2009 SEMA Show - Ford's Limited Production Race Rigs

For decades, Ford's Special Vehicle Team has delivered factory-warranted athletes to demanding drivers. SVT's 2010 Shelby GT500 and F-150 Raptor are the most well-rounded engineering efforts in the niche line's history. Both vehicles excel under competitive conditions — that's to be expected — but both provide surprisingly docile daily driving dynamics as well. Of course, an enthusiast's speed cravings are insatiable. Aspiring racers willing to sacrifice streetability can now sample the Raptor and GT500 as SVT's most hardcore development engineers may have imagined them: undiluted by practical streetability concerns.

Ford Racing will build just 50 examples of the 2011 Raptor XT race truck for off-roaders searching for a turnkey race-ready rig. Its 6.2-liter V8 has been tuned to direct an even 500 horsepower to all four wheels via an electronic transfer case. Front and rear electronically locking differentials are imperative for any serious trail runners. Against all probability, the Raptor XT has increased shock travel over its already long-legged stock counterpart. Front wheels have a 15-inch range between shock bound and rebound, and rear wheels can travel an astonishing 18 inches during high-speed sand dune takeoffs and landings. Air conditioning, power windows, a rollcage, and five-point safety harnesses are standard. That sentence sums up the Raptor XT nicely.

The Raptor XT can be ordered at Ford dealerships, but will not be issued a VIN plate. The $99,950 Raptor XT is not street legal, and should be operated on racetracks only.

The same conditions apply to the 2010 Mustang Cobra Jet — in theory. All 50 examples of the Cobra Jet are scheduled for delivery to customers. Owners have chosen between fully-prepared automatic or manual transmissions, and have selected one of two supercharged or three naturally aspirated engines to best fit their drag racing class. Racers can expect manual steering and stiff suspension calibrated specifically for drag racing. The Cobra Jet will be manufactured alongside its street-bound brethren, upgraded with a factory-fitted rollcage, and fueled by a trunk-mounted return-style fuel cell by Aeromitive. Those who are inconsolably grieved by the Cobra Jet's sold-out status can take comfort: every part that makes a Cobra Jet unique can be purchased from the Ford Performance Parts catalog and fitted to a stock Mustang. If owning a "clone" isn't satisfying enough, Ford Racing has promised another chapter in the Cobra Jet tome — once the 2010 earns its share of victories.

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Adam Barrera spent wide-eyed formative years enjoying the saltine breezes of Corpus Christi, Texas. Islandside treasure hunts often consisted of dragging his mother to car dealerships, where stumped salesmen scrambled for answers to questions only a five-year-old with an amateur engineering background would ask. Adam began writing an industry analysis blog at age 15, covered automotive and engineering beats for the University of Houston's Daily Cougar at 17, and graduated with a double-major in linguistics and print journalism in 2008. His mission is to reverse the commoditization of the car by empowering owner communities and championing for progress in the field.