DEARBORN, Mich. – Fifty years ago, the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet took to the staging lanes at drag strips everywhere, and a legend was born as the wins rolled in.

Now, Ford Performance has announced the return of the Mustang Cobra Jet drag strip race car, targeted to be the most powerful and quickest version factory yet.

Plans call for the Mustang Cobra Jet to be capable of a quarter-mile pass in the mid-eight-second range, with top-end speeds of 150 mph.

“From the very first Mustang Cobra Jets dominating the 1968 NHRA Winternationals to our modern-day Cobra Jet racers, the Ford Performance Parts team continues to build the Cobra Jet brand based on its success at the track over five decades,” said Eric Cin, global director, Ford Performance Parts. “That, in turn, has inspired generations of Mustang fans to create their own performance machines for the street.”

Engineered by Ford Performance Parts, the purpose-built drag racer developed on the 2018 Ford Mustang platform is limited to 68 non-VIN production cars. It includes a supercharged 5.2-liter Coyote V8 and unique four-link rear suspension, along with a Ford 9-inch solid rear axle from Strange Engineering.

Race add-ons include an NHRA-certified roll cage, Racetech FIA seats, and a drag race-specific coil-over suspension, with specially designed Weld Racing wheels carrying 50th anniversary badging.

The result is a turnkey racer that showcases many performance add-ons available from the Ford Performance Parts catalog for Mustang, dating all the way back to the original 1968 model.

Offered in either Race Red or Oxford White, the 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet features an available commemorative 50th anniversary graphics package and anniversary badging.

Final 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet ordering and product specifications will be released this summer. The car is designed to be legal for NHRA drag racing, along with several National Mustang Racers Association and National Muscle Car Association classes.