Shelby American To Build 50 Special-Edition CSX8000 Cobras

[Mach 1 Club]

   

* Shelby American will build 50 commemorative edition CSX8000 Cobras with either a fiberglass or aluminum body.
* The 50th-anniversary special-edition series CSX8000 Shelby Cobra incorporates safety and performance while maintaining its originality.
* The car will only be offered in black and costs $69,995 for a fiberglass body or $134,995 for an aluminum-bodied car, without drivetrain.


LAS VEGAS — Shelby American, a subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., is building a special-edition Cobra to commemorate its 50th anniversary. Only 50 copies will be built to order, with prices starting at just under $70,000 for a rolling chassis without drive train.

Almost 50 years ago, the CSX2000 series Cobra, based on the British AC Ace, was created in Southern California. The car was built from 1962-'65 and redefined the term "fast" while dominating its racing opponents, winning the 1965 FIA World Championship. The car's lightweight British chassis and powerful American engine, originally sourced from Ford, gave the Cobra a remarkable power-to-weight ratio and a competitive advantage against its heavier competitors.

"Only 655 leaf-spring small-block Cobras were built between 1962 and 1965," said Rick Kopec, director of the Shelby American Automobile Club. "Today, they're among the most coveted sports cars in the world."

The CSX8000 anniversary edition retains the original feel by using an authentic leaf spring suspension. Some refinements include Wilton wool carpeting, premium leather, disc brakes, a stronger frame and a body that's available in aluminum or fiberglass. It also includes 3.54 gears, a 3-inch-diameter tube-steel frame, side-exit exhaust in front of the rear wheels, Spicer split-spline half shafts and 15-inch chrome-plated wire wheels with performance radial tires.

Shelby American offers the anniversary edition only in Shelby Black.

The CSX8000 Shelby Cobra will begin at $69,995 for a fiberglass body or $134,995 for an aluminum-bodied car without the drive train.

Only a few lucky people can call themselves an owner of the original AC Cobra, and the same will hold true for this edition.