“Terminator” — a name synonymous with two things: a nearly unkillable machine and the sound of supercharger whine emanating from the sinister silhouette of a 2003-04 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra. The SVT Cobra single-handedly reignited the horsepower wars in Detroit. John Coletti, infuriated by the shortcomings of the other New Edge Cobras, set out to build a monster: something never before seen in a factory Mustang.

High-Performance Heartbreak

The 1999-01 Cobras were by no means failures. Though no one was eager to accept the lack of power from the naturally aspirated 4.6-liter 4-valve heart. Ford, however, was facing lawsuits and recalls for all 2001 Cobras, meant a new strategy was needed to keep up with the Camaro.

Built For Boost

SVT couldn’t achieve this without the assistance of a few legends in the performance industry. Manley, Zollner, and Kellogg helped make the Terminator a legend. Creating the first factory supercharged Mustang was no simple task, as Ford’s engineers discovered the hard way. Connecting rods protruding from the sides of blocks were never a good sign, yet that was the unfortunate reality for the early Terminator engine prototypes. Consequently, a fully forged rotating assembly was swapped in. Ford had created a monster: a race engine that would meet emissions requirements in all 50 states. The resulting product was a 390 horsepower engine with plenty of room to grow.

The Terminator was an instant classic, from its menacing looks to the scream of the supercharger whine. Low, sleek, and fast with ridiculous tuning potential, it earned its nickname as the American Supra. However, the Terminator’s engine was limited by early 2000s supercharger technology. The Eaton M112 supercharger, factory-equipped on all 2003-04 Ford Mustang SVT Cobras, was good for its time but lagged behind modern, more efficient superchargers. While the factory blower can be ported and polished to extract more power, most enthusiasts opt for a larger aftermarket supercharger, boosting power well above 500 horsepower.

Time Capsule Cobra

Some Cobras are well enjoyed, with some examples exceeding 200,000 miles. Yet, some people prefer to keep them pristine, even leaving them in the factory plastic as a time capsule of what it was like to acquire one factory fresh back in the summer of 2002.

This particular 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra is a 10th-anniversary car, featuring stunning bright red seat inserts over charcoal carpet, dash, and door cards with red pull handles. With only 2,003 10th-anniversary cars built, with 1,000 of them as soft-top convertibles, this 5.5-mile example is all the more remarkable.

The burning question is, if it were yours, would you take it out and drive it, or keep it tucked away out of sight behind closed doors?