Ford Faqs

The new Ford Shelby Cobra concept marks the latest step in the next evolution of Ford concept vehicles, with an evocative design, bonafide performance credentials and thanks to engineering as nimble and efficient as a sports car a level of feasibility that is already close to production-level.

The Ford Shelby Cobra concept team drew heavily on the Ford GT production car especially the space frame and suspension to maximize efficiencies. Although the cars have vastly different characters and different dimensions, smart engineering quickly adapted the rear-mid-engine Ford GT platform to this front-mid-engine application.

Inspired by the biggest, baddest Cobra of all the renowned 427 – Ford engineers created a new aluminum-block V-10 to power the Ford Shelby Cobra concept. This 6.4-liter engine, adapted from Ford’s MOD family, delivers the rush of raw power associated with that big 1960s V-8 monster with 605 horsepower and 501 foot-pounds of torque without the aid of supercharging or turbocharging.

This combination of brute force and thorough engineering has created a rarity in the world of auto shows a concept car that can actually do, rather than merely promise, zero to 60 in under four seconds, and would easily exceed 100 mph if not electronically limited. With show cars typically limited to a stately 15 mph or so, this fact points at the level of engineering packed into the Ford Shelby Cobra concept and points to the authenticity that comes from working with Carroll Shelby once again.

The powertrain, the space frame and the suspension were all key elements in the design, although for the most part, you don’t see them,” said Richard Hutting, chief designer. “These established our proportions and naturally led to a race-bred shape that evokes the original Shelby Cobra, without sharing a single dimension or proportion. Just like its underpinnings, this car is thoroughly modern in every way.”