An American Icon: the 2000 Mustang
The 2000 had three trims, and not all of them were made to achieve greatness. The 2000 Mustang SVT Cobra R, though, was cut from a different cloth.
Written by Hannah DeWitt
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Cars of the early 2000s
The early 2000s were a special time for car designs. Carmakers were moving away from the angular look that dominated the 80s. However it was still well before the bubble cars that would rise to popularity in the 2010s. Such is the case for the 2000 Mustang.
The Mustang would be in direct competition with the
Chevrolet Camaro
and Pontiac Firebird. Ford knew that the Mustang had to maintain its cool factor to remain competitive. At the same time, they wanted to make an affordable Mustang for those who didn't care much about what was under the hood. To try to appease all drivers, the 2000 Mustang had three main trims: Base, GT, and Cobra. While the Base Mustang looked cool, the specs under the hood weren't too impressive. It did have a V6 that could produce 190 hp, according to
Cars.com
. Not bad for the time, but those specs would leave muscle car aficionados disappointed. For those who wanted a beefier Mustang, the GT carried a more impressive 4.6-liter V8 engine that could produce 260 hp. And for those who wanted something truly legendary, Ford made the SVT Cobra R.
What makes the 2000 Mustang SVT Cobra R so special?
While the Base 2000 Mustang wasn't too special, the SVT Cobra R was a magnificent car for its time. The Cobra carried a larger 5.4-liter DOHC V8. This large engine produced 385 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque. Even with a huge engine, Ford didn't want the Cobra to be just another muscle car. They wanted it to be competitive on the track.
To keep things fast and lightweight, Ford cut some of the luxury options that would be found in other Mustang trims. The Cobra has no rear seat, no audio equipment, and no air conditioning. However, they did want the car to be street legal. You won't see anything too track-specific like a detachable steering wheel.
In true Ford fashion, you could get the Cobra in any color you want—as long as it's Performance Red Clearcoat.
Buying a 2000 Mustang today
The good news is that you can easily find a Base or GT 2000 Mustang today. You might need to travel to a neighboring city and drive it back, but other than that, there should be few barriers to finding a 2000 Mustang.
However, if you want a 2000 Mustang SVT Cobra R, you may be out of luck. Only 300 were produced, making it a hard gem to find. If you want to drive this legendary speed demon, prepare for a long search and persuading a current owner.
The quickest way to save on car insurance
Whether you're driving a classic mustang or any other car,
Jerry
can save you money on your car insurance. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.And to ensure you always have the lowest rate, Jerry will send you new quotes every time your policy comes up for renewal, so you're always getting the coverage you want at the best price.
4.7
