Some of you have heard stories about people buying a car and meticulously storing it as an investment. No driving the investment, please. Some have been known to go to extreme levels, for example, by storing the car inside a nitrogen-filled bubble to reduce oxidation of the materials.
Whether the current example goes to an avid collector or a museum, the current state likely offers the very last chance to document the as-received factory condition of this significant pony car. You can track the bidding on this offering here.
So, what happens when the time comes to cash in on that investment? Well, we’re about to see and for one eBay seller, things are looking good at the moment. This Georgia collector bought and stored a 1 of 300 Y2K Mustang Cobra R. With a reported 11 miles on the odometer, even the dealer’s pre-delivery inspection was refused and all factory-original protective packaging was left in place.
As you’ll see in the photos, it doesn’t leave much to look at, but if you’ve seen one of the other 299 Cobra R’s around, you’ll know what someone is looking forward to. The car was listed on eBay early on Boxing Day. The SVT-built Mustang that had an MSRP of $54,995 is already sitting at more than $63,000, but has yet to meet the seller’s reserve bid.
According to the posted information, this car is #29 of the 300 Cobra R’s built. Ford’s SVT group built two previous Cobra R models – once in 1993 and again in 1995. A significant number of the year 2000 cars never made it into consumer’s hands, but were kept by dealer principals. An example is Brown Bros. Ford in Vancouver, BC, where the dealer kept two of these cars – one that actually was raced and the other that was kept for light duty.
The Cobra R held a 5.4-liter modular engine under the hood, delivering 385 hp at 6,200 rpm and 385 ft-lb of torque at 4,250 rpm. The normally aspirated, 32-valve engine used a 9.6:1 compression ratio. Designed for track use, the Cobra R was not available with a rear seat, stereo or air conditioning. Recaro front seats were used and the car’s side exit exhaust added distinction.
Not that the Cobra R’s body modifications were subtle. An aggressive front fascia incorporated an air splitter that, along with the fully functional rear wing, actually delivered downforce when at speed.
On one hand, it would be a shame to disturb the car’s current state, but on the other, it was never meant to be left like this. Were former SVT-head, John Coletti, to see this Cobra now, there is little doubt that his advice would be, “Get that **** off my car!”
What we’d really like to know is this: What’s under the other car cover in the background?
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