No V-8, No Problem: 2JZ-Powered Cobra Makes Insane HP on the Dyno

Bugatti Veyron power with half the weight.

2JZ Powered Cobra

Photo by: YouTube

Christopher Smith

By: Christopher Smith

Feb 9, 2025 at 12:00pm ET

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The final race in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift sees the hero (Sean) driving a classic Ford Mustang with a Nissan RB26 inline six holding station under the hood. The merger of two distinct car cultures was both literal and symbolic. We're reminded of that iconic combo in this Cobra kit car fitted with an exceptional Japanese engine.

Ordinarily, we see these Cobra replicas rumbling with a big Ford V-8. This one, built by Induction Performance, trades displacement for a 2JZ with a lot of boost. The YouTube video doesn't say exactly how much, but judging by the sound and the traction problems this car has on the dyno, it's not starving for air.

The inline-six engine is built by Induction Performance, a company that specializes in the infamous 2J. This particular mill has actually been around for quite a while; the video explains how it was originally built for a customer, then went to another customer, and eventually came back to the company. In the Cobra, it uses a single-turbo setup and runs on pump-sourced ethanol, about 67 percent according to the video. Power goes to the rear wheels through a T56 six-speed manual transmission.

The first dyno pull comes back with ... nothing. The car spins its tires like crazy, resulting in a dead run. But the second pull comes in at 866 horsepower. Keep in mind, that's at the wheels*.* Factoring in a 15-percent driveline loss, that's already 1,000 hp at the crank. And that's just the first run.

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With adjustments to the boost level, air-fuel ratio, and other engine parameters, the car ultimately lays down 970 hp to the rear tires. That's around 1,150 hp at the engine. At this level, the wastegate is causing issues, but upgrading the unit should get them to an even 1,000 wheel hp. In a fiberglass Cobra kit car—a car that usually weighs around 2,200 pounds with a heavy V-8 under the hood.

This thing sounds both amazing and terrifying to drive. The perfect combo.

When In Doubt, 2JZ:

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