Ford builds a variety of racing cars, but it’s hard to find two models that are more far apart from each other than the Mustang Cobra Jet and the Fiesta ST global rallycross car (GRC).
While the former is designed to run the quarter-mile as quickly as possible on the drag strip, the other is a nimble little car made for crazy rallycross stages that combine dirt roads with asphalt and various obstacles.
There are more differences: the Cobra Jet is a rear-wheel drive monster powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine fitted with a Ford Racing-built Whipple 2.9L Supercharger, while the Fiesta ST GRC is an all-wheel drive supermini with a 550hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine mated to an OMSE gearbox with custom ratios.
The two cars were driven at the zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway by drag racing legend Roy Hill and rallycross driver/Top Gear USA presenter Tanner Foust. We won’t disclose the outcome of the race, but we'll tell you that the race wasn't as one-sided as one would have expected.
By Dan Mihalascu
