Milestones, we’ll take a look at the 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra. The 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra has the honor of being the first vehicle conceived by Ford’s newly created Special Vehicle Team. Ford introduced the new Mustang SVT Cobra to devoted Mustang fans during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show. This coupe helped elevate the pony car war that had been fought with General Motors since the 1960s. So how well did the 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra perform? Let’s take a look at this muscle car icon and find out.

By 1993, Ford’s Fox-body Mustang had gotten long in the tooth. The platform dated back to 1979 when disco, the Sony Walkman, and the Intel 8088 were still in their infancy. The Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were all new and more powerful for 1993, so the Ford Mustang SVT Cobra injected some much-needed oomph into the Mustang lineup.

Ford built approximately 5,000 Mustang SVT Cobras for the 1993 model year. The 1993 Mustang SVT Cobra was available in Black, Teal Metallic, and Vibrant Red. Styling cues that distinguished the SVT Cobra from the Mustang GT include an open front fascia with pony emblem, integrated rocker panel extension moldings, and rear bumper fascia. The SVT Cobra also featured Cobra badging in place of “5.0” badges, a rear decklid spoiler, and was devoid of the faux scoops ahead of the front and rear wheels. 17 x 7.5-inch finned cast aluminum wheels came wrapped in Goodyear P245/45ZR17 black side wall tires.

Changes to the interior were considerably subtle compared to the Mustang SVT Cobra’s exterior. The main difference between the Mustang GT and the Mustang SVT Cobra was the floor mats with red “Cobra” embroidery. Interiors include black cloth, Opal Gray cloth, with Opal Gray leather as optional. Other optional amenities include a rear window defogger, four-way power driver’s seat, and AM/FM radio with CD player.

Pop the SVT Cobra’s hood and you’ll find a 5.0-liter, fuel-injected V8 with 235 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. In case you’re wondering, that’s 30 more horses than the Mustang GT. The SVT Cobra’s engine featured a high-lift camshaft, tuned-length intake manifold, and high-flow-capacity pump and injectors. This engine also features a compression ratio of 9.0:1 and hits the redline at 6,000 rpm. The sole transmission available was a five-speed, close-ratio Borg-Warner T-5 transmission with phosphate-coated gears and upgraded bearings to enhance its sturdiness.

Other performance components include a Ford 8.8-inch rear end with 3.08 limited-slip gearing. Bringing the SVT Mustang Cobra to a stop came courtesy of 10.84-inch vented discs up front and 10.07-inch vented discs in the rear. The Mustang SVT Cobra’s front suspension included independent, modified MacPherson struts and a 25-millimeter roll bar. The rear suspension featured a rigid axle located by four trailing links, coil springs, and 27-millimeter roll bar.

Car & Driver tested the Mustang SVT Cobra for their February 1993 issue. The Mustang SVT Cobra could run from 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds and sprint the quarter mile in 14.3 seconds at 98 miles per hour. Ford rated top speed at 140 miles per hour.

The 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra came nicely equipped for around $21,400. That equates to about $45,000 today. Speaking of price, prices for low mileage 1993 Mustang SVT Cobras are quite lofty today. A teal SVT Cobra with 7,000 miles crossed the block for $88,000 at the 2022 Mecum Indianapolis auction. In May 2022, a 35-mile teal SVT Cobra auctioned for a whopping $94,000 on Bring a Trailer.

The 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra closed out the Fox-body era on a high note. Looking back, the Special Vehicle Team’s first creation set a standard that continued until the team was disbanded in 2015. With the new SN95 Mustang on the way, Ford ushered out the Fox-body Mustang with a bang.