When Ford dropped pushrod engines in favor of more modern modular engines, many in the Ford performance industry were unhappy, and with good reason. The first 4.6 liter V8 engines from Ford were underwhelming, to put it politely, although as the engine evolved it gradually got better. Perhaps the first real hint of the true performance potential of the 4.6 liter V8 was the 2000 Cobra R Mustangs.
Muscular Mustangs reports that 2000 Cobra R #002 is heading to the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Auction event, having been preserved by Ford itself all these years.

Ford knew how special this one-year of Cobra would be, so they actually preserved #001 and #002. It was car number #002 that wowed crowds at the 1999 SEMA show, along with the 5.4 liter mod motor with 385 horsepower on tap. It demonstrated that Ford’s new V8 engine could make big power, despite what the critics might say. Remember, that is 385 naturally-aspirated horsepower. That’s more horsepower than any other naturally-aspirated factory Ford Mustang V8 engine until the new 5.0 engine came out this year, and 65 more horsepower than both the ’99 and 2001 Cobra R Mustangs.

Knowing that many Cobra R’s would be raced (as intended) and fairly beaten up, Ford took it upon itself to preserve the first few examples. Now #002 is heading up for auction, and judging from the pristine nature of this car, it is likely to draw some very high bids. But how high will it go? We’ll find out after the Barrett-Jackson auction next weekend.