Shelby Distribution announces new and improved Daytona Coupe MKII

Based on one of the most legendary cars of all time, the Superformance Daytona Coupe is a modern interpretation of what is also one of the most expensive cars of all time, the 1965 Shelby Daytona Coupe.

And now Shelby Distribution USA has announced that it will be building a newer and better version of the car, the Daytona Coupe MKII. For those who want a Daytona Coupe but can't pony up the multimillion's of dollars necessary to get one, this is the perfect back up plan.


In addition to the new name, the Daytona gets an updated interior with more room for the driver, external door handles, and electric windows. It also receives a host of performance upgrades, including revised air scoops behind the rear window, a revamped suspension setup, and an improved cooling system. Pricing comes in at $89,000 – plus the cost of an engine and transmission of your choosing.


PRESS RELEASE:

Irvine, CA - The long-awaited new CSX 9000 series Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe MKII with a number of improvements, upgrades and new features has arrived in the USA. The new model will be allocated CSX9000 series chassis numbers and will come complete with a Shelby-issued MSO certificate and Chassis tag.

"The new CSX 9000 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe will replace the SPF Daytona Coupe and this famous marque will in future only be marketed as a Shelby product,", says Lance Stander, President of Shelby Distribution USA of Irvine, CA.

The new models are available with a fiber glass body or aluminum-body.

"Every CSX 9000 series Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe will be listed in the Shelby World Registry, making this new addition to Carroll Shelby's stable of sports cars a collector's dream. The new Coupe will feature Shelby signature door handles and seat covers, and the stopping power for the powerful Coupe will be provided by Shelby branded brakes."

Asked how the Coupe had had progressed from a Shelby-approved replica of the original World famous Shelby Cobra Daytona CSX2000 series Coupe, that in 1965 won the World Manufacturers Championship, Stander said market requirements had demanded that the new model be upgraded and improved in a manner that would make it worthy of the Shelby appellate.

"A sports car with the heritage and image of the Coupe begged for improvements and new features to make it a worthy contender in the market in which it already is one of the most sought after contenders. This awareness led to the development of the CSX 9000 series," says Stander.

In order to increase the clearance between the driver's head and the roof as well as between the driver's left hand and the A-post, the seats were repositioned and the steering wheel moved over to the right. This created a much more comfortable seating environment.

New external door handles do not mar the sleek look of the coachwork and facilitates entry without the use of a remote key, and the doors are fitted with electric windows.

The side air intakes behind the doors now form part of the rear panel behind the B-pillars with an added quarter vent style window. In addition to improved interior air flow, visibility has been significantly improved.

Gear heads will be delighted with the improved front and rear independent suspension. This development includes the replacement of the rose joints with ball joints, and the new design facilitates the adjustment of camber, caster and toe adjustment up front, as well as easy camber and toe adjustment at the rear.

To eliminate noise, the front and rear anti-roll bars have been redesigned, the chassis has been stiffened and a new fuel tank with internal baffles incorporates a swirl pot design.

To improve oil cooling the oil cooler has been separated from the radiator and fitted in an area with adequate air flow, the radiator core diameter has been increased and more efficient radiator fans are fitted.

"With the high ambient temperature in most of the USA in summer, and the congestion on our roads, adequate engine and oil cooling are "must haves" in an auto that is as comfortable cruising along at 20 mph or when hugging the corners at well over a 100 mph!" remarked Stander.

In keeping with modern design, the heater and climate controls for the air-conditioning have no cables and are operated via servo units, the side muffler pipes have been increased in diameter to ensure a deeper rumble, and the wheel wells have been adapted to accommodate 18 inch, deep dish Shelby Cobra style rims.

"Although the new Coupe shares all the visual magic of the original, the new CSX 9000 series is just so much more sophisticated and will have enormous appeal in the market for full-blooded American retro-styled sports cars," said Stander.

The first two new Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupes have already been delivered. The order book is filling up fast, and Shelby dealers are now taking orders for later deliveries. Production will initially be limited to two units per month.

The MSRP of the fiber glass bodied CSX 9000 is $89,900.00 TKM and the aluminum-bodied model will be offered at $195,900.00 TKM. Orders can be placed by following this lead to the Shelby dealers' web site.

www.shelbydistributionusa.com

Or 1-888-SHELBYUSA.

Shelby Daytona Coupe up for auction in May

A copy of the legendary 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe will hit the block on May 22 at the 22nd annual Spring Classic auction in Indianapolis. The auction will be shown live on Discovery's HD theatre, with the Daytona Coupe selling at 8:00pm on Friday, May 18. Mecum fully expects the car to exceed the highest amount paid at a public auction for an American automobile, which is, to our knowledge, the Shelby Cobra Super Snake sold at Barrett-Jackson in 2007 for a total of $5.5 million. The auction house even hopes to reach the eight figure mark. The current record holder for any car is a 1961 Ferrari California Spyder that sold for $10.89 million at RM's auction last year.

The Daytona Coupe being sold, chassis CSX2601, is the fourth of just six built, winning three of eight FIA races it competed in. One of those victories was at Reims in France that earned the points needed for Shelby to clinch the World Manufacturers Championship in the GT III class. The car has been fully restored to its original condition and sports its Reims livery. Bob Bondurant, who piloted the Daytona Coupe to its wins back in 1965 and also owned it shortly thereafter, was reunited with the car at his high performance driving school in Chandler, AZ this weekend. He was joined by Peter Brock, who designed the Coupe, and the two shared stories of the development and racing of the car. Afterwards, Bondurant even put the car through its paces on the track, the first time he had driven it in more than twenty years.

[Source: Mecum Auction]

PRESS RELEASE:

MARENGO, Ill. – High performance collector car specialists Mecum Auction will offer collectors a chance to own a piece of American race history when they auction the 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe CSX2601 at the 22nd Dana Mecum Original Spring Classic Auction taking place May 13-17, 2009, in Indianapolis, Ind.
And when this Crown Jewel of American Racing powers across the auction block, Mecum anticipates the championship race car to garner the highest bid ever paid at public auction for an American automobile – eight figures and counting. The Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe will be sold on live national TV Friday, May 15, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. during the company's series, "Mecum Auto Auction: Muscle Cars & More," on Discovery Communications' popular HD Theater.

The 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra was one of six cars built by Carroll Shelby to compete against the dominating Ferrari in the F.I.A. (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) World Manufacturers Championship for GT race class. An experimental coupe body designed by Pete Brock was built on an existing Cobra chassis, immediately increasing the top speed by 25 mph. That car won its first race, the 1964 Daytona Continental (prompting Shelby to adopt the name), and five more coupes were built, including CSX2601.

After competing at Daytona, Monza, Spa and Nurburgring, CSX2601 made history when it clinched the 1965 World Manufacturers Championship for the United States and Shelby American on July 4 in Reims, France.

"Many vintage race cars have a strong American racing history to share – including this vehicle's sister car CSX 2299 – but no car can claim a finer race hour than the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe CSX2601," said Dana Mecum, president, Mecum Auction. "The legacy of its World Manufacturer's Championship win stays with us more than four decades later, reminding us of one the proudest moments in U.S. race history and a competitive spirit of victory against all odds."

Driving the car – and America – to victory on that fateful July afternoon was legendary driver Bob Bondurant.
"I won a lot of races with this Daytona Cobra Coupe, but when I crossed the finish line at the Reims race track I yelled 'Yes!' It was a fantastic feeling," Bondurant shared. "I always wanted to race in Europe against the world's best drivers. Winning that World Championship was the crowning achievement of my career. I think it's wonderful that the car is being showcased 40 years later."

The Daytona Cobra Coupe didn't just race, however. At one point, a North Dakota businessman with six gas stations owned the car, and each day, he'd drive the 300-mile round trip to collect station receipts in this race-trimmed Cobra.

"This car is a true slice of Americana, representing a different time in America's past when driving a full-blown race car on the roads didn't turn heads," added Mecum. "The Daytona was also leased to Paramount Pictures for use in the Howard Hawks cult classic 'Redline 7000'."

Now fully restored and wearing its famous Reims livery, the Shelby Daytona Cobra CSX2601 headlines the Original Spring Classis Auction, which is expected to feature 1,250 vehicles.

Held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, the auction is open to the general public with tickets are available at the door for $10. It will be broadcast live on Mecum's popular television series, "Mecum Auto Auction: Muscle Cars & More" on HD Theater – Discovery Communications' first 24-hour high-definition cable network, offering compelling real-world and motorized content.

The Mecum Auction Company has been specializing in the sale of collector cars, muscle cars and Corvettes for more than 20 years. In spring 2008, the company sold its 50,000th car. Consignment, Bidder, event and accommodation information is available online at www.Mecum.com or by calling 815.568.8888.