Long before the GT350R became a track-day superstar, the ultimate modern Ford Mustang you could buy was the 2000 Cobra R. With only 300 ever built, the cars became instant collectibles, and some owners hid them away from the public in the hopes they’d appreciate. This is one such Cobra R, with fewer than 85 miles on the clock and an interior still covered in plastic from the factory.

Texas dealer BJ Motors has it listed for sale on eBay with an asking price of $79,995, which is nearly $26,000 more than the Cobra R’s 2000 list price of $55,845 but only $1800 more when adjusting for inflation. While most Mustangs of this era aren’t even remotely collectible, the Cobra R easily qualifies as an exception. Besides being rare, the Cobra R was the most track-focused Mustang since the original Shelby GT350.
Its 5.4-liter V-8 made 385 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque, and the car had independent rear suspension, a race-ready fuel cell, and a stripped-out interior. You could argue that in 2000, the Cobra R was a more significant leap ahead for the Mustang than the GT350R is today. The Cobra R’s only drawbacks were really its high price and the fact that Ford didn’t build many.

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Archived Test: 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R!
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If you missed the chance to buy one in 2000, this is as close as you’ll get today. If...