2023 Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra#1
Whip Score: 1205
Muscle · 3 models
The Mustang, the F-150, the GT40, the Bronco. No American maker has produced more icons across more categories than Ford.
MuscleFord has the deepest catalog of culturally important vehicles in the American auto industry. The Mustang is the original pony car and has run continuously since 1964 across seven generations. The F-Series has been the best-selling vehicle in America for over four decades. The GT40 won Le Mans four years in a row from 1966 to 1969 and humiliated Ferrari while doing it. The Bronco built a reputation as a serious off-roader before disappearing for two decades and returning in 2021 to a market that had been waiting. The Mustang is the spine of Ford performance. The first generation (1964-1973) defined the pony car category. The Fox-body (1979-1993) became the staple of American grassroots drag racing because the chassis was light and the 5.0 liter pushrod V8 responded to every bolt-on ever made. The S197 (2005-2014) brought the retro design back. The S550 (2015-2023) introduced independent rear suspension, properly competitive handling, and the Shelby GT350 with its flat-plane crank 5.2 liter Voodoo V8. The current S650 continues the line. Outside the Mustang, the modern Ford performance lineup runs deep. The Raptor F-150 reset what a high-speed off-road truck could be. The Focus RS and Fiesta ST were two of the best front-wheel drive (FWD or AWD in the case of RS) hatches ever sold in North America before Ford pulled them. The Ford GT (both 2005-2006 and 2017-2022) revived the GT40 silhouette as a modern halo car. On WhipJury, Ford submissions are heavy on Mustangs (every generation, but especially Fox-bodies, S197 GTs, and S550 GT350s), Raptors, F-150s, Focus RS and Fiesta STs, and the occasional Ford GT or vintage Bronco.
First generation (1964-1973). Defined the pony car. Inline six base, V8 options up through the 428 Cobra Jet and 429 Boss. The 1969 Boss 302 and Boss 429 are the apex of the run. Massive influence on the entire muscle car category.
Fox-body (1979-1993). Light unibody, simple suspension, 5.0 HO V8 from 1986 onward. Became the default American drag racing chassis. Nearly every aftermarket part for a small block Ford was developed for or refined on a Fox.
SN95/New Edge (1994-2004). Bigger and softer than the Fox. The Cobra and Mach 1 variants reclaim some performance credibility. The 03/04 Terminator Cobra with its Eaton-supercharged 4.6 DOHC is a cult car.
S197 (2005-2014). Retro design returns. Solid rear axle through the entire run. The Shelby GT500 with the supercharged 5.4 liter and later 5.8 liter is the headliner; the Boss 302 (2012-2013) is the connoisseur pick.
S550 (2015-2023). Independent rear suspension, the Coyote 5.0, and the GT350 Voodoo flat-plane V8. The first Mustang that handles seriously on a road course.
S650 (2024-present). Current car. Coyote evolved, Dark Horse trim with Tremec manual, and a hybrid GTD ultra-track model launching as a halo.
The F-Series has outsold every other vehicle in America since 1981. The F-150 specifically (the half-ton variant) drives most of that volume. Ford figured out earlier than most competitors how to package the truck as a daily driver, then how to layer increasingly extreme variants on top: the SVT Lightning of the 1990s and 2000s, the Raptor starting in 2010, and the Tremor and Lightning EV in the current generation. The Raptor in particular invented the "factory pre-runner" category and forced GM and Ram to follow.
The GT40 program started after Henry Ford II tried to buy Ferrari in 1963 and was rebuffed. Ford then committed to beating Ferrari at Le Mans, which the program achieved in 1966 (1-2-3 finish), 1967, 1968, and 1969. The 2005-2006 Ford GT and the 2017-2022 Ford GT both reference the GT40 silhouette and represent the modern Ford halo car program.
Ford is one of the most active makes on the platform. Mustangs of every generation are common, with Fox-bodies and Coyote-swap projects particularly active. Raptors and lifted F-150s have a strong presence. Focus RS owners are a tight community on the platform; the same is true for Ford GT owners on the rare occasions one is posted.
