Last weekend one of our readers spotted the 2013 Mustang Cobra Jets on display at Daytona Speedway for the Grand-Am race. Apparently Ford Racing didn’t just bring the new Cobra Jet out to Florida just to display for race fans, as they also took the cars out to nearby Palm Beach International Raceway for testing. Two versions of the 5.0L Cobra Jet are being offered for 2013 – supercharged and naturally aspirated – and Ford Racing had both examples on track to test different gear ratios, shift points and suspension settings.
While the 2013 Cobra Jet likely won’t be as fast as the previous 5.4L cars, the new model does feature several improvements. Lightweight body components provide better weight distribution, electric power steering allows for improved drivability,* a new roll cage is both safer and stiffer, the brakes have been improved, and a new rear suspension setup allows for quicker launches.
So how quick is the 2013 Mustang Cobra Jet? Ford Racing has uploaded video footage of the two cars testing at track, but unfortunately leave us guessing as they don’t show any of the times. Even so, it’s worth checking out the new Cobra Jet in action. Just hit play in the video below.