Carroll Shelby recently started working with Ford again and the fruits of their labours were unveiled in Detroit.
Ford have played it sensibly with the development of the new Cobra. Rather than incur the huge costs of developing the car from scratch the car draws heavily on the design of the Ford GT - particularly the space frame, suspension and brakes.
The styling deliberately harks back to the great original using a large grille, the hood scoop, vertical bumper bars and stacked lamps front and rear. It's very definitely a modern looking car however thanks to its slab sided styling.
The big news is what's under the bonnet however. Ford engineers knew that a spiritual successor to the awesome Cobra 427 would require tarmac ripping power. That comes in the shape of a 6.4 litre, naturally aspirated V10 delivering 605bhp and 501 lb-ft of torque! Even the development car can manage sixty miles per hour in less than four seconds. The monster motor is coupled to a six speed transaxle by a 'torque tube'. This is simply a propshaft running that spins at engine speed connecting the motor to the gearbox. By mounting the gearing at the rear it's allowed the designers to keep the mechanicals from intruding into passenger foot space. There are no offset pedals in this car.
The car itself is basic. It weighs in at around 1360kg yet has no roof, no side glass and not even a radio. "That’s the formula
," said Carroll Shelby. "It’s a massive motor in a tiny, lightweight car
."