Here is a very Special Edition 2011 Shelby GT500 Cobra. Attended and autographed by motoring legend Carroll Shelby, and auctioned on-line by Collector Car Productions at the Canadian International AutoShow event in Toronto, Ontario, on February 10th, 2010. Accompanied by Mr. David E. Davis and Mr. Bob Bondurant, Carroll Shelby was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame that night as the first international inductee. The Carroll Shelby Tribute Event was in support of the Canadian Shelby Foundation and the Canadian Motorsport Heritage Foundation.

This Shelby Cobra is 1 of 2 cars in existence! Purchased from Ford Motor Company of Canada by the Toronto Dealers Association (TADA) for the purpose of promoting the Shelby Tribute Charity Event where 30 historically significant Shelby cars were placed on display from collections across North America, both Special Edition cars showcase a factory prototype suspension not available with any other Shelby GT500!Click on Read more!

We, at MuscleVehicles – The Muscle Cars Blog are sorry to say that Carroll Shelby, Automotive Legend passed away. He indeed was a legend. Here is the official statement, which is attributable to Edsel B. Ford II, member of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company and great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company.:

Carroll Shelby, Automotive Legend Dies
Carroll Shelby, Ford Family for More Than Half a Century

“Today, we have lost a legend in Ford Motor Company’s history, and my family and I have lost a dear friend. Carroll Shelby is one of the most recognized names in performance car history, and he’s been successful at everything he’s done. Whether helping Ford dominate the 1960s racing scene or building some of the most famous Mustangs, his enthusiasm and passion for great automobiles over six decades has truly inspired everyone who worked with him. He was a great innovator whose legend at Ford never will be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”

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2012 marks the 50th Anniversary of the iconic Shelby Cobra.  The most recent celebration happened this past weekend at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California. Many, many Shelby Cobra owners gathered for a 50th anniversary reunion put on by the Team Shelby Pacific Coast Division. All kinds of Cobras were gathered in front of the museum, from 289-powered slab-sided Cobras to original 427 side-oiler models to the modern continuation Cobras. Drew Phillips was at the event which drew plenty of locals and took pictures of these awesome cars.

You can enjoy all of these iconic vehicles at the Shelby Cobra 50th anniversary reunion in the photo gallery below. Read more, check out the gallery!

NEW YORK – March 27, 2012 – Shelby American, Inc., a division of Carroll Shelby International (CSBI.PK), will introduce its most powerful Shelby yet on April 5, 2012, at the New York International Auto Show. Carroll Shelby and his team created the Shelby 1000 by starting with a 2012 Ford Shelby GT500 and kicking its handling, horsepower and braking to the performance edge.

The Shelby 1000 will be offered in both a street and a Shelby 1000 S/C “off-road” track version. The street legal, pump gas version dyno’s out at approximately 950 HP, while the track oriented S/C edition is rated at over 1,100 HP.

“Carroll Shelby is a visionary who has pushed the boundaries of performance his entire life,” said John Luft, president of Shelby American. “He challenged the Shelby American team to develop the Shelby 1000 and wanted to unveil this amazing new Shelby at the New York Auto Show celebrating 50 years since he unveiled the very first Shelby Cobra that changed the face of high performance. We will have that very car, Cobra #1 (CSX2000) along with Shelby 1000 on display in our Shelby American booth in New York.”

Hot Rod Magazine took the two best Shelby vehicles of all time, the 427 Cobra and the new 2011 GT500 Super Snake, to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to find out which is the baddest ever.
Rob Kinnan from Hot Rod and Gary Patterson from Shelby North America race each car on the road course and the drag strip to see which is fastest in the different disciplines. Carroll Shelby tells why he created the Super Snake and shares what his favorite is! Watch The Video!

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION COURTSEY RM AUCTIONS

300+hp, 289 cu. in. pushrod overhead valve V8 engine, four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension with transverse leaf springs and tubular shock absorbers, four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 90″

Reproduced on the last page of Mike Shoen’s book, The Cobra-Ferrari Wars, is a hand-annotated typewritten page listing just 42 “Cars Built to Racing Specification.” A legend was built on the successes of those few cars.

Nearly a half century after the first of them was built and more than four decades after the last of them left AC in Thames Ditton and Shelby’s Los Angeles shop, this legend still inspires the admiration and respect that makes the name “Cobra” recognized worldwide. And while many legends are embellished with the passing of time, the Cobra’s iconic status is based on solid fact: the success of a few passionate guys who bested the established powers in U.S. and international road racing on the strength of their ingenuity, persistence, creativity and drive.