“It won’t hurt your ears” is the first thing Ford says about this Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 in its official statement. That’s because the headline here is that, though it does use the “Cobra Jet” name, this is more like the first of the Mustang line to go all-electric. This is a dragster prototype that loses its massive V-8 engine, but picks up a quarter-mile time in the low 8-second range. Even better, it will get there while traveling over 170 mph.
Yes, Ford did technically debut the Mustang Mach-E crossover as it’s first “all-electric Mustang.” However, that’s a derivative of the conventional coupe we all know (and most of us love), while this is a full-on Mustang that’s adopted an electric powertrain. It’s a prototype for now, but with that sort of performance making a case for electric power, it’s surely a sign of things to come with the rest of the pony car lineup, including the production cars. “Electric powertrains give us a completely new kind of performance and the all-electric Cobra Jet 1400 is one example of pushing new technology to the absolute limit,” says Ford Icons global director Dave Pericak.
In pushing performance, the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 puts down over 1,400 horsepower and 1,100 lb-ft of torque. That’s quite a healthy boost on, say, a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, which manages a still-insane 840 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged Hemi V-8 (though professional drag racers can push those a lot further). For a “production” car, something like the Cobra Jet 1400 is on a completely different level. Not that these will be prowling the streets, mind you. Beyond just being a prototype, these cars are sold to professional drag racers, as they’re not intended for street use.
The Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 will debut later this year at a drag racing event. The company did not specifically mention which one, though it could likely be the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. Before that, you can catch a sneak peek of it on Motor Trend on Demand’s “Hard Cell”.
