1997 Mustang Cobra

Mustang cobra jet Mania
Chevrolet Camaro owners should pray that the Ford Mustang 6.1 CJR ("Recipes for Speed," Nov. '96) doesn't make it into production. Chevy fans had better stock up on tissue to dry those crying eyes because with 350 horsepower, 385 pound-feet of torque, and a 13.3-second quarter-mile time, the CJR will bring new meaning to the phrase, "Have you driven a Ford lately?"
Larry Allen
Portugal Cove, Newfoundland
Canada

I want mine with air conditioning, a radio, six speeds, and Recaro seats-so where do I order it? This very well could be Ford's ace in the hole; few "factory" hot cars are available for the general public. I remember the good old days when you could plop down a little extra cash at the dealership and drive out with a screaming 427, Hemi, Cobra, or SS396. I yearn for cars with neck-snapping performance. Hello, Ford, are you listening?
Andy Byles
Euless, Texas
via the Internet

Uh, you yearn for neck-snapping acceleration and have somehow overlooked the Viper, Vette, Camaro SS LT4, and Trans Am WS6? Turn to page 38 and let the good old days rock!
-Ed.

Does Ford actually think this car is in the same league as the Chevrolet Corvette or Dodge Viper? If this is its counterattack against those two cars then I'm even more disappointed in Ford than before. Mustangs don't even have independent rear suspension.

Ford needs to quit concentrating on special, limited-production cars that end up collecting dust in garages instead of being on the street where they belong. Look at what happened to the 250 Cobra R models, the majority of which were scooped up by collectors as investments. Ford should concentrate on the performance of the mass-production Mustang GTs. I used to love the 5.0-liter Mustang GT in the late '80s and early '90s, until the introduction of the '93 Camaro Z28. I always thought Ford would get its act together and counter with something even more powerful and less, or equally, expensive. The standard Mustang GT with the 4.6-liter/215-horsepower engine gets its doors blown off by a Z28, which is the reason I recently purchased a '96 Z28. Ford has lost another Mustang fan.
Dave Guadiz
Oshkosh, Wis.

I really enjoyed your article on the Ford Mustang 6.1 CJR, but I thought it was a bit confusing. You say it only comes in white, yet on the cover it is unmistakably yellow. Also, will Ford make this car? And what does SVE stand for?
Brad Hansen
Muscatine, Iowa

Through the miracle of computer graphics, the 6.1 CJR was dipped into a bucket of Photoshop paint for the cover. Although it's unlikely that Ford will mass produce this mega-horsepower prototype built by its Special Vehicle Engineering (a.k.a. SVE) division, there's always hope.
-Ed.

I was just wondering about the "6.1" on the Mustang CJR's headlamps. The car is great with 350 ponies and everything, but what's with the "6.1" decals. Is that the new trend? Maybe I should add "2.2" on my Honda Accord.
Edward Lam
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
via the InternetCouldn't hurt.-Ed.

Recipes For Speed
I'd like to congratulate Motor Trend for writing "Power Secrets: The Inside Story" (Nov. '96). The article was concise and easy to understand. Please continue this tradition of explaining in simple English the features and differences of certain technologies as they pertain to today's automotive-related issues.
Mike Roknian
Aliso Viejo, Calif.

Whale-tail fanatics unite. What is there not to love about a car that hits 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds, slams you at a full lateral g, and can stop 60-0 mph in a hundred feet ("Recipes for Speed," Nov. '96)? My problem is I don't understand how anyone can call the domestic, so-called sports cars true performance machines. Hello, wake up. American carmakers need to get down on their knees and worship this mighty Porsche. No current domestic "performance car" can come anywhere near the true raw power of a 911 Turbo.
Rob Rickey
Georgetown, S.C.
via the Internet