1996 Ford Mustang Cobra Coupe

There are plenty of 1990s Mustangs still on the road, but finding an exceptionally preserved, documented SVT Cobra with fewer than 20,000 original miles has become an entirely different proposition. This beautiful 1996 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra has traveled just 19,740 original miles and is finished in striking Laser Red Tinted Clearcoat Metallic over Saddle leather. It is a two-owner automobile with a clean, accident-free CARFAX and is another outstanding low-mile vehicle we acquired from a longtime private collection. The 1996 model year represented an important turning point for the SVT Cobra. Gone was the familiar pushrod 5.0, replaced by Ford's sophisticated hand-assembled 4.6-liter DOHC 32-valve V8, producing 305 horsepower and paired here with the proper 5-speed manual transmission. The combination gave the Cobra an entirely different personality from the standard Mustang GT and helped establish the high-revving modular V8 formula that would define some of Ford's most memorable performance cars for years to come. The condition of this Cobra is exceptional and exactly what you would hope to find in a properly preserved 19,000-mile automobile. The Laser Red paint remains deep and glossy, the body is remarkably straight, and the original Cobra-specific exterior pieces, rear spoiler and 17-inch wheels have been beautifully preserved. This isn't a restored car or one that has been modified and subsequently returned to stock—it presents as an exceptionally well-kept original example. Inside, the Saddle leather interior is equally impressive. The seats, carpeting, dashboard, console, steering wheel and controls show remarkably little wear for a car approaching 30 years of age. The combination of Laser Red with Saddle leather is pure 1990s Ford, and today it gives this Cobra a period-correct appearance that separates it from the more common dark-interior cars. Under the hood is the hand-assembled DOHC Cobra engine with its original builder identification still in place. The engine compartment remains remarkably original and unaltered, and the underside tells the same story. Rather than being cosmetically restored or covered in fresh coatings, it retains the honest factory finishes and light natural aging you want to see on a low-mile survivor. Documentation is another strong point. Included are the original window sticker, Ford SVT certificate, SVT owner's portfolio and original Mustang literature. The SVT certificate identifies this car as Cobra #1,987 of 7,496 produced and confirms its November 14, 1995 assembly date. The original window sticker confirms the Laser Red exterior, Saddle leather interior, 5-speed manual transmission and Preferred Equipment Package, with a delivered MSRP of $26,645. What makes this Cobra particularly appealing is where it sits in the collector-car world. At 19,740 miles, it has been preserved far beyond the typical surviving SN95 Cobra, yet it isn't a virtually undriven museum piece that an owner has to be afraid to enjoy. It is clean enough to preserve, documented enough to collect, and still usable enough to take out and experience the way Ford SVT intended. Two owners. 19,740 original miles. Clean CARFAX. 5-speed manual. Original documentation. Exceptional preservation. Nearly three decades after it was built, this is becoming increasingly difficult to duplicate—not because someone restored it to look like a low-mile Cobra, but because it has simply remained one.