title: Hetzer

text: Initial production "Jagdpanzer" 38 did not sit even with the ground because the gun, transmission and thicker frontal armor weighed the front down. The leaf springs were strengthened from June 1944, which leveled the vehicle. From May–July 1944, accessibility was improved by adding hatches: the commander's smaller hatch opening to the rear, one in the right rear corner for radiator access and one in the left rear corner for fuel tank access. From August 1944, lighter inner and outer mantlets reduced the weight by . These were more conical than the half cone shaped initial mantlets. Also from August 1944, new rear idler wheels were introduced that had 8, 6, and 4 (not necessarily in that order) lightening holes instead of 12. These simplified the manufacturing process. In September 1944, the front 16 spring leaves were increased in thickness to per leaf (the rear 16 remained 7 mm thick). Also in September, the side Schürzen's front and rear tips were bent inward to prevent them from catching bushes and being torn off. It was discovered that the driver's periscope housing acted as a shot trap, preventing incoming shells from bouncing off the front glacis.


title: Hetzer

text: The protruding housing was removed, instead the periscope was inserted into vertical cuts to the front armor from October 1944. Also from October 1944, a flame reducing muffler was introduced, which reduced visibility and backfiring. A head cushion was added to the commander's hatch from October 1944. At the same time, the road wheel rims were riveted instead of bolted. To cope with the heavy front, and the necessity to traverse the vehicle to aim, the gear ratio was lowered from 1:7.33 to 1:8 to reduce the stress on final gears from January 1945. A buttoned-down "Jagdpanzer" 38 was blind to its right side. Since side armor (same as late model Panzer II's side armor) was adequate to protect the crew only from fairly small caliber guns, it was important to face the threat frontally. Hence, the commander's field of view was planned to be improved by installing a rotating periscope in the "Jagdpanzer" 38 "Starr", just as the Sturmgeschutz III and Elefant had evolved from a single pair of periscopes to all around vision blocks. However, the "Jagdpanzer" 38 "Starr" came too late to see the action in the field.


title: Hetzer

text: The "Jagdpanzer" 38 equipped the "Panzerjägerabteilungen" (tank destroyer battalions) of the infantry divisions, giving them some limited mobile anti-armor capability. After the war, Czechoslovakia continued to build the type (versions ST-I and ST-III for training version, about 180 units built) and exported 158 vehicles (version G-13) to Switzerland. Most vehicles in today's collections are of Swiss origin.


title: Hetzer

text: By order of Adolf Hitler in November 1944, a number of "Jagdpanzer" 38s were refurbished straight from the factory with a Koebe flamethrower and accompanying equipment instead of the normal gun. The flame projector, encased in a metal shield reminiscent of that of a gun barrel, was very prone to damage. Fewer than 50 of these vehicles, designated "Flammpanzer" 38, were completed before the end of the war, but they were used operationally against Allied forces on the Western Front.


title: Hetzer

text: Further variants were a "Jagdpanzer" 38 carrying the sIG 33/2 Howitzer, of which 30 were produced before the end of the war, and the "Bergepanzer 38", a light recovery vehicle of which 170 were produced. Plans were made to produce other variants, including an assault gun version of the "Jagdpanzer" 38 carrying a 105 mm StuH 42 main cannon, a version mounting the 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70 gun from the Panther, and an anti-aircraft variant mounted with a "Flak" turret. The war ended before these proposed models were put into production. Prototypes were also developed for the "Jagdpanzer" 38 "Starr", this was a simplified version of the Jagdpanzer 38 and also a step towards the E-10. The design removed the recoil absorber from the main 7.5 cm Pak 39 gun, instead attaching the gun to the chassis, and using the "Jagdpanzer" 38's bulk and suspension to absorb the recoil. Three prototypes were built as were eleven pre-production vehicles, of which one was fitted with a diesel engine. Hitler ordered the one prototype committed to combat to be destroyed rather than let it be captured on 31 March 1945. The army requested on 29 April that the gun sights and traversing gear from the nine pre-production vehicles at the Milowitz proving ground, which it deemed not combat worthy, be removed and sent back to the factory to allow combat-ready vehicles to be completed.


title: Hetzer

text: The "Jagdpanzer" 38 fit into the lighter category of German tank destroyers that began with the Panzerjäger I, continued with the "Marder" series and ended with the "Jagdpanzer" 38. The 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 gun of the "Jagdpanzer" 38 was a modified version of the 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 used in the "StuG III" and "StuG IV" assault guns. With this gun the "Jagdpanzer" 38 was able to destroy nearly all Allied or Soviet tank types in service at long ranges (except heavy tanks) and its fully enclosed armor protection made it a safer vehicle to crew than the open-topped Marder II or Marder III series.


title: Hetzer

text: The vehicle could carry two different armor piercing shells for the Pak 39 gun: the Pzgr. 40 high-velocity tungsten cored round, which fired a projectile at 930 m/s that could penetrate 120 mm of armor at 500 meters and 97 mm at 1,000 meters striking at a 30-degree angle, but was often in scarce supply; and the Pzgr. 39 armor-piercing, capped, ballistic capped shell (APCBC) with explosive filler and tracer element, launching a heavier projectile at 750 m/s that could pierce of armor at 500 meters and 95 mm at 1,000 meters. Based on tests using Pzgr. 39 ammunition, with correct range estimation and competent gunnery a 99% chance of a first-shot hit at 500 m and a 71% chance at 1,000 m was estimated. The vehicle also carried standard high-explosive rounds and the Gr. 38 HL/C high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round designed with a shaped charge, but this was less effective and accurate against armored targets than AP rounds.


title: Hetzer

text: The "Jagdpanzer" 38 was one of the most common late-war German tank destroyers. It was available in relatively large numbers and was generally mechanically reliable. Like some other late-war German SPGs, the "Jagdpanzer" 38 mounted a remote-control machine gun mount, which could be fired from within the vehicle. This proved popular with crews, though to reload the gun a crewmember needed to expose himself to enemy fire.


title: Hetzer

text: The vehicle's small size made it easier to conceal than larger vehicles. A self-propelled gun such as this was not intended for a mobile, meeting engagement or the typical Wehrmacht blitzkrieg style of warfare. Instead, a light self-propelled gun like the "Jagdpanzer" 38 excelled when emplaced along pre-determined lines of sight where the enemy was expected to approach and when used in defensive positions to support a prepared ambush. The "Jagdpanzer" 38 is similar in its dimensions and vertical profile to the minuscule and undergunned Panzer II, a prewar tank. However, by 1944, the majority of tanks were much larger and heavier; a "Jagdpanzer" 38 waiting motionless in an ambush position was a much smaller target to detect and hit than many other armoured fighting vehicles of the time. Its main failings were comparatively thin side armor, limited ammunition storage, poor gun traverse, poor internal layout that made operating the vehicle difficult, as well as leaf springs and drive wheels that were prone to failure due to the increased weight. Using the "Jagdpanzer" 38 and similar vehicles according to a defensive doctrine would offset some of the disadvantages of poor side armor and limited gun traverse.


title: Hetzer

text: Due to the large number produced, the "Jagdpanzer" 38 is probably the most abundant World War II German tank destroyer remaining today, though many survivors are actually post-war Swiss G-13 and Czech ST-I variants. In addition to numerous examples in museums, there are "Jagdpanzer" 38 of various conditions in private collections. In 2007, a "Jagdpanzer" 38 was recovered from the Baltic Sea in Jurata, Poland. As of 2012 it was being restored in Gdańsk.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: Alone is a 2020 American thriller film directed by John Hyams, from a screenplay by Mattias Olsson. The film stars Jules Willcox as a young woman who desperately tries to escape a homicidal stalker (Marc Menchaca) in the wilderness. It was released in the United States on September 18, 2020, by Magnet Releasing.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: Jessica (Jules Willcox), a recent widow, is moving. During her drive, she keeps encountering a mysterious man (Marc Menchaca) in several places: on the highway, at a gas station, a motel, a rest stop, then ultimately when she crashes her car, due to her tire being slashed. He drugs her, then takes her to his cabin where he locks her in the basement.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: Jessica wakes up and pleads with the man for her release. He alludes to her not being the first one he's taken and then he forces her to tell him what happened to her husband. She reveals that her husband killed himself using a gun. The next morning, she hears the man leaving and notices that the key is still in the keyhole on the other side. She slides her sweater underneath the door and uses a stray nail to push the key out. She frees herself and hides in an upstairs closet when the man comes back. She overhears him speaking to his wife and daughter on the phone, lying about where he is and that he'll be back soon. Once he goes downstairs, she flees outside.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: The man realizes what has happened and a chase ensues. She injures her foot and they face off at the river, where she jumps in to escape. Injured, wet, and cold, she stumbles through the forest until she hears rustling in the bush. Thinking the man has found her, she hides behind a tree and hits someone in the chest with a branch. Instead of the man, she hits a man named Robert (Anthony Heald) who is out hunting. After a tense conversation in which he has his rifle pointed at her, he offers her his phone to call for help. However, the blow with the branch had broken it. He then helps her to his car and offers her food, water, and his wife's hiking boots as she is barefoot. As they are driving, they come to a stop where a tree has fallen, blocking the road. As they get out of the car, the man arrives, making up a story that Jessica is his sister and she's having a psychotic episode. After some back and forth, Robert demands to use the man's phone to call the police. The man holds out his phone to Robert and as he reaches out for it, the man catches Robert off guard and begins to beat him. Jessica flees on foot while the man kills Robert with his rifle.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: The chase continues, the man now armed with Robert's hunting rifle. Jessica hides in a cave at night to get out of the rain, but the man spots her and shoots her in the shoulder. She hides in a small pond. The man tries to goad her into coming out by talking about her husband's suicide but gives up and leaves when she doesn't come out.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: The next day, while the man is disposing of Robert's body, Jessica climbs into his car. While looking for the car keys, she finds the man's phone. She steals it and climbs into the trunk as the man returns to the vehicle. While he is driving, Jessica dials 911 and tries to whisper to the operator what has happened to her but ultimately hangs up when the operator can't hear her.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: The man sees that his phone is missing and stops the car. After looking for his phone, he realizes that she is in the trunk. Armed with a tire iron, Jessica leaps into the backseat and attacks, striking him in the head multiple times. The man starts driving and uses his hunting knife to attack Jessica, but she wrestles the knife away from him and stabs his arm. The man crashes the car, flipping it over.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: Dazed, Jessica climbs out and spots a search and rescue helicopter. She runs after it into a clearing. She uses the man's phone to call his wife and she tells her that her husband is not on a business trip, that he is trying to kill her, and that he has murdered Robert. The man, whose name has been revealed as Sam, follows Jessica into the clearing. Jessica puts the phone on speaker and taunts Sam with it. In one final showdown, Jessica, armed with the tire iron, and Sam, armed with the hunting knife, run at each other. After a struggle, Jessica stabs Sam and watches him, smiling as he dies. As she lies exhausted, the helicopter descends from above.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: In December 2017, it was announced that Jules Willcox would star in the film. The film is a remake of Olsson's 2011 Swedish film "Gone".


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: "Alone" was released in the United States on September 18, 2020 in theaters and on video-on-demand. It grossed $182,473 from 173 theaters in its opening weekend. It was also the most rented film on Google Play, fourth on FandangoNow, and ninth on Apple TV. In its second weekend the film ranked third at Google Play, fourth at FandangoNow, and sixth at Apple TV, then its third weekend finished second at Google Play, third at FandangoNow, eighth at AppleTV, and tenth at Spectrum.


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on nine critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: Jeannette Catsoulis of "The New York Times" wrote: "This minimalist survival thriller unfolds with such elegant simplicity and single-minded momentum that its irritations are easily excused." Kevin Crust of the "Los Angeles Times" wrote: "Top-tier performances from Jules Willcox and Marc Menchaca provide 98 minutes of heart-pounding diversion." Ignatiy Vishnevetsky of "The A.V. Club" gave it a B grade, writing: "there's something deeply appealing about an already stripped-down cat-and-mouse scenario that becomes dirtier and more elemental as it goes along, tracing a devolutionary arc from the rules of the road to primeval combat."


title: Alone (2020 thriller film)

text: Odie Henderson of "RogerEbert.com" was more critical of the film, giving it a score of 2/4 stars and writing that it "gives us little reason to care if our hero makes it out alive, but I have to give credit where it's due: Jessica isn't written as some damsel in distress."


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Ready-to-wear (or prêt-à-porter; abbreviated RTW; "off-the-rack" or "off-the-peg" in casual use) is the term for ready-made garments, sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a particular person's frame. In other words, It is a piece of clothing that was mass produced in different sizes and sold that way instead of it being designed and sewn for one person. The term "off-the-peg" is sometimes used for items other than clothing, such as handbags.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Ready-to-wear has a rather different place in the spheres of fashion and classic clothing. In the fashion industry, designers produce ready-to-wear clothing, intended to be worn without significant alteration because clothing made to standard sizes fits most people. They use standard patterns, factory equipment, and faster construction techniques to keep costs low, compared to a custom-sewn version of the same item. Some fashion houses and fashion designers make mass-produced and industrially manufactured ready-to-wear lines, while others offer garments that are not unique but are produced in limited numbers. Ready-to-wear clothing has become faster to produce due to advancements in communication technology. In order to track production at distant sites and cut costs even further, some mass-market firms use video-conferencing and other sophisticated technologies to send and receive information, thereby insuring product quality without the need to travel to the producer. Ready-to-wear clothing and or ready-made garments have truly expanded the fashion industry and all while making clothing more affordable and accessible to all, in all forms of shopping, making for the most convenient option out there.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Ready-to-wear military uniforms were mass-produced in the United States during the War of 1812. High-quality ready-to-wear garments for men became generally available soon thereafter, as the relatively simple, flattering cuts and muted tones of the contemporary fashion made proportionate sizing possible in mass production.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: In 1868, Isidore, Benjamin and Modeste Dewachter offered ready-to-wear clothing for men and children to Belgian clientele when they opened the first chain department stores, "Dewachter frères" (Dewachter Brothers). By 1904, the chain was managed by Isidore's son, Louis, and had grown to 20 cities and towns in Belgium and France, with some cities having multiple stores. Louis Dewachter also became an internationally known landscape artist, painting under the pseudonym Louis Dewis.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: In the early 19th century, women's fashion was highly ornate and dependent on a precise fit, so ready-to-wear garments for women did not become widely available until the beginning of the 20th century. Before, women would alter their previously styled clothing in order to stay up to date with fashion trends. Women with larger incomes purchased new, fully tailored clothing in current styles while middle-class and lower-class women adjusted their clothing to fit changes in fashion by adding new neck collars, shortening skirts, or cinching shirt waists.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: The widespread adoption of ready-to wear clothing reflected a variety of factors including economic disparities, a desire for an independent fashion industry, and an increase in media attention. The demand for affordable and fashionable women's clothing sparked designers and department stores to manufacture clothing in bulk quantities that were accessible to women of all classes and incomes. Through the emergence of the US ready-to-wear market, designers like Chanel with their shift dress or the mail-order catalogs sent to rural farms by Sears allowed women to purchase clothing faster and at a cheaper price. The introduction of the concept of "pret-a-porter" has been attributed to Sonia Delaunay after her geometric styles were exhibited at the seminal 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs in Paris.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Another significant factor created by the ready-to-wear industry was the US development of a style independent from Europe. The US fashion market turned away from Parisian style in favor of an individualized apparel industry promoted through advertisements and articles in magazines like "Women's Wear Daily", "Harper’s Bazaar", and "Ladies Home Journal".


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Ready-to-wear also sparked new interests in health, beauty, and diet as manufactured clothing set specific, standardized sizes in attire in order to increase quantities for profit. Women of larger sizes had difficulties finding apparel in department stores, as most manufacturers maintained and sold the limited sizes across the nation.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Overall ready-to-wear fashion exposed women to the newest styles and fashion trends, leading to a substantial increase in profits by US factories from $12,900,583 in 1876 to $1,604,500,957 in 1929. The ready-to-wear fashion revolution led to an expansion of the US fashion industry that made fashionable apparel accessible, cost effective, and commensurable.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Interest in ready to wear was sparked by Yves Saint Laurent, who was the first designer to launch a ready to wear collection, and in 1966 he opened Rive Gauche, his first ready to wear boutique. Whether he succeeded in democratizing fashion is an open question, since few were able to afford his designs, but he did pave the way for ready-to-wear fashion and the cross-fertilisation between haute-couture and high-street fashion that persists into 21st century.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: Fashion houses that produce a women's "haute couture" line, such as Chanel, Dior, Lacroix and Saint Laurent also produce a ready-to-wear line, which returns a greater profit because of the higher volume of garments made and the greater availability of the clothing. The construction of ready-to-wear clothing is also held to a different standard than that of "haute couture" due to its industrial nature. High-end ready-to-wear lines are sometimes based upon a famous gown or other pattern that is then duplicated and advertised to raise the visibility of the designer.


title: Ready-to-wear

text: In high-end fashion, ready-to-wear collections are usually presented by fashion houses each season during a period known as Fashion Week. This takes place on a city-by-city basis, and the most prominent of these include London, New York, Milan, and Paris, and are held twice a year—the Fall/Winter (FW) shows take place in February, and the Spring/Summer (SS) collections are shown in September. Smaller lines include the Cruise and Pre-Fall collections, which add to the retail value of a brand, and are presented separately at the fashion designer's discretion. Ready-to-wear fashion weeks occur separately and earlier than those of "haute couture".


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The Ford SVT Mustang Cobra (also known as SVT Mustang Cobra, SVT Cobra, or simply as Cobra) is a muscle car/pony car model that was built in model years 1993 through 2004 by Ford Motor Company's Special Vehicle Team division (or SVT).


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The SVT Cobra was a high-performance version of the Ford Mustang and was considered top-of-the-line as it was positioned above the Mustang GT and Mach 1 models during its production. On three occasions, the race-ready, street-legal SVT Cobra R variant was produced in limited numbers.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra was launched during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show. It was the premier vehicle of Ford's newly established SVT division, designed to showcase SVT's hallmarks of performance, substance, exclusivity, and value. The exterior of the 1993 SVT Cobra was similar to that year's GT model with differences explained below.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The upgrades featured a "5.0" V8 engine, producing at 4,600 rpm and of torque at 4,000 rpm. According to "Road & Track," this could send a Cobra through the 1/4 mile in 14.5 seconds at a trap speed of 98 mph (158 km/h). Acceleration from zero to took 5.9 seconds. The drivetrain received an upgraded transmission, rear disc brakes, and for the first time on a factory Mustang, 17-inch unidirectional wheels. Cobra models received a softer, more compliant ride compared to the GT model. This was by using model-specific springs and sway bars.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1993 SVT Cobra's short block (cylinder block, crankshaft, rods, and pistons) was carried over from the GT model. Ford SVT engineers added the following performance items:


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The Borg-Warner World Class T-5 transmission received an internal upgrade compared to the standard World Class T-5. This consisted of custom gearing 1–3 (which were reduced by 10% and hardened) while 4th/5th (hardened) gear was the same as standard T-5s found in the LX/GTs. The holding capacity of the Cobra's clutch was increased by way of a higher clamping force pressure plate using the same 10-inch diameter as the GT/LX.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1993 Cobra was available in four exterior paint choices, as shown in the table below. Interior color choices were opal gray cloth, black cloth, and opal gray leather.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the engine code (in bold) is the only unique code that differentiates the SVT Cobra from other Mustangs for the 1993 model year. The SVT Cobra and Mustang GT hatchback shared the same code for the body style/model number. The Cobra R also shared the same codes for body style, model number, and engine.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1993 Cobra R was the first of three special Cobra R models produced. The "R" designation stood for "Race" and the cars did not have a radio, speakers, wiring and antenna, air conditioner, foglights, sound deadener, rear seat, rear safety belts, rear carpeting, and roll-up cargo cover, among other items. The car had power steering, but no other power assist options. It has roll-up windows, manual door locks, and manual-adjustable mirrors. The manually-adjustable Opal Gray cloth bucket seats from the Mustang LX were lighter than the GT/Cobra sport seats, and a piece of thin gray carpeting secured by Velcro covered the bare hatch and rear seat area. The deletions reduced weight by 450 pounds, but this was somewhat offset by the necessary addition of heavy-duty hardware needed for competition.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: To stiffen the chassis, a strut tower brace was installed to tie the cowl together, and a pair of V-braces (used on all 1983–1993 Mustang convertibles) attached in an X-pattern tied the subframes together. The Cobra R featured Eibach springs that were too stiff for the street, but designed for a racetrack. The Cobra R also had adjustable Koni shocks and struts.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The car also featured 13-inch Kelsey-Hayes vented rotors in front and 10.5-inch vented rotors in the back. According to Neil W. Ressler, the executive director of vehicle engineering for Ford Motor Company at the time and one of the founding fathers of SVT, the 1993 Cobra R's brakes ""were the most expensive brakes ever fitted to a" [production] "Mustang. I bought the brakes for the R model out of my engineering budget. I wanted big brakes, and we didn't have them. The program couldn't afford it. Unbeknownst to the higher-ups at Ford, I spent like $2,100 per car to buy those big brakes. But the last thing I wanted was a fast car that didn't stop. We ended up putting good brakes on all those" [Cobra R] "vehicles.""


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The same 5.0 L V8 from the Cobra was used in the Cobra R. However, the radiator was unique to the Cobra R and a purge tank was installed for improved cooling. A power steering cooler (located behind the left foglight bezel) and an engine oil cooler were standard.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The Cobra R wheels were actually the optional 17x8-inch five-lug wheels from the soon-to-be-released 1994 Mustang GT, but were painted gloss black and featured chrome lug covers. The standard tires were Goodyear Gatorbacks. To give the car better front-end geometry, lower control arms from the 1994 Mustang were fitted.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Contrary to SVT's stated wishes, many Cobra R models were purchased by private collectors and never actually driven, but several competed successfully in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Firestone Grand Sport Series and Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) World Challenge Class B Series. Of the three Cobra R models produced, the 1993 model had the benefit of being the lightest and the smallest.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: A total of 107 Cobra R models were produced, and all were painted in Vibrant Red Clearcoat. According to Ford's announcement on April 7, 1993, the Cobra R was produced to take the Fox-bodied Mustang out in grand style, a "best of the last" model. According to SVT, they could achieve 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Ford introduced the newly redesigned 1994 Mustang in December 1993. It was the first major redesign since the third generation Fox-bodied Mustang that was introduced for 1979. Known as Fox-4 (because it was based on the Fox platform as a 1994 model), the new 1994 Mustang was an improvement over the outgoing 1993 model. The new car's ride, handling, styling, ergonomics, and standard and optional equipment were improved from the previous model. However, the and Pontiac Firebird Formula and Trans Am, that were redesigned for 1993, came standard with , while the 1994 Mustang GT engine produced .


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1994 Cobra was introduced midway through the model year with the same engine from the 1993 Cobra. With its GT-40 cast-iron heads and lower intake and its Cobra-specific upper intake, power increased to . However, the actual output of the Cobra's GT-40 enhanced engine was probably higher. Ford claimed 6.3 seconds to achieve 60 mph and a top speed of . "Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords" magazine tested a 1994 Cobra coupe and ran 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and the quarter mile in 13.87 seconds at 99.49 mph.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Initially, the 1994 SVT Cobra was only available as a coupe, but the first factory-produced SVT Cobra convertible was the 1994 Indy 500 Pace Car Replica. On the same day that the new 1994 Cobra coupe was launched, SVT announced that it would be building a Cobra convertible (the first factory-produced "Cobra" convertible since the 1970 Shelby models) and that this convertible had been selected to pace the 1994 Indianapolis 500. The new Cobra convertible, or Indy 500 Pace Car Replica, was made available later in the 1994 model year.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1994 Cobra offered refinements compared to lower trim level Mustang models. According to Jim Campisano's book "Powered by SVT: Celebrating a Decade of Ford Performance," below is a list of items that set the 1994 SVT Cobra apart from the 1994 Mustang GT:


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1994 Cobra was available in three exterior paint colors, as shown in the table below. Interior color choices were black cloth, saddle cloth, black leather, and saddle leather. On the 1994 Cobra convertible, the vinyl top was only available in saddle, and was the same one used on regular Mustang convertibles.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the engine code (in bold) is the only unique code that differentiates the SVT Cobra from other Mustangs for the 1994 model year. The SVT Cobra and Mustang GT shared the same codes for the body style/model number.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: All prices below are in United States dollars when the vehicles were sold new at a Ford dealership before any available options were added.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: To celebrate Ford Mustang's 30th anniversry in 1994, a trio of SVT Cobra convertibles served as pace cars for the 78th Indianapolis 500 race on May 29, 1994. The three cars were modified by Jack Roush in Allen Park, Michigan. The pace cars were installed with heavy-duty four-speed automatic transmissions, 15-gallon racing fuel cells, heavier rear springs (to accommodate the weight of television camera equipment), a Halon fire-extinguisher system, a rollbar with 50,000-watt strobe lights built in, and special lights in the rear spoiler. Parnelli Jones, a seven-time Indy 500 competitor who won the 1963 race, drove the pace car at the event.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: A total of 1,000 Indy 500 Pace Car Replicas were produced. All were painted Rio Red and fitted with Saddle leather interiors and matching Saddle vinyl tops. The Indy 500 winged-tire logo was featured as a chrome cloisonné badge on the decklid and embroidered on the front seatbacks. A set of "Official Pace Car" decals were shipped inside the trunk and left to the buyer's discretion to install them. The decals on the three official pace cars had the tire logo in white, while it was grey on the replica decals.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1994 SVT Mustang Cobra was the third Ford Mustang selected for official pace car duties at the Indianapolis 500 race. The other two were the very first Mustang in 1964 and the newly redesigned Fox-bodied Mustang in 1979.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1995 Cobra was essentially a carryover of the 1994 model. The chrome SVT badge on the decklid was new for all SVT vehicles this year. A new vertical spat was added to the leading edge of each rocker panel extension to prevent rock damage to the lower body.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The Cobra convertible returned for a limited production run of 1,003 units, and all were painted Black and fitted with Saddle leather interiors and Black convertible tops. Newly available for the 1995 Cobra convertible was a removable hardtop option. This was a one-year-only option due to its $1,825 price and 90 pounds of additional weight; thus, only 499 of the Cobra convertibles came with this option. Removing or installing the hardtop was a two-person job, and this hardtop could not easily fit any other Mustang or Cobra convertible from this vintage due to the latching mechanisms of the fiberglass top and the dome light wiring. Included with this option, was a carrier that rolled on four casters allowed for storage of the hardtop when it was not being used. This hardtop option was originally supposed to be an available option for the all-new 1994 Mustang convertible, but it was delayed due to supply problems and quality-control concerns. This hardtop option was not available on the 1995 Mustang GT convertible.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1995 Cobra was available in the same three exterior paint colors from 1994, shown in the table below. Interior color choices were the same as in 1994: black cloth, saddle cloth, black leather, and saddle leather. On the 1995 Cobra convertible, the vinyl top was only available in black, and was the same one used on regular Mustang convertibles.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the engine codes (in bold) are the only unique codes that differentiate the SVT Cobra from other Mustangs for the 1995 model year. The SVT Cobra and Mustang GT shared the same codes for the body style/model number.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the wake of the 1993 R's success, SVT engineers developed a more powerful R-model based on the 1995 Cobra. The Cobra's 5.0 L V8 with an SVT modified version of Ford's 5.8 L Windsor V8, re-engineered to produce . A new a 22-gallon fuel cell was installed.A Tremec 3550 5-speed manual transmission was standard. See also 5-speed T-5 manual. Weight savings was achieved by the deletion of the back seat, radio, power windows/seats, and air-conditioning. The fog lights were omitted to provide ducts for the front disk brakes. Additional changes included heavy-duty progressive-rate springs, thicker stabilizer bars, and a front strut tower brace. The 1995 R was available only in white with saddle cloth interior, each with a unique center-tiered fiberglass hood designed to clear the engine and induction system. A total of 250 were built with Ford keping 18 examples for its press and engineering fleets.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Unlike the 1993 Cobra R, purhasers of the new Cobra were required to hold a valid competition license or own a race team.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: For 1996, Ford finally retired the aging "5.0" V8 in the Mustang GT and SVT Cobra, replacing it with a new aluminum 4.6 L DOHC modular unit that was smoother and had slightly better fuel economy. Starting with the 1996 model year, every Cobra engine was hand-assembled by two-person teams at the Ford Romeo Engine Plant in Romeo, Michigan, a practice that continued through the remainder of SVT Cobra production. Each engine had a label (later, a metal plaque on the 2003–2004 Cobra engines) bearing the names and signatures of the two engine builders. The Romeo engine, as it was called, produced and of torque, enabling the new Cobra to go 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds and do the quarter mile in 13.99 seconds at 101.6 mph. However, "Car and Driver" magazine was able to hit 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.00 seconds at 102 mph during a comparison test in their December 1995 issue. The 1996 Cobra engine redlined at 6,800 rpm, with fuel shut-off occurring at 7,000 rpm.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Ford's modular V8 debuted in the all-new 1992 Ford Crown Victoria as a single-overhead-cam (SOHC) setup, and then the engine really displayed its power potential with 32 valves, dual overhead cams (DOHC), and in the all-new 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The modular engine's aluminum block was cast in Italy by Teksid, a firm that produces parts for Ferrari and Formula One racers. SVT fitted the 1996 Cobra with the Borg Warner T-45 5-speed manual transmission, which was also used in the Mustang GT. (Tremec bought the production rights for the T-45 in late 1998, although the unit remained unchanged in terms of strength.)


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1996 Cobra was available in four exterior paint colors, as shown in the table below. Interior color choices were the same as before: black cloth, saddle cloth, black leather, and saddle leather. On Cobra convertibles, the vinyl top was available in black, saddle, or white, and was the same one used on regular Mustang convertibles.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra for the 1996 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra from other 1996 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: To promote the technological advances and mechanical achievements of its new modular engine, Ford introduced the Mystic Cobra for 1996, which featured high-tech, color-shifting paint formulated by BASF. Utilizing color-shifting ChromaFlair pigments from Flex Products, the Mystic paint shifted from green to amber to gold to purple depending on the angle and the availability of light. The research and development process for this paint took three years to complete. Only available on the Cobra coupe, the Mystic paint option cost $815 at the time, and the 1996 Mystic Cobra was the first production vehicle to wear a color-shifting factory paint job. A total of 1,999 Mystic Cobras were produced, and of these, 1,990 had black leather interiors and nine had black cloth interiors. Since the paint continues to have special proprietary uses, any remaining quantities are tightly controlled and thus require a VIN verification through a complying Ford body shop to obtain the special paint to repaint any damaged areas.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1997 Cobra was basically a carryover of the 1996 model. The previous honeycomb grille was deleted to allow more airflow into the larger radiator that was standard on the entire Mustang lineup, and the 1997 Cobra had a larger diameter fan. Also new was a parallel-flow air conditioning condenser that was exclusive to the SVT Cobra. The rear spoiler was now optional, as it had been standard on all previous models.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The only other major change for 1997 was in the color palette. The 1997 Cobra was available in Five exterior colors. The interior choices were the same as what was offered in 1996: black cloth, saddle cloth, black leather, and saddle leather. On Cobra convertibles, the vinyl top was again available in black, saddle, or white, and was the same one used on regular Mustang convertibles.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra for the 1997 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra from other 1997 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: All prices below are in United States dollars when the vehicles were sold new at a Ford dealership before any available options were added.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1998 Cobra remained mostly unchanged from previous model years. The wheels were similar to the cast-aluminum units used on the 1995 Cobra R, but the wheel cutouts were painted gray, and the wheels were 17x8-inch, instead of 17x9-inch versions on the 1995 Cobra R. Tires were the same BF Goodrich Comp T/A versions as before. Other minor changes included a redesigned console in which the dashboard-mounted digital clock pod was deleted, and the clock function was then integrated into the radio's digital display. Also, the standard premium sound system now included a single-disc CD player.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: This was also the last year of the return-style fuel system, as it was replaced with a newer returnless system for 1999.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1998 Cobra was available in five exterior colors. Chrome Yellow was added midyear on the 1998 Cobra. The interior choices were the same as before: black cloth, saddle cloth, black leather, and saddle leather. However, the leather pattern changed. On Cobra convertibles, the vinyl top was again available in black, saddle, or white, and was the same one used on regular Mustang convertibles.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra for the 1998 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra from other 1998 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: For the 1999 model year, Ford restyled the fourth-generation Mustang utilizing Ford's New Edge design language. The facelifted car featured redesigned body panels that followed Ford's new worldwide styling direction. The interior was basically a carryover from the 1994–1998 Mustangs, and most of the parts were interchangeable. All 1999–2004 SVT Cobras featured independent rear suspension, the first to be fitted to a production Mustang model and unique to the Cobra. A new returnless fuel system was used to meet emission standards.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The new 1999 Cobra had an upgraded 4.6 L DOHC V8 engine rated at and of torque. However, when the new 1999 Cobras were put through their paces by their new owners, it was revealed that 0-60 mph times were slower than a comparably-equipped 1998 model, and dyno tests suggested that the advertised power output was closer to , even though Ford claimed that the engine was outputting 15 hp more than the 1998 Cobra engine. Due to this outcry, on August 6, 1999, Ford halted the sales of all unsold 1999 Cobras on dealership lots and recalled all 1999 Cobras that had been sold. Ford replaced the intake manifold, certain computer components, and the exhaust system from the catalytic converters to the tailpipes to achieve a "true" 320 hp at the crankshaft.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 1999 Cobra was available in four exterior paint colors, as shown in the table below. Interior color choices were limited to two offerings: dark charcoal and medium parchment. The standard leather seats were the same optional leather units used in the 1999 Mustang GT, but without the embroidered running pony logo on the front seatbacks. Cloth seats were no longer offered on the Cobra, as they were never popular with buyers in previous model years. On Cobra convertibles, the vinyl top was available in black, parchment, or white, and was the same as used on regular 1999 Mustang convertibles.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra for the 1999 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra from other 1999 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: For 2000, the SVT Cobra R returned for a limited production run of 300 units. As the standard 2000 Cobra was cancelled due to problems with the 1999 Cobras, the Cobra R was SVT's sole high-performance Mustang for the 2000 model year. The new Cobra R came standard with a DOHC V8 engine with a 6,500 rpm redline that was rated at at 5,700 rpm and of torque at 4,500 rpm. However, independent dyno tests showed that the Cobra R produced rear-wheel output that nearly matched both of those numbers, suggesting the engine may have been underrated. The cast-iron block was based on the 5.4 L block that Ford used in its trucks at the time. The cylinder heads were later used in the 2005–2006 Ford GT, albeit slightly modified. Some sources claimed that the Australian FPV GT's engine was very similar to the Cobra R's engine. As with previous Cobra R models, the 2000 model lacked many of the comforts of the standard Cobra. This model had no radio/audio equipment, air conditioning, cruise control, or a rear seat. All 300 units produced were finished in Performance Red with a Dark Charcoal interior with cloth Recaro bucket seats.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 2000 Cobra R had several distinguishing visual and performance features that set it apart from the standard 1999 or 2001 Cobra. The "power dome" hood was taller than the standard Cobra hood, and it had gills that could be cut out to help reduce engine compartment temperatures. The rear spoiler was tall and wide. The Cobra R was equipped with Eibach springs that lowered the car 1.5 inches in front and 1.0 inch out back. This model also used Bilstein shocks and struts, Brembo 4-piston front calipers with 13-inch rotors were cooled by large ducts, along with a race-style fuel cell that protruded under the Mustang V6-style rear bumper. The front fascia featured a low-riding, removable splitter. The wheels were uniquely styled, silver-painted, five-spoke, x alloys with BF Goodrich G-Force KD tires. The hand-built SVT engine employed special DOHC cylinder heads, a "trumpet-style" intake manifold, aggressive camshafts, short tube headers connected to Cobra catalysts, a Bassani X-pipe, and a unique Borla dual side-exiting exhaust system, which was necessitated by the large fuel cell. This model also featured 3.55 gears, a Gerodisc hydro-mechanical differential with speed and torque sensitivity, and a Tremec T-56 6-speed manual transmission that was closely geared for drag racing or road course usage. The 2000 Cobra R was rated to achieve a 177 mph (282 km/h) top speed.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Aftermarket performance parts vendors contributed to this project, including Recaro, Brembo, McLeod, Eibach, BF Goodrich, Tremec, Borla, Dana, Federal Mogul, and K&N.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Because of the 1999 Cobra performance debacle, the standard 2000 SVT Cobra was cancelled and it returned for 2001 with a true 320 hp rating. However, production of the 2000 SVT Cobra R continued. Ford printed brochures for the 2000 Cobra, with a print date of December 1999, four months after the 2000 model was officially canceled.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: According to the 2000 Cobra brochure, if the 2000 Cobra had been produced, it would have been available in six exterior paint colors: Crystal White Clearcoat, Ebony (Black) Clearcoat, Laser Red Tinted Clearcoat, Medium Atlantic Blue Clearcoat Metallic, Silver Clearcoat Metallic, and (most notable) Mystic Gold. Apparently, Mystic Gold was supposed to be available in limited numbers late in the model year. After the 1996 Mystic Cobra, the 2000 Mystic Gold Cobra would have been the second time that a color-shifting paint was used on the Cobra. The Mystic Gold paint was to have a color shift from burnt orange to gold to yellow to pale green. Ford made changes to the painting process for the 2001 model year, and the Mystic Gold paint was incompatible with the new process. Thus, a 2000 Mystic Gold Cobra prototype appears only in the 2000 Cobra brochure.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Aside from paint colors, the standard 2000 SVT Cobra was pretty much a carryover of the 1999 model. Even the interior was supposed to be the same as in 1999. Only two color choices, dark charcoal and medium parchment, were supposed to be offered again.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 2000 Cobra R was only available in one exterior paint color, as shown in the table below. The sole interior color choice was dark charcoal. The standard cloth Recaro bucket seats had a stylized red "R" with an intertwined Cobra logo embroidered on the front seatbacks.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra R for the 2000 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra R from other 2000 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The price below is in United States dollars when the vehicles were sold new at a Ford dealership before any available options were added.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: While the 2001 Cobra shared almost all the same components of the 1999 Cobra, some changes were made including:


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: With the above list of changes, the 2001 Cobra was able to go 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds and do the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds at 102 mph. The cars were electronically limited to a top speed of 150 mph.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 2001 Cobra was available in eight exterior paint colors, as shown in the table below. There were only two interior color choices: dark charcoal (the interior was dark charcoal with the seats having dark charcoal leather bolsters with medium graphite Alcantara inserts) or medium parchment (the interior was medium parchment, but the seats had chocolate brown leather bolsters with medium parchment Alcantara inserts). The Cobra emblem on the front seatbacks was embroidered in a somewhat darker color than the suede inserts to provide a subtle contrast. On Cobra convertibles, the vinyl top was available in black, parchment, or white, and was the same one used on regular 2001 Mustang convertibles.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra for the 2001 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra from other 2001 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: All prices below are in United States dollars when the vehicles were sold new at a Ford dealership before any available options were added.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Approximately 100 vehicles were partially built in the US and shipped to Australia for right-hand-drive conversion and final assembly by Ford Tickford Experience (FTE). The vehicles were based on the 2001-spec SVT Cobra. Other changes included additional driving lights in the lower front fascia to meet Australian lighting specifications, and the steering wheel was moved to the right side of the car. This was part of a $4 million program by Ford Australia to combat the rival Holden Monaro, which eventually formed the basis of the 2004–2006 Pontiac GTO in the U.S.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: Debuting in the spring of 2002, the 2003 Cobra came with a supercharged, 32-valve DOHC, 4.6-liter V8 engine rated at and of torque. Code-named "Terminator" by the SVT development crew led by John Coletti, numerous improvements were made to the powertrain and driveline to handle the power increase from the previous model's set-up. A cast-iron block was used, instead of the previous Teksid aluminum unit, with stronger internals including Zollner pistons and forged Manley H-beam connecting rods that were modified with a wrist pin oiling hole by the SVT engineers. These upgrades were critical in order to support the of boost delivered from the stock Eaton M-112 roots-type supercharger. Other improvements included the use of a lightweight aluminum flywheel connected to a Tremec T-56 six-speed transmission, 3.55:1 rear axle ratio, and stronger 31-spline halfshafts with revised upper and lower control arms. These modifications enabled the Cobra to go 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds and do the quarter mile in 12.67 seconds at 110.11 mph. Although electronically governed to a top speed of 153 mph, a factory-stock Terminator Cobra can reach a top speed of just under 180 mph if the governor is removed.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 2003 Cobra boasted visual and functional improvements designed by Camilo Pardo, the chief designer of the 2005–2006 Ford GT supercar. These exterior differences included a new front fascia with an integrated spoiler and front brake air ducts, a new rear fascia with a black insert that visually integrated the exhaust pipes, a composite hood with dual functional heat extractors, newly designed side scoops, and foldable side-view mirrors painted in the matching body color. The side skirts were designed specifically for the Terminator Cobra body kit, featuring a smooth body line from the door to the bottom of the car. As a visual departure from the 1999, 2000, and 2001 Cobras (there was no 2002 Cobra model), which featured the Canadian Mustang taillights with separate amber turn signals, the 2003–2004 Cobras used standard red Mustang taillights with integrated turn signals. SVT also introduced new five-spoke 17x9-inch wheels, available in standard machined-faced aluminum with metallic argent-painted pockets or optional chrome. Finally, the Terminator Cobra sported a new decklid spoiler with an integrated LED brake light, as opposed to the wing-type spoiler seen on previous Cobras and the standard Mustang V6 and GT models. It was optional to delete the spoiler, and the brake light was then integrated into the decklid using conventional bulbs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: By the end of the model year, the 2003 Cobra was offered in ten exterior paint colors, but initially, it was available in seven colors. Early 2003 Cobras built between May and September 2002 were produced concurrently with the 2002 Mustang V6 and GT models. Since Satin Silver and Mineral Grey were 2002 colors, they were replaced with Silver Metallic and Dark Shadow Grey Metallic, respectively, at the start of regular 2003 Mustang production on September 29, 2002. Redfire Metallic replaced Torch Red only because it was a new color for the 2003 model year; however, Torch Red would make a comeback at the end of the model year on the 10th Anniversary Edition (see the next section). All 2003 Cobras had Dark Charcoal interiors. The seats were upholstered with Dark Charcoal Nudo leather bolsters and suede inserts in either Medium Graphite (light gray) or Medium Parchment (tan). The Cobra emblem on the front seatbacks was embroidered in a color that matched the suede inserts; however, on the 10th Anniversary Edition, this same emblem was embroidered in dark charcoal-colored thread to contrast with the special red leather inserts. On Cobra convertibles, the canvas convertible top was either black or parchment depending on the color of the chosen suede seat inserts, and on 10th Anniversary Edition convertibles, the canvas convertible top was only available in black.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: "NOTE: In the table below, paint colors marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the start of regular 2003 Mustang production on September 29, 2002."


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra for the 2003 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra from other 2003 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: For 2003, SVT offered a limited-edition 10th Anniversary Cobra to commemorate ten years the first SVT Mustang Cobra in 1993. The car featured unique seven-spoke, dark argent-painted, 17-inch alloy wheels; Dark Charcoal interior with Colorado Red leather inserts on the seats; red inserts in the door panels; red-painted brake calipers; and special 10th Anniversary badges on the decklid and floormats. Also included were special carbon fiber-patterned leather wrapped around the shifter; emergency brake handle; and on the steering wheel at the 10, 2, and 6 o'clock positions. The Anniversary model was the first Cobra to feature a steering wheel with grip humps at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. SVT produced 2,003 units of the Anniversary model at the end of the model year during June and July 2003, totaling 1,003 coupes and 1,000 convertibles. The 10th Anniversary models were only available in three exterior colors: Black (775 models), Torch Red (734 models), and Silver Metallic (494 models). The 10th Anniversary Edition package (order code 375A) was a $1,495 option.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 2004 Cobra was a carryover of the 2003 Cobra but with a few minor updates, including a slightly updated exhaust system and rumors of a 20+ horsepower increase over the 2003 model. The addition of a newly integrated shift light negated the $1,000 gas guzzler tax that was charged on the 2003 models. One notable new option across the entire Ford lineup was the available Sirius satellite radio; the distinguishing feature between the 2003 and 2004 factory sound systems was the "SAT" button on the 2004 system.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 2004 Cobra was produced between November 2003 and March 2004. It was a short model year for the 2004 Terminator Cobra, as well as the entire 2004 Mustang lineup, due to a number of reasons. The 2004 Mustangs and Cobras were the last Mustangs to be built at Ford's historic Dearborn Assembly Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, and Ford Motor Company had made the decision to end Mustang production there rather than updating the plant for the 2005 models. Thus, 2004 production was scheduled to wrap up by May 2004. Another reason was the hype over the all-new 2005 Mustang, which meant that Ford needed to start production as soon as possible at the newly updated Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, then known as AutoAlliance International.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The 2004 Cobra was available in eight exterior paint colors, as shown in the table below. Zinc Yellow was replaced by Screaming Yellow across the Mustang lineup for 2004; however, Sonic Blue Metallic and Dark Shadow Grey Metallic were still available on regular 2004 Mustangs. The seats were upholstered with Dark Charcoal Nudo leather bolsters and suede inserts in either Dark Charcoal or Medium Graphite. Medium Parchment suede inserts were no longer offered. The Cobra emblem on the front seatbacks was embroidered in a medium graphite-colored thread regardless of the color of the suede seat inserts; however, on the Mystichrome Cobra (see the next section), this same emblem was embroidered in dark charcoal-colored thread to contrast with the special Mystichrome leather inserts. On all 2004 Cobra convertibles, the canvas convertible top was only available in black, regardless of the color and material of the seat inserts.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: In the table below, the codes in bold are unique to the SVT Cobra for the 2004 model year, and these codes differentiate the SVT Cobra from other 2004 Mustangs.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The limited-edition 2004 Mystichrome Cobra debuted at the 2003 New York International Auto Show alongside the 2004 40th Anniversary Mustang GT and V6 models. According to SVT's press release, the Mystichrome Cobra was produced to help commemorate the Mustang's 40th anniversary year. SVT had recognized the importance of this milestone, and shortly after the success of the 1996 Mystic Cobra, SVT worked with Ford's product planners and outside vendors to build the ultimate special edition Cobra. DuPont was commissioned to work on an improved formulation of color-shifting paint that would be easier to use and match. The resulting Mystichrome paint, sold to BASF who finally supplied the paint to Ford, contained ChromaFlair pigments that rendered a shift from a bright topaz green to cobalt blue, then to royal purple, and finally to a deep onyx black. A high amount of metallic aluminum flakes were added to give the Mystichrome paint some sparkle. The paint is called "2004 Ford Mustang Cobra MystiChrome Metallic" and cost, at the time, about $150 per pint. As the Mystichrome paint is still very expensive, any kind of exterior damage to the car is financially problematic. If a damaged Mystichrome Cobra requires repainting at a reputable Ford dealer's body shop, a Ford employee from Dearborn headquarters is required to bring the paint in person and supervise the usage of the special paint. The damaged car must be verified that it is a factory-built Mystichrome Cobra. Once the body shop is finished using the Mystichrome paint, all unused paint must be put back in the can and sealed, and the supervising Ford employee returns to Dearborn with the unused paint.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: SVT worked with Garden State Tanning to produce the Mystichrome leather found on the car's seat inserts and the steering wheel at the 10, 2, and 6 o'clock positions. The production process for the Mystichrome leather included tanning and dying the leather jet black, spraying the Mystichrome paint directly onto the leather, and sealing it with a clear layer to protect and prevent damage to the Mystichrome-painted leather. Like the 2003 10th Anniversary Cobra, the Mystichrome Cobra featured a steering wheel with grip humps at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. The Mystichrome Cobra came standard with the five-spoke 17-inch chrome wheels.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: The Mystichrome Cobra was produced between December 2003 and January 2004. A total of 1,010 Mystichrome Cobras were produced, 515 coupes and 495 convertibles. The Mystichrome Appearance Package (order code 68M), as it was officially called by Ford, was only a $3,650 option.


title: Ford Mustang SVT Cobra

text: A definitive history of the Terminator Cobra and John Coletti's SVT operations was captured in the non-fiction book "Iron Fist, Lead Foot" by Frank Moriarty.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) is a rapid transit system in the northeastern New Jersey cities of Newark, Harrison, Jersey City, and Hoboken, as well as Lower and Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. PATH trains run around the clock year round; four routes serving 13 stations operate during the daytime on weekdays, while two routes operate during weekends, late nights, and holidays. It crosses the Hudson River through cast iron tunnels that rest on the river bottom. It operates as a deep-level subway in Manhattan and the Jersey City/Hoboken riverfront; from Grove Street in Jersey City to Newark, trains run in open cuts, at grade level, and on elevated track. In , the system saw rides, or about per weekday in .


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The routes of the PATH system were originally operated by the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad (H&M), built to link New Jersey's Hudson Waterfront with New York City. The system began operations in 1908 and was fully built out in 1911. Three stations have since closed; two others were re-located after a re-alignment of the western terminus. From the 1920s, the rise of automobile travel and the concurrent construction of bridges and tunnels across the river sent the H&M into a financial decline from which it never recovered, and it was forced into bankruptcy in 1954. As part of the deal that cleared the way for the construction of the original World Trade Center, the Port Authority bought the H&M out of receivership in 1962 and renamed it PATH. In the 2000s and 2010s the system suffered considerably from disasters that affected the region, most notably the September 11 attacks and Hurricane Sandy. Both private and public stakeholders have proposed expanding PATH service in New Jersey, and an extension to Newark Liberty International Airport may be constructed in the 2020s.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Although PATH has long operated as a rapid transit system, it is legally a commuter railroad under the jurisdiction of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Its right-of-way between Jersey City and Newark is located in close proximity to Conrail, NJ Transit and Amtrak trackage, and it shares the Dock Bridge with intercity and commuter trains. All PATH train operators must therefore be licensed railroad engineers and extra inspections are required. PATH currently uses one class of rolling stock, the PA5, which was delivered in 2009–2011.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The PATH system pre-dates the New York City Subway's first underground line, operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. The Hudson & Manhattan Railroad (H&M) was planned in 1874, but it was not possible at that time to safely tunnel under the Hudson River. Construction began on the existing tunnels in 1890, but soon stopped when funding ran out. It resumed in 1900 under the direction of William Gibbs McAdoo, an ambitious young lawyer who had moved to New York from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and later became president of the H&M. The railroad became so closely associated with McAdoo that, in its early years, its lines were called the McAdoo Tubes or McAdoo Tunnels.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Construction started on the first tunnel, now called the Uptown Hudson Tubes, in 1873. Chief engineer Dewitt Haskin built the tunnel by using compressed air to open a space in the mud and then lining it with brick. The railroad got from Jersey City this way until a lawsuit stopped work; accidents, including a particularly serious one in 1880 that killed 20 workers, caused additional delays. The project was abandoned in 1883 due to a lack of funds. An effort by a British company, between 1888 and 1892, also failed.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: When the New York and New Jersey Railroad Company resumed construction on the uptown tubes in 1902, its chief engineer, Charles M. Jacobs, used a different method. He had workers push a shield through the mud and then place tubular cast iron plating around the tube. The northern tube of the uptown tunnel was completed this way shortly after work resumed and the southern tube was built the same way. The uptown tubes were completed in 1906.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: By the end of 1904, the New York City Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners had given the company permission to build a new subway line through Midtown Manhattan to connect with the Uptown Hudson Tubes, along with 26 years of exclusive rights to the line. The Midtown Manhattan line would travel eastward under Christopher Street before turning northeastward under Sixth Avenue, then continue underneath Sixth Avenue to a terminus at 33rd Street.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In January 1905, the Hudson Companies, with $21 million in capital, were incorporated to complete the Uptown Hudson Tubes and build the Sixth Avenue line, as well as construct a second pair of tunnels, the current Downtown Hudson Tubes. The H&M was incorporated in December 1906 to operate a passenger railroad system between New York and New Jersey via the Uptown and Downtown Tubes.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The current Downtown Hudson Tubes were built about south of the first one. Three years of construction using the tubular cast iron method finished in 1909. The uptown and downtown tunnels had two tubes with a single unidirectional track. The eastern sections of the tunnels, in Manhattan, were built with the cut and cover method.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Test runs of empty trains started in late 1907. Revenue service started between Hoboken Terminal and 19th Street at midnight on February 26, 1908, when President Theodore Roosevelt pressed a button at the White House that turned on the electric lines in the uptown tubes (the first train carrying passengers, all selected officials, had run the previous day). This became part of the current Hoboken–33rd Street line. The H&M system was powered by a 650-volt direct current third rail which, in turn, drew power from an 11,000-volt transmission system with three substations. The substations were the Jersey City Powerhouse, as well as two smaller substations at the Christopher Street and Hudson Terminal stations.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: An extension of the H&M from 19th Street to 23rd Street opened in June 1908. In July 1909, service began between the Hudson Terminal in Lower Manhattan and Exchange Place in Jersey City, through the downtown tubes. The connection between Exchange Place and the junction near Hoboken Terminal opened two weeks later, forming the basic route for the Hoboken-Hudson Terminal (now Hoboken–World Trade Center) line. A new line running between 23rd Street and Hudson Terminal was created in September. Almost a year after that, the H&M was extended from Exchange Place west to Grove Street, and the 23rd Street–Hudson Terminal line was rerouted to Grove Street, becoming part of the current Journal Square–33rd Street line. A fourth line, Grove Street–Hudson Terminal (now the Newark–World Trade Center line), was also created. In November 1910, the Hoboken–23rd Street and Grove Street–23rd Street lines were extended from 23rd Street to 33rd Street.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The Grove Street–Hudson Terminal line was extended west from Grove Street to Manhattan Transfer in October 1911, and then to Park Place in Newark on November 26 of that year. After completion of the uptown Manhattan extension to 33rd Street and the westward extension to the now-defunct Manhattan Transfer and Park Place Newark terminus in 1911, the H&M was complete. The final cost was estimated at $55–$60 million. A stop at Summit Avenue (now Journal Square), located between Grove Street and Manhattan Transfer, opened in April 1912 as an infill station on the Newark-Hudson Terminal line, though only one platform was in use at the time. The station was completed by February 1913, allowing service from 33rd Street to terminate there. The last station, at Harrison, opened a month later.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Originally, the Hudson Tubes were designed to link three major railroad terminals on the Hudson River in New Jersey—the Erie Railroad (Erie) and Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in Jersey City and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W) in Hoboken—with New York City. While PATH still connects to train stations in Hoboken and Newark, the Erie's Pavonia Terminal at what is now Newport and the PRR terminal at Exchange Place station have been closed and demolished. There were early negotiations for New York Penn Station to also be shared by the two railroads. In 1908, McAdoo proposed to build a branch of the H&M southward to the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal at Communipaw.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: When the rapid transit commissioners approved construction of the H&M's Sixth Avenue line in 1904, they left open the option of digging an east-west crosstown line. The New York and New Jersey Railroad Company received perpetual rights to dig under Christopher and Ninth Streets eastward to either Second Avenue or Astor Place. The project was started but soon abandoned; about of the tube that was dug still exists.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In February 1909 the H&M announced plans to extend its Uptown Tubes northeast to Grand Central Terminal, located at Park Avenue and 42nd Street. The openings of the 28th and 33rd Street stations were delayed because of planning for the Grand Central extension. "The New York Times" speculated that the downtown tunnels would see more passenger use than the uptown tunnels because they better served the city's financial district.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT), a competitor to the H&M, proposed to connect its Lexington Avenue line to the H&M at Grand Central, Astor Place, and Fulton Street–Hudson Terminal once the planned system was complete. Its terminus at Grand Central was supposed to be located directly below the IRT's 42nd Street line but above the IRT's Steinway Tunnel to Queens. However, the IRT constructed an unauthorized ventilation shaft between its two levels in an effort to force the H&M to build its station very deeply, making it less accessible. As an alternative, it was proposed to connect the Uptown Tubes to the Steinway Tunnel. A franchise to extend the Uptown Tubes to Grand Central was awarded in June 1909.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: By 1914, the H&M had not yet started construction of the Grand Central extension, and requested a delay. Six years later, the H&M had submitted 17 applications for delays; in all of them, the railroad said it was not the best time for construction. The Rapid Transit Commissioners declined the last one, effectively ending the H&M's rights to a Grand Central extension.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In September 1910, McAdoo proposed another expansion, consisting of a second north-south line through midtown. It would run from Hudson Terminal to 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue, underneath Herald Square and near the H&M's existing 33rd Street station. The new line would run mainly under Broadway, with a small section of the line in the south under Church Street. Under McAdoo's plan, the city could take ownership of this line within 25 years of completion.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: That November, McAdoo also proposed that the two-track Broadway line be tied into the IRT's original subway line in Lower Manhattan. The Broadway line, going southbound, would merge with the local tracks of the IRT's Lexington Avenue line in the southbound direction at 10th Street. A spur off the Lexington Avenue line in Lower Manhattan, in the back of Trinity Church, would split eastward under Wall Street, cross the East River to Brooklyn, then head down Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, with another spur underneath Lafayette Avenue. McAdoo wanted not only to operate what was then called the "Triborough System", but also the chance to bid on the Fourth Avenue line in the future. The franchise for the Broadway line was ultimately awarded to the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) in 1913, as part of the Dual Contracts.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In 1909, McAdoo considered extending the H&M in New Jersey, building a branch north to Montclair, in Essex County. A route extending north from Newark would continue straight to East Orange. From there, branches would split to South Orange in the south and Montclair in the north.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: A record 113 million people rode the H&M in 1927. Ridership declined after the opening of the Holland Tunnel late that year and fell further once the Depression began. The opening of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 and the Lincoln Tunnel in 1937 drew more riders out of trains and into their cars. The Summit Avenue station was renovated and rededicated as "Journal Square" in 1929; the railroad's powerhouse in Jersey City shut down later that year, as its system could now draw energy from the greater power grid.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In the 1930s, service to the Uptown Hudson Tubes in Manhattan was affected by the construction of the Independent Subway System (IND)'s Sixth Avenue Line. The 33rd Street terminal closed in late 1937; service on the H&M was cut back to 28th Street to allow for subway construction. The 33rd Street terminal was moved south to 32nd Street and reopened in 1939. The city had to pay the railroad $800,000 to build the new 33rd Street station; it reimbursed H&M $300,000 more for lost revenue. The 28th Street station was closed at this time as unnecessary since the southern entrances to the 33rd Street terminal were only two blocks away; it was later demolished to make room for the IND tracks below.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The Manhattan Transfer station was closed in mid-1937, and the H&M realigned to Newark Penn Station from the Park Place terminus a quarter-mile () north; the Harrison station across the Passaic River was moved several blocks south as a result. The upper level of the Centre Street Bridge to Park Place later became Route 158.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Promotions and other advertising failed to stem the financial decline of the H&M. The 19th Street station in Manhattan was closed in 1954. That year, the H&M entered receivership due to its constant losses. It operated under bankruptcy protection; in 1956 the two states agreed to settle its unpaid back taxes for $1.9 million. That year, the H&M saw 37 million annual passengers, and transportation experts called for subsidies. One expert proposed a "rail loop", with the Uptown Hudson Tubes connecting to the IND Sixth Avenue Line, then continuing up Sixth Avenue and west via a new tunnel to Weehawken, New Jersey. By 1958, ridership had dropped to 30.46 million annual passengers. Two years later, creditors approved a reorganization plan. During this time, H&M workers went on strike twice over wages: for two days in 1953, and for a month in 1957.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In the early 1960s, planning for the World Trade Center resulted in a compromise between the Port Authority and the state governments of New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority agreed to purchase and maintain the Tubes in return for the rights to build the World Trade Center on the footprint of H&M's Hudson Terminal, which was the Lower Manhattan terminus of the Tubes. A formal agreement was made in January 1962; four months later, the Port Authority set up two wholly owned subsidiaries: the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH) to operate the H&M lines, as well as another subsidiary to operate the World Trade Center. All of the Port Authority's operations would have been subjected to federal Interstate Commerce Commission rules if it ran the trains directly, but with the creation of the PATH Corporation, only the subsidiary's operations would be federally regulated.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In September, the Port Authority formally took over the H&M Railroad and the Tubes, rebranding the system as Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH). Upon taking over the H&M, the PANYNJ spent $70 million to modernize the system's infrastructure. The PANYNJ also repainted H&M stations into the new PATH livery. In 1964, the authority ordered 162 PA1 railway cars to replace the H&M rolling stock, much of which dated to 1909. The first PA1 cars were delivered in 1965. Subsequently, the agency ordered 44 PA2 cars in 1967 and 46 PA3 cars in 1972.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: As part of the World Trade Center's construction, the Port Authority decided to demolish Hudson Terminal and construct a new World Trade Center Terminal. Groundbreaking took place in 1966. During excavation and construction, the original Downtown Hudson Tubes remained in service as elevated tunnels. The new terminal, west of the Hudson Terminal, opened in 1971. It cost $35 million to build, and saw 85,000 daily passengers at the time of its opening. Hudson Terminal was then shut down.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The Journal Square Transportation Center opened in 1973, consolidating operations in the 10-story building that is part of the complex.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In January 1973, the Port Authority released plans to double the route mileage of the PATH system with an extension from Newark Penn Station to Plainfield, New Jersey. A stop at Elizabeth would allow PATH to serve Newark Airport, where passengers could transfer to a people mover serving the terminals. Preliminary studies of the right-of-way, as well as a design contract, were conducted that year. The extension was approved in 1975. The Federal Urban Mass Transit Administration was less enthusiastic about the extension's efficacy and reluctant to give the Port Authority the $322 million it had requested for the project, about 80% of the projected cost. Eventually, the administration agreed to back it, but in 1977 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the two state legislatures had violated the U.S. Constitution's Contract Clause by repealing a covenant in the 1962 bond agreements in order to make the extension possible. In June 1978, the extension, by then estimated to cost $600 million, was canceled in favor of improving bus service in New Jersey.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Labor problems also beset PATH during this time. After a January 1973 strike over salary increases was averted, talks failed and workers walked out in April. A month into the strike, negotiations broke down again; the union returned to work in June.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The 1980 New York City transit strike suspended service on the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA)'s bus and subway routes for 10 days. A special PATH route ran from 33rd Street to World Trade Center via Midtown Manhattan, Pavonia–Newport, and Exchange Place during the NYCTA strike. PATH motormen also threatened to go on strike during this time for different reasons. The special service was suspended in April after some workers refused overtime.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In June, PATH workers again went on strike for higher pay, their first such action since 1973. During the strike, moisture built up in the tunnels and rust accumulated on the tracks; pumps in the underwater tunnels remained in operation, preventing the tubes from flooding. Alternative service across the Hudson River was provided by "inadequate" shuttle buses through the Holland Tunnel. The 81-day strike was the longest in PATH's history.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Substantial growth in PATH ridership during the 1980s required expansion and improvement of the railroad's infrastructure. The Port Authority announced a plan in 1988 that would allow stations on the Newark–WTC line to accommodate longer eight-car trains while seven-car trains could operate between Journal Square and 33rd Street. Two years later, it announced a $1 billion plan to renovate the PATH stations and add new cars. Video monitors were installed in stations to make money from advertising. PATH also sought a fare hike, even though that would reduce its per passenger subsidy, to reduce its $135 million annual deficit. By 1992, the Port Authority had spent $900 million on infrastructure improvements, including repairing tracks, modernizing communications and signaling, replacing ventilation equipment, and installing elevators at seven stations per the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).


title: PATH (rail system)

text: A $225 million car maintenance facility was opened in Harrison in 1990. It replaced PATH's old Henderson Street Yard—a below-grade, open-air train storage yard at the northeast corner of Marin Boulevard and Christopher Columbus Drive just east of the Grove Street station.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: High tides from the December 1992 nor'easter flooded the PATH tunnels, including a section between Hoboken and Pavonia. Most trains were stopped before reaching the floods, but one became stalled near Hoboken Terminal. Some water pumps within the system were overwhelmed. The Newark–World Trade Center service was not disrupted afterwards, but the Journal Square–33rd Street service was slowed because several spots along the route needed to be pumped out. Service to Hoboken was suspended for 10 days, the longest disruption since the summer 1980 strike.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: A section of ceiling in the World Trade Center PATH station collapsed and trapped dozens during the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; the station itself did not suffer any structural damage. Within three days, PATH service to the station resumed.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In the summer of 1993, the Port Authority banned tobacco advertisements in all trains and stations. A new wash for cars opened in mid-September 1993 in Jersey City, replacing the one at the 33rd Street terminal. In April 1994, an ADA-compliant entrance to the Exchange Place station was opened. Two years later, three trains began running express on the Newark–World Trade Center service for six months, cutting running time by 3 minutes. Weekend Hoboken–World Trade Center service began in October 1996 on a six-month trial basis, and the express Newark–World Trade Center service was made permanent on the same day.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The World Trade Center station in Lower Manhattan, under the World Trade Center, one of PATH's two New York terminals, was destroyed during the September 11 attacks, when the Twin Towers above it collapsed. Just prior to the collapse, the station was closed and all passengers evacuated. Service to Lower Manhattan was suspended indefinitely. Exchange Place, the next-to-last station before World Trade Center, had to be closed as well because trains could not turn around there; it had also suffered severe water damage. A temporary PATH terminal at the World Trade Center was approved in December 2001 and projected to open in two years. Shortly after the attacks, the Port Authority started operating two uptown services: Newark–33rd Street and Hoboken–33rd Street. and one intrastate New Jersey service, Hoboken–Journal Square. A single nighttime service was instituted: Newark–33rd Street (via Hoboken).


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In the meantime, modifications were made to a stub end tunnel to allow trains from Newark to reach the Hoboken-bound tunnel and vice versa. The modifications required PATH to bore through the bedrock between the stub tunnel and the Newark tunnels. The stub, the "Penn Pocket", had been built to take PRR commuters from Harborside Terminal on short turn World Trade Center to Exchange Place runs. The new Exchange Place station opened in June 2003. Because of the original alignment of the tracks, trains to or from Hoboken used separate tunnels from the Newark service. Eastbound trains from Newark crossed over to the westbound track just west of Exchange Place, where they reversed direction and used a crossover switch to go to Hoboken. Eastbound trains from Hoboken entered on the eastbound track at Exchange Place, then reversing direction and used the same crossover switch to get on the westbound track to Newark before entering Grove Street.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: PATH service to Lower Manhattan was restored when a new, $323 million second station opened in November 2003; the inaugural train was the same one that had been used for the evacuation. The second, temporary station contained portions of the original station, but did not have heating or air conditioning. The temporary entrance was closed in July 2007, then demolished to make way for the third, permanent station; around the same time, the Church Street entrance opened. A new entrance on Vesey Street opened in March 2008; the Church entrance was demolished.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The construction of the permanent four-platform World Trade Center Transportation Hub started in July 2008, when the first prefabricated "ribs" for the pedestrian walkway under Fulton Street were installed. Platform A, the first part of the permanent station, opened in February 2014, serving Hoboken-bound riders. Platform B and the remaining half of Platform A opened in May 2015. The hub formally opened in March 2016 with part of the headhouse. Platforms C and D, the last two, were opened that September.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In the early morning hours of October 29, 2012, all PATH service was suspended in advance of Hurricane Sandy. The following day, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced that PATH service would be out for 7–10 days due to the storm damage. Storm surge from the hurricane caused significant flooding to the Hoboken and Jersey City stations, as well as at the World Trade Center. An image captured by a PATH security camera showing water flowing into Hoboken during the storm went viral online and became one of several representative images of the hurricane. The first PATH trains after the hurricane were the Journal Square–33rd Street service, which resumed on November 6 and ran only in daytime. Service was extended west to Harrison and Newark on November 12, in place of the Newark–World Trade Center service. Christopher Street and 9th Street were reopened during the weekend of November 17–18, but remained closed for five days afterward. Normal weekday service on the Newark–World Trade Center and Journal Square–33rd Street lines resumed on November 26. On weekends, trains operated using the Newark–33rd Street service pattern.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The PATH station at Hoboken Terminal suffered major damage after floodwaters as high as submerged the tunnels; it was closed for several weeks for $300 million worth of repairs. The Newark–33rd Street route was suspended for two weekends in mid-December, with the Newark–World Trade Center running in its place, in order to expedite the return of Hoboken service. Hoboken Terminal reopened in December for weekday daytime Hoboken–33rd Street service, followed by the resumption of weekday 24-hour PATH service in early 2013. The Hoboken–World Trade Center trains resumed in late January, and all normal service was restored by March. The Downtown Hudson Tubes were severely damaged by Sandy. As a result, to accommodate repairs, service on the Newark–World Trade Center line between Exchange Place and World Trade Center was to be suspended during almost all weekends, except for holidays, in 2019 and 2020. However, weekend service was restored in June 2020, six months ahead of schedule.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The Port Authority began rebuilding the Harrison station in 2009. It has longer and wider platforms to allow 10-car trains; street-level-to-platform elevators within the platform extensions, in compliance with the ADA, and architectural modifications. The westbound platform of the new Harrison station opened to the public in October 2018 and the eastbound one the following June.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In January 2010, Christopher O. Ward, as executive director, announced that PATH would be spending $321 million on communications-based train control (CBTC) with Siemens' Trainguard MT, upgrading its signal system for an increase in ridership. CBTC would replace a four-decade old fixed-block signaling system. It would reduce the headway time between trains, allowing more to run during rush hours. At the same time, the entire PATH fleet was replaced with 340 CBTC-equipped PA5 cars, built by Kawasaki Railcar. The original contract was completed in 2011; additional cars were delivered in subsequent years. PATH's goal was to increase passenger capacity from 240,000 passengers a day to 290,000. The entire CBTC system was originally expected to become operational in 2017. The Port Authority also spent $659 million to upgrade 13 platforms on the Newark–World Trade Center line to accommodate 10-car trains; until then, the line could only run eight-car trains.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Along with CBTC, PATH began installing positive train control (PTC), another safety system, during the 2010s, per a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandate that all American railroads have it by the end of 2018. The Newark–World Trade Center line west of Journal Square was converted to PTC in April 2018, followed by the segments of track east of Journal Square the following month. This caused delays across the entire system when train operators had to slow down and manually adjust their trains to switch between the two signaling systems. PTC was tested on the Uptown Hudson Tubes from July to October 2018, forcing weekend closures. PTC was finished in November 2018, a month ahead of schedule; and the entire system was converted by December.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The Port Authority also installed two amenities in all PATH stations. Cellphone service was added for all customers by early 2019. Countdown clocks, displaying the time the next train arrives, were installed in all PATH stations that year. Subsequently, in June 2019, the Port Authority released the PATH Improvement Plan, calling for over $1 billion in investments, including $80 million to extend Newark–World Trade Center line platforms, as well as funding for two ongoing projects: $752.6 million to complete the CBTC system by 2022 and $215.7 million on the new PA5 cars by 2022. The goal is to increase train frequencies on the Newark-World Trade Center line by 40 percent, and 20 percent on other lines, during rush hours. Every train on the Newark–World Trade Center line would be nine cars long. In addition, the platform at Grove Street would be extended eastward, at the Marin Boulevard end of the station, and two additional cross-corridors would be added at Exchange Place. The Port Authority would also allocate funds to study the implementation of 10-car trains. In September 2019, service on the Newark–World Trade Center and Journal Square–33rd Street lines would be increased by 10 percent during rush hours, reducing the headway between trains from four minutes to three.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In the mid-2000s, a Newark Airport extension was again considered as the Port Authority allocated $31 million for a feasibility study of extending service from Newark Penn Station, estimated at that time to cost $500 million; the study began in 2012. In September 2013, "Crain's" reported that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would publicly support the extension, estimated by then to cost $1 billion. The governor asked that the airport's largest operator, United Airlines, consider flying to Atlantic City International Airport as an enticement to further the project.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In February 2014, the Port Authority's Board of Commissioners approved a 10-year capital plan that included the PATH extension to NJ Transit's Newark Liberty International Airport Station. The alignment would follow the existing Northeast Corridor approximately one mile (1.6 km) further south to the Newark Airport station, where a connection to AirTrain Newark is available. Five years of construction were expected to begin in 2018.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In late 2014, there were calls for a reconsideration of Port Authority funding priorities. The PATH extension followed the route of existing Manhattan-to-Newark Airport train service (on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line as well as Amtrak's "Keystone Service" and "Northeast Regional"). On the other hand, there was no funding for either the Gateway Tunnel, a pair of commuter train tunnels that would supplement the North River Tunnels under the Hudson, or the replacement for the Port Authority Bus Terminal. In December 2014, the PANYNJ awarded a three-year, $6 million contract to infrastructure design firm HNTB to do a cost analysis of the Newark Airport extension.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: In 2017, the PANYNJ released a 10-year capital plan that included $1.7 billion for the extension; at the time, construction was projected to start in 2020, with service in 2025. A presentation at two December 2017 public meetings showed the new PATH station would include a park-and-ride lot and a new entrance from the nearby Dayton neighborhood.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The second quarter of 2020, which included the nadir of COVID-19 pandemic in the United States across the New York metropolitan area, was the worst quarter in PATH's history, with a $777 million decline in revenues throughout all of the PANYNJ's facility and a specific ridership decline of 94% on the PATH system. Train service returned to 96% of 2019 levels on June 15, 2020, yet ridership continued to lag far below pre-pandemic numbers, rebounding to only 60% of 2019 ridership by February 2022. Amid the spread of the Omicron variant in the U.S., PANYNJ was projected to reach $3 billion in pandemic losses by March 2022.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: PATH operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During weekday hours, PATH operates four train services, direct descendants of the four original services operated by the H&M, using three terminals in New Jersey and two in Manhattan. During late nights, weekends and holidays, PATH operates two services from two terminals in New Jersey and two in Manhattan.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Each line is represented by a unique color on timetables and service maps, which also corresponds to the color of the marker lights on the front of trains. The Journal Square–33rd Street (via Hoboken) service is the only line represented by two colors (yellow and blue), since it is a late-night/weekend/holiday combination of PATH's two midtown services, Journal Square–33rd Street and Hoboken–33rd Street. During peak hours, trains operate every four to eight minutes on each service. Every PATH station except Newark and Harrison is served by a train every two to three minutes, for a peak-hour service of 20–30 trains per hour.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: , PATH saw 81.7 million passengers. , the system is used by over 283,000 passengers per weekday; almost 105,000 per Saturday; 75,000 per Sunday; and 94,000 per holiday. The busiest station is World Trade Center, whose 46,000 average passengers per day is over 10 times the daily traffic of Christopher Street, the least busy station. Ridership in 2018 was down by around a million compared to 2017 but it was still nearly a record for PATH operation, having increased 10 million from 2013.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: These levels of ridership notwithstanding, PATH runs at a deficit, losing about $400 million per year. While some of its recent improvements, particularly in Harrison, have spurred local development, it cannot benefit from that directly as the Port Authority is limited to the revenue it makes from the fees, fares and tolls it collects, with the state and local governments collecting the sales, income and property taxes arising from development. Its costs are correspondingly increased by having to comply with FRA regulations. PATH is thus subsidized by the Port Authority from surpluses at its airports and seaports.


title: PATH (rail system)

text: The PATH system has of route mileage, counting route overlaps only once. During the daytime on weekdays, four services operate:


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday to Friday, and all-day Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, PATH operates two train services:


title: PATH (rail system)

text: Prior to 2006, Hoboken–World Trade Center and Journal Square–33rd Street services were offered on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays between 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. In April 2006, these services were indefinitely discontinued at those times and replaced with the Journal Square–33rd Street (via Hoboken) service. During off-peak hours, passengers wanting to travel from Hoboken to Lower Manhattan were told to take the Journal Square–33rd Street (via Hoboken) service to Grove Street and transfer to the Newark–World Trade Center train.