Shelby Cobra Engines by Year

Carroll Shelby's Cobra put Ford V8s in the British AC Ace roadster. The first cars had the 260, the 289 followed in 1963, and the coil-spring 427 cars arrived for 1965, some with the 428. Competition cars are listed as race-only. Continuation and replica cars are not covered. Ratings are SAE gross.

Pick a year to see every engine offered that model year, with its code, rated horsepower and the trims it came in. Each engine links to its full specs.

Jump to a year

260 Cobra (1962–1963): 1962 · 1963

289 Cobra (1963–1965): 1963 · 1964 · 1965

289 Cobra, later cars (1964–1965): 1964 · 1965

427 Cobra (1965–1967): 1965 · 1966 · 1967

260 Cobra (1962–1963)

The 260 V8.

1962 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
260 V8	260 hp gross	Cobra Mk I (CSX2000-CSX2075 approx.)

1963 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
260 V8	260 hp gross	Cobra Mk I (CSX2000-CSX2075 approx.)
289 V8	271 hp gross	Cobra 289 roadster (Mk I late, Mk II)

Race-only (not street legal): 289 FIA/USRRC competition, —

289 Cobra (1963–1965)

The 289 V8.

1963 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
260 V8	260 hp gross	Cobra Mk I (CSX2000-CSX2075 approx.)
289 V8	271 hp gross	Cobra 289 roadster (Mk I late, Mk II)

Race-only (not street legal): 289 FIA/USRRC competition, —

1964 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
289 V8	271 hp gross	Cobra 289 roadster (Mk I late, Mk II)

Race-only (not street legal): 289 FIA/USRRC competition, —

1965 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
289 V8	271 hp gross	Cobra 289 roadster (Mk I late, Mk II)
427 V8	425 hp gross	Cobra 427 (Mk III) street roadster

Race-only (not street legal): 289 FIA/USRRC competition, —; 427 Competition / S/C, —

289 Cobra, later cars (1964–1965)

The 289 V8.

1964 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
289 V8	271 hp gross	Cobra 289 roadster (Mk I late, Mk II)

Race-only (not street legal): 289 FIA/USRRC competition, —

1965 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
289 V8	271 hp gross	Cobra 289 roadster (Mk I late, Mk II)
427 V8	425 hp gross	Cobra 427 (Mk III) street roadster

Race-only (not street legal): 289 FIA/USRRC competition, —; 427 Competition / S/C, —

427 Cobra (1965–1967)

The 427 and 428 V8s.

1965 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
289 V8	271 hp gross	Cobra 289 roadster (Mk I late, Mk II)
427 V8	425 hp gross	Cobra 427 (Mk III) street roadster

Race-only (not street legal): 289 FIA/USRRC competition, —; 427 Competition / S/C, —

1966 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
427 V8	425 hp gross	Cobra 427 (Mk III) street roadster
428 V8 Police Interceptor type	360 hp gross	Cobra 427 (Mk III) street roadster, 428-engined

Race-only (not street legal): 427 Competition / S/C, —

1967 Cobra engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
427 V8	425 hp gross	Cobra 427 (Mk III) street roadster
428 V8 Police Interceptor type	360 hp gross	Cobra 427 (Mk III) street roadster, 428-engined

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