Reviews

Author: Rob Kinnan and Diego Rosenberg Published by: Car Tech

ISBN: 978-1-61325-378-6

Price: £38

I must be honest and admit that this new hardback history of Ford’s iconic Cobra Jet powered cars came in so close to the wire that I have not had time to read through it with the concentration it deserves. Whether you are a Blue Oval fan or not, classic American muscle car enthusiasts cannot ignore the over-powered and frankly scary, monster-motored 429cu in V8 (7.0 litre) Cobra Jet cars introduced initially for the Mustang in 1968. And yes, I said “initially”, as the Cobra Jet option was later made available for Torinos, the little-known reintroduced Falcon, Mercury’s Cougars and Cyclones and even the Ranchero pick-up. If you knew your way around the build sheets, you could get yourself a factory warranted street screamer at what appears to us nowadays as not a lot of money.

The fun was, as we all know, short-lived, as legislation, increased insurance premiums and a badly timed Middle East oil crisis put the kibosh on affordable muscle and rising costs deterred all but the serious racers. However, nearly 40 years later Ford reinvented the Cobra Jet Mustang for the Noughties, unleashing even more power and fun. Comprehensively researched and lavishly illustrated, this is a fascinating history of not one, but two chapters in the Cobra Jet chronicle. While I’ve still to properly digest it, my initial reaction is: “Wow!”