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Muscle Car Finale: GSX Takes On Cobra Jet
17 Oct
Summary
- Both cars featured big-block V8 engines and rear-wheel drive.
- The Mustang Cobra Jet offered slightly more horsepower on paper.
- Original pricing and modern valuations reveal significant differences.
The early 1970s marked the twilight of the muscle car era, a period that nonetheless produced potent machines such as the 1970 Buick GSX and the 1971 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet. These vehicles embodied the pinnacle of performance before rising fuel costs and emission regulations curtailed their dominance.
Both the Buick GSX and the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet were equipped with large V8 engines, rear-wheel drive, and outputting over 300 horsepower, along with striking aesthetics. While the Ford's Super Cobra Jet variant boasted up to 375 horses compared to the Buick's 360, period testing showed the GSX achieving slightly quicker quarter-mile times.
When new in 1971, the Mustang Cobra Jet offered a significant cost advantage, retailing for approximately $1,500 less than the Buick GSX. Today, valuations place the Ford between the two valuation tiers for the Buick, making personal preference the ultimate deciding factor.
Original pricing for the Buick GSX option, added to a standard GS, totaled $4,881. In contrast, the Cobra-Jet Mustang had an MSRP of $3,378. Modern valuations from Hagerty show the Ford at $75,300, while the Buick GSX is valued at $66,800, with the Stage 1 version reaching $125,000.
