1996 Ford Mustang Cobra Convertible

- One Owner
- 7,905 Original Miles
- 4.6L V8
- 5 Speed Manual Transmission
- Original Documentation
- 90's Time Capsule

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1996 Ford Mustang Cobra Convertible on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 165 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, and a link to the Mustang's accident-and-damage-free, very-low-mileage, one-owner Carfax history report, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“Snake Charmer” – Hemmings, July 2019

Hemmings summarized the new power in the Mustang stable: “The 4.6-liter V-8 that debuted in 1996 SVT Mustang Cobra was a big step up from the 5.0-liter V-8 it replaced, swapping the Windsor's pushrods for overhead camshafts. The aluminum Cobra engine received two camshafts per cylinder bank, opening four valves per cylinder, while the cast-iron block Mustang GT made do with a single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder. In Mustang GT tune, the Modular V-8 produced 215 horsepower and 285 lb-ft of torque, while in the Cobra the engine produced 305 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. That was a notable jump from the previous Cobra's output of 240 hp and 285 lb-ft of torque, and performance improved accordingly.”

“According to Ford, the 1996 Cobra was capable of running from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds, an improvement of 0.4 seconds over the previous version. For the 4.6-liter Cobra, the quarter mile went by in 13.99 seconds at 101.6 mph, bettering the previous Cobra's time by 0.2 seconds and 0.6 mph. The automaker's estimates may have been conservative, too, since Car and Driver measured a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds….”

Offered here in Laser Red Metallic over Saddle Leather is one of just 2,510 1996 Ford Mustang Cobra convertibles manufactured. The car's condition is 100% spectacular: as-new top to bottom, inside and out. Delivered new in July of 1996 at Battle Creek Ford, the Mustang is a Carfax-verified One Owner, showing just 7,905 total miles, or only 316 miles per-year since new. The sale includes the original factory-applied window sticker showing all installed features and options (please see a copy shown in the accompanying photo gallery).

The Laser Red Metallic paint was a perfect choice for this Cobra Convertible: just the right amount of flair on the SN-95-series body. The color perfectly captures the flowing lines of the design and highlights features like the hood air intakes, rear-deck spoiler, functional rear-quarter-panel air scoops, and body-color-painted taillight surrounds. The embossed “Cobra” lettering on the rear bumper cap also stands out, as do the Cobra-defining snake emblems on the front fenders. Saddle (tan) was also an excellent choice for the fabric convertible top; the red-and-tan combination has a long association with sporting automobiles. Factory cast-aluminum, 15-inch wheels are mounted with Goodyear® Eagle high-performance 245/45 tires. Cabin glass and lighting lenses are, like the rest of the car, in perfect condition.

“Saddle” is the Cobra's interior color theme, with black in a supporting role. Saddle leather in a horizontally wide-pleated design covers the very well-bolstered front buckets, and rear 2-place seats. Saddle carpets cover the cabin floors, with protective factory carpet mats in front. Door trim includes saddle and black, and the convertible “boot” is black. A Cobra-embossed steering wheel with stitched-leather trim frames six, white-faced instruments set in the handsomely curved black dashboard. HVAC controls, audio, and CD controls are located in the center stack forward of the leather-trimmed shifter for the 5-speed manual transmission. Power-window controls, a storage area, the emergency-brake lever, and center armrest complete the console. Once again, all interior surfaces are flawless.

Under the hood, the 4.6-liter, dual-overhead-cam, 305-horsepower V8, and its surround engine bay, is as spotless as the day it left the Ford assembly plant. There have been no modifications or additions of non-original components. Viewed from below, the Mustang's chassis shows virtually no rust. Every surface, every component is as-new.

All the Mustang's build and identification tags remain as originally mounted.

While the more than 165 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this remarkable '96 Mustang in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

Hemmings summed up their take on the '96 Mustang Cobra with: “If you're in the market for a weekend-driver Mustang that can handle anything from road trips to autocross and track days, the 1996-'98 Ford SVT Mustang Cobras represent a solid value….”

We couldn't have put it better, particularly when it comes to a 25-year-old example that's essentially brand-new.