1998 Kenny Brown 289 RS Mustang Cobra | Retro Review

This Kenny Brown modified Cobra obviously had a huge price tag, but am I the only one who thinks it was tricked out enough to be worth it?
Show 1744 | Original Airdate 07-08-1998
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[@kkacperowski]

Kenny Brown just passed away the other day. RIP.

[@Gunsforfreedom]

Thanks for the upload. Haven't seen this since it aired in 1998. RIP Kenny Brown

[@kevenscan]

Really thanks MW, last month it pop in my head “on which VHS tape would that Kenny brown mustang be? To watch it again for the hundred time”

[@chuckselvage3157]

4.4 secs is fast even today.

[@austinfrazier7325]

4.4 is fast lol.

[@JohnMachado24]

0-60 in 4.4, that is still pretty quick for today, and this was 98!! Can you imagine?

[@mjbakedbeans]

Especially considering it’s rwd and manual. Super impressive

[@28Horsepower]

Horsepower and torque numbers were pretty close to a gen 1 coyote

[@samholdsworth420]

Yeah that's pretty impressive numbers

[@iwhbyd2683]

And 413 Hp! Most of the retro reviews they get giddy with high 200 mid 300hp V8s, and this had over 400

[@markbrinton6790]

Now think back 11 years earlier from this car, the 1987 Buick GNX did 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, with a v6......

[@antonioruiz5611]

Those rims look phenomenal on that sn95

[@nedaCFilms]

Kenny Brown is a motorsports legend and the man responsible for redesigning the suspension geometry in the early Saleen race cars in endurance racing which brought championships to Saleen and Ford.

[@redey1290]

Damn this is the ultimate look of the SN95 for me. No spoiler, nice wheels, and wide tires. Perfect. If I ever own an SN95 I want mine with the suspension mods this has because that thing looked like it cornered reaaal flat and apparently “rode a lot like the stock Cobra.” Fantastic stuff on show here. Idk if it’s worth $60k in 98 (or an eye watering $100k in todays money!!!) though…

[@ShadowBend]

If you like this look consider looking for a 95 GTS. I had one awhile back and its very minimal. No wing, no foglights, lightweight interior. Like you said throw some wide wheels/tires on there and a couple choice bolt ons for the 5.0 and you're all set.

[@redey1290]

@@ShadowBend Oh wow I didn’t even know that trim existed. It’d be a much better value than this 289 RS but I imagine it is just as nonexistent today :/

[@danthonythomas3446]

The stock spoiler looks is better

[@davidaubin3902]

4:27 John: BE WARNED! IT’S A HOT ONE! LOL

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Man I remember that car! It was a beast for it’s time! Still not bad today!

[@MarkMeadows90]

I actually like the looks of this SN95 Mustang. I grew up in the 90s liking this body style Mustang. Very clean.

[@AA-yx2kf]

RIP Kenny Brown.

[@fernandorocha8459]

RIP Kenny Brwon great man os motorsports legend😭😢😢😢😥😢😭

[@kgthegreatone943]

They did this one right back in the day

[@DrBIeed]

Some of these original SN95 premium/aftermarket trim packages we’re pretty beastly for the mid 90’s. Car’s from this time period were almost like the 60’s part 2. The coming of fuel injection superiority.

[@keithfreeman4015]

Very very cool car. I love my 97 cobra. But 60k … back then… there’s no way more than like 10 of these ever sold.

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

Saleen mystic chrom was 75

[@frankez1975]

Agreed, sheesh 60 😮

[@thebagnechannel3183]

I have basically this car, a ‘96 Cobra with a Vortech supercharger and similar mods. I’ve had it since ‘99. It’s a fun car and I’m glad the vast majority of the comments on here are positive.

[@LTJohn]

I always love hearing the supercharger wind up on these. 😇😎

[@tkskagen]

I love how Kenny Brown didn't mess with the styling of this SERPENT by adding a Rear Spoiler! Car's look cleaner without one in my opinion. And he placed the STOCK Mustang Badge in the "Grill", so that makes it "almost" a SLEEPER...

[@svtxj9921]

All 1994-2004 Mustang Cobras came stock with the pony emblem in the front grille. But many owners changed them to snake emblems and even some dealers.

[@midnight347]

@@svtxj9921 it's amazing how many people think that cobras came factory with cobras in the grill. Such a common thing people think it was stock.

[@KenanTurkiye]

I'm not familiar with this build nor Kenny Brown, but I found this build very desirable. Both subtle and serious mods, I like the clean look it has too. Would want one even in 2022.

[@johneldorado]

I love this era of cars and I lusted after this model.

[@wydopnthrtl]

Back in 98 the base cobra was out of my reach so I bought a used 60k mile 95 GT w/5.0L and did some bolt on mods as well as a 3:55 rear gear. It ran 14.2's in full street trim and was within a few car lengths of a stock 96-98 cobra at the drag strip. IMO the ford 5.0L from 85-95, and off road H pipe, and a set of flowmaster 40's is the best sounding exhaust EVER!

[@midnight347]

They do sound great but the 4v cars pre coyote when they shared the firing order with the old pushrod car those things are hard to beat on sound they sound so damn mean. Especially with an hpipe and borlas.

[@wydopnthrtl]

@@midnight347 OK I'll give you a very close 2nd IMO. ;-) The Z06 I now have doesn't sound as good as my 5.0L did. BUT it is the most livable and loudest exhaust I've ever had. The "Corsa extreme" aftercat, LT headers, and high flow cats are quieter at idle, zero drone, and downright LOUD at heavy throttle. Short of an active muffer its by far the best exhaust in all my 40+yrs of hot rodding. (if only it had the Flow 40 sound)

[@Taco-bomb-GTA]

Motorweek is made possible by... Nostalgic !!!

[@fernandorocha8459]

Motor Week Retro Reviews is my favorite

[@richardrawson]

I’m surprised I don’t remember this version of the Cobra! It’s nice to see an SN95 with a proper looking stance and wheel/tire fitment.

[@WrecklessEnterainment]

$60,000 in 1998 is insane considering the 2003 SVT Cobra came from the factory with 390 hp and 385 ftlbs and IRS with a 6 speed manual for $32,000.

[@GameOver321]

Correct, but this putting down 413rwhp...terminators 390 was crank.

[@WrecklessEnterainment]

@@GameOver321 they’re rated at 390 but they all put down in the range of 370-380 whp.

[@WyattWillis88]

Cant believe ive never heard of this must have been so badass to own in 1998 💪

[@pjcornell9691]

Wow, nice car but $60,000 in 1998 was about what I paid for my Dodge Viper RT/10 in 1999... On an even better note I just paid $62,300 for my brand new C8 2021 Corvette late last year. My how have times have changed for the Better... In my opinion 🙂

[@ElementalMatrix]

I’m surprised you were able to get a C8 for close to MSRP. I’ve never seen one for sale under $95k.

[@midnight347]

But this car was more impressive in 1998 than a base c8 vette is right now. This would be like better than a modern gt500 is now for its time it was unbelievable it would probably outrun that viper back then take off and in the twisties. This was a serious piece of machinery. Very capable car in its day. It's still pretty decent even in today's standards.

[@iwhbyd2683]

Plenty of publicity with Shelby, Roush, and Saleen. Love learning of these lesser known tuners like Kenny and SLP.

[@errolg1662]

Love this review!!😁

[@Kaiser187]

I never heard of this model before.

[@chrismyres5765]

I am just now learning about this mustang and Kenny brown but this car is my all time favorite sn95 looks like they should clean aggressive simple and fast no big stupid spoiler no rubber band tires on oversized wheels just simple

[@CheesusSVT]

Would be neat to see an owner post a video of one of these now days. :D

[@johnhall6796]

I didnt know there was other builders of the cobra back then. Only thought saleen and roush existed.

[@mike88g1]

Boss, chicane, and a few more

[@midnight347]

@@mike88g1 boss? That wasn't really performance stuff just as appearance I believe. Steeda also made tuner mustangs like roush and Saleen all the way back in the 90s.

[@mike88g1]

@@midnight347 I know more than you I actually owned them. Look at some of my videos

[@brianspangler3771]

I have a 98 cobra with eibach sportline lowering springs and kyb shocks and struts and it definitely rides and handles better than the factory suspension.

[@bizzleb3002]

I like the stance. Nice Tang. I wonder how many were sold?

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

Awesome ride! $60,000 is not a small amount today and in the late 90s it was a lot. But I’m sure it’s a lot of fun to drive.

[@midnight347]

This car was more capable then than new gt500s are now. What I mean was compared to what else was available it was more impressive than the modern gt500 is to modern cars. It would be like 90k or 100k now but that is what people pay for gt500s.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@midnight347 I agree! 👍

[@MrBlackbutang]

KB. Godfather of mustang racing with Steve Saleen ! Scca

[@kelran_]

“This is a car that demands respect” omg 😭😭 sn95 mustangs are my favorite

[@KootBear]

I'd love to have this here in Sweden

[@Carguylogan]

60 grand. Then 3 years later the Z06 came out for $47k and was faster all around lol. 413 hp is pretty weak for a centrifugal supercharged DOHC cobra motor though, especially since it has an overbore and headers etc. They probably had it making like 3 psi standard. 550 hp should be easily doable with just a pulley and tune, and maybe an X pipe if the cats don't breathe well.

[@michaelfrailey4902]

This 4.7 is a SOHC.

[@kd7cwg]

Not in the that Kenny brown cobra. Still has the cobra intake

[@ricepony33]

It had an inefficient roots blower, not surprised by that kind of power at all.

[@adamp9377]

@@michaelfrailey4902 Motor week did say it was sohc, but that is a mistake. The motor shown is clearly the svt cobra dohc.

[@adamp9377]

That's wheel HP, so it's closer to 490 flywheel HP.

[@jhonsmith2150]

this is one pony 🐎 I wldnt mind having in one of my stalls! I use to hve a 98 Cobra vert 🐍 bck nda day! 🤙😎

[@mikehawk120]

I knew Kenny brown was pretty big, but this is nice. I would of bought one if I had known.

[@frankez1975]

What a beast of a car

[@howtobebasic2122]

Hey guys ChrisFix Here!

[@Catstandingup9889]

Where can you find those wheels!? They’re phenomenal

[@robertborne895]

Just wish it had a spoiler. I think that would have been the “Cherry on Top”! And of course, in Carbon Black!

[@EJ257IHI]

I believe they had a mistake in that broadcast, the 1998 Cobra engine is a DOHC, not SOHC.

[@mg1822]

Never heard of Kenny Brown...I have heard of Kenne Bell though. Cool car!

[@qward2174]

Kenne Bell??

[@mg1822]

@@qward2174 lol, totally spelled the name wrong. Yes, Kenne Bell

[@qward2174]

@@mg1822 It's ok. Happens to the best of us 😎😁👍🤣🤣💯

[@user-cj4sm8hv9y]

Red Rocket

[@st.john_one]

what a great times :)

[@texasyank48]

For $60K 2022 dollars, an M240i’s performance surpasses this Mustang. The auto industry has come a long way.

[@TristanDeshaies]

I think the Mustang is a better car

[@midnight347]

This thing at the time compared to what else was out was alot more capable than that car is today compared to its counterparts. You're comparing 2 totally different eras.

[@texasyank48]

@@midnight347 I am not saying the KB Mustang wasn’t a great car for it’s time. My point is that advances in technology and manufacturing have brought the cost of owning high performance way down. $60,000 in 1989 is roughly equivalent to $140,000 today.

[@deborahchesser7375]

413 at the wheels would get most people in trouble, my kind of trouble though I need a car like that.

[@p.l.fanning3447]

Man I love cars… 🫵🏽😎

[@Sinn0100]

I'm no fan of the Mustang but you have to give this one its just due respect. It's a car that rolled out in 1998 that can give today's monsters a run bone stock and that's really saying something. Both my 2012 SS Camaro and 2017 Challenger would beat it in a race but it wouldn't be gap city. I grew up and started racing cars back in the mid 1990's...why is this the first I'm hearing about this car? Had I known this existed I may not have gone down the mostly GM road I've traveled. When I got my first fast car at 17 in 1996 (1994 25th Anniversary Trans-Am LT1 w/6-speed) the Mustang's were just not getting it done. I got my second F-Body with my 2002 Firehawk Trans-Am LS1 w/6-speed in 2002 and again there wasn't many Ford's that could touch me. I didn't stop buying GM's until very recently (3 weeks ago) as I really hate the new Camaro's European design but I digress...this 98' Cobra Mustang is the stuff dreams are made of especially considering the year it hit the streets.

[@midnight347]

It was doing it with no intercooler and low boost. Intercooler plus more boost and fuel and you could make big power it had a forged motor I don't think some of these people talking about the price understand how badass this car was then lol. It was more impressive in 1998 standards than the new gt500 is in 2022 standards and its a pretty badass car so...

[@Sinn0100]

@@midnight347 Oh I know...both my 1994 25th Anniversary Trans-Am and 2002 Firehawk Trans-Am were kings of the road when I got them. My '94 Trans-Am I got in '96 and my 02 Firehawk I got in 02. They were untouchable stock...because they didn't run into this car. Anyone that tries to say the car wasn't worth it likely didn't grow up during the 1990's or they know nothing about cars. I paid almost 40k for my Firehawk and she was pushing 350hp, back then she was considered a monster.

[@southernpimp5252]

$60k in ‘98 was approx. $105k today. Damn!

[@midnight347]

People pay that much for gt500s some more. This thing was more capable in 98 than gt500 are now. I'm saying it's performance was more impressive in 98 than the modern gt500s performance is now. So the price wasn't that bad. This thing could make alot more power with the addition of an intercooler and throw some more boost and fuel at it. It had a forged motor.

[@ml9867]

This looks like the love child of a Taurus & a 2 door Grand Am.

[@ztwntyn8]

You would think it would be making more power. I’d like to see the quarter mile time. I mean 4.4 to 60 sounds good but the power numbers not so much. Only gained 55 lbs/tq or so and about 70hp. Or maybe those are rear wheel numbers.

[@tonkpils31]

This was the 90s bud, that was great power for back then

[@2001chevycamaross]

that car was right around 300hp/300tq new...probably slightly less. I wanted a quartermile just for the trap speed though. im sure it was around 111 to 114

[@subeyguy66]

He said "rear wheel horsepower" so about 450 at the motor

[@ITRIEDEL]

They said Rear Wheel Horsepower.

[@midnight347]

He clearly said WHEEL hp. Also it isn't running an intercooler so it has low boost. Intercooler along with more boost and fuel this thing could make big power. It had a forged motor.

[@pbandj37]

IT'S A HOT WHAT JOHN?!?!?!?

[@tkleo2006]

0-60 in 4.4 sec is extremely fast for a 90’s car.

[@davidbaron6647]

sweet

[@dermetzger]

Leaning hard on that food allegory, aren't they?

[@netrioter]

Ive driven one of these...it wasnt worth the price by a longshot. If you waited 2 years, The 2000 Cobra R was better, for less. Hard to find though because a few people bought them all and parked them

[@vernondavis2207]

What?...No 1/4 mile times?

[@TheOzthewiz]

The "RS" Mustang in today's dollars is $83k. A bit steep for a Mustang! A "Hellcat " with MUCH more power can be had for a lot less!

[@grabir01]

Decent

[@morrisf3957]

Seems every r95 needs to be lowered. to look decent what was ford looking at during production 🤔

[@midnight347]

All mustangs need to be lowered to look good these just needed it more. The modern ones have a more acceptable ride height stock but still look much better lowered.

[@u2canbfmj]

I'll Just wait for the 2003 Terminator for $35K, thanks

[@austinfrazier7325]

Agree but no one in 98 had any idea what was coming in 2003.

[@SolamenteVees]

Fox chassis? 2:29

[@99tj07]

The sn95 is still a fox chassis. 1979 to 2004. Mostly interchangeable parts.

[@dr.hugog.hackenbush9443]

Fox 2 chassis. Massively stiffened up in '94. '79-'93 chassis was so flexible you could warp (and break) body panels doing drag launches without subframe connectors.

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

Reg had 305. Similar to terminator w 400

[@quentinwooten30]

Quick

[@TheRealSmithFamily]

Ugh… that stick on “carbon fiber”… never been a fan of sticky junk like that.

[@austinfrazier7325]

Yeah talk about a mistake. I’m sure back in 98 they thought this new invention was really cool but that did not age well at all.

[@TheRealSmithFamily]

@@austinfrazier7325 sad thing is they still sell it for newer vehicles.

[@thewiseguy3529]

That thing hauls ass cakes!

[@stegomon]

$60,000 is a bargain these days

[@J.Gainez]

adjust the inflation and you’ll think otherwise

[@midnight347]

@@J.Gainez It would be like 90k or 100k that is what guys pay for new gt500s. This was more impressive in 98 than the gt500 is in 2022. Not sure what the issue is? Sounds like a bargain to me. It was capable of WAY more power with a intercooler and more boost and fuel. It had a forged motor.

[@BuckeyeBallistics]

No 1/4 mile time wth...

[@B86432]

12s all day long

[@BuckeyeBallistics]

@@B86432 Oh for sure, maybe high 11's. I just wanted to see it and get the official number. I heard it spin all the way through 2nd during their 0-60, so it probably would have been low to mid 12's with a really high trap speed.

[@austinfrazier7325]

It was too fast to record a time.

[@rebelusa6585]

60k dollar for this kb mustang. I rather buy a cheaper corvette, or a porsche 911. You have to be a hard core mustang fan to spend $60k for a mustang.

[@dodgeguyz]

This was more than a Mustang. It was a complete remake of the cobra the way it should have been from Ford!

[@2001chevycamaross]

you realize this mustang out performed both of those by a lot. the vette was cheaper, but the base 911 was more expensive.

[@VicZX6R]

Way overpriced for that time as I was a kid!!! No wonder as a 3 owner Mustang guy never heard of one.

[@SqueezeMonger]

dohc not sohc

[@hawkstringfellow]

These mustangs were no match for the trans ams of that generation they had the best looks Pontiac was better than all of the mustang of the era mustang was not on my radar untill 2008 mustang gt 500 KR s197 era mustangs are my favorite...

[@ZERONEINNOVATIONS]

SOHC??????? wrong

[@qward2174]

4.6 4v B Head

[@Altavilla22Mike]

GTFO of here.... $106k in today's money. Imagine what you can get for that! Imagine what 2 cars you can get with that! How about a ZR1 Camaro and a Hellcat? Or a Corvette and a Mach 1 Mustang?

[@midnight347]

This thing was more impressive in 1998 standards than new gt500s are in 2022 standards. You're stupid and don't know wtf you're even talking about there bud. It had the ability to be much faster with simple upgrades intercooler and more boost and fueling and you could make big power. It had a forged motor. It was faster and more capable than lambos costing 5 times more. It had 413 WHEEL hp without an intercooler and low boost. People pay 100 grand and more for new gt500s. This was more impressive in 1998 standards than the new gt500 is in 2022 standards but people just don't get it. This thing was more impressive in 1998 standards than new zl1 is in today's standards. It was fast for the time and had the ability to be alot faster with simple mods.

[@midnight347]

The Mach 1 now is closer to what a normal cobra was then. This thing was far beyond what the Mach 1 is now for its time it's not even comparable.

[@andresguerin7162]

What a ripoff!!

[@Apexmissed]

RIP Kenny Brown.

[@ricomartinez2869]

@Liberal Patriot Kenny Brown was the constructor of this Mustang he's passed away just a few days ago