Shelby on Steroids: The Daytona Coupe Le Mans Edition
Shelby Daytona Coupe Le Mans Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Shelby Daytona Coupe is without a doubt one of the greatest cars in American motorsports history. With an aerodynamic body designed by Peter Brock good for 196 mph, Carroll's Ferrari-slayer dominated the 1965 race season on its way to win the FIA GT World Championship - the first and only American car to achieve the feat. While getting your hands on one of the original six racecars will cost a pretty penny, there is a much more affordable solution.
Southern California-based Exotic Auto Restoration has come up with a unique interpretation of the legendary Shelby named the Daytona Coupe Le Mans Edition. Based on the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe built by Superformance (also designed by Peter Brock), the Le Mans Edition package gets an extra dose of testosterone thanks to fender flares, wider 18-inch wheels and tires, heavy-duty suspension, billet aluminum hood vents, Alcantara seating, brushed aluminum dash with aircraft-style toggle switches, "Daytona Le Mans" gauges, and a suede Momo steering wheel. Powertrain options include any Ford V8 based on the Windsor 351 block, like the 530-horsepower Roush 402R in the car pictured.
If you're in the mood for a racier Daytona Coupe, Exotic Auto Restoration is also offering a track-oriented version that also gets a 6-point roll cage, A/C and carpet delete, quick-release steering wheel, upgraded brakes, carbon fiber front splitter and rear diffuser, Shelby aluminum block 427ci V8 with 560 horsepower, and more. Only six will be built, however, to commemorate the six original racecars. See full details in the press release after the jump, and try not to drool on your keyboard when viewing the high-res gallery below.
Gallery: Shelby Daytona Coupe Le Mans Edition
[Source: Exotic Auto Restoration]
PRESS RELEASE:
The Daytona Coupe Le Mans Edition by Exotic Auto Restoration - the spirit of Le Mans in your driveway
In 1964, Shelby took the motorsports world by storm with the Daytona Coupe. With a revolutionary design by Peter Brock, the car was capable of reaching an incredible 187 mph on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. In 1965, the Daytona Coupe became the first and only American car to win the FIA GT World Championship, cementing its legacy in motorsports history. Now Exotic Auto Restoration of Costa Mesa, CA is allowing car enthusiasts to bring the legend of Le Mans to their own driveway. Based on the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe built by Superformance and also designed by Peter Brock, the Le Mans Edition has been upgraded in the spirit of the original racecar.
To enhance both the looks and performance of the Daytona Coupe, Exotic Auto Restoration has designed new body and interior components that blend seamlessly with the rest of the car. "I wanted to give the car a wider, more aggressive stance as well as the capability of turning better lap times," explains George Cunha, owner of Exotic Auto Restoration. Named for the Le Mans 24 Hour race that the Daytona Coupe won in 1965, this package includes the following:
- Group 5 fender flares front and rear
- Wider 18-inch wheels and tires
- Heavy duty Bilstein shocks and H&R springs
- Functional billet aluminum top and side hood louvers
- Reclinable Alcantera suede seats with "Le Mans Edition" embroidery
- Brushed billet aluminum dashboard with aircraft-style toggle switches
- "Le Mans Edition" gauges with 200 mph speedometer and 10k rpm tachometer
- Suede Momo racing steering wheel
Customers can choose from a variety of motors based on the Ford 351 Windsor block. Powering this particular Daytona Coupe Le Mans is a Roush 402R V8 producing 530 horsepower and 515 lb-ft torque mated to a Tremec T56 6-speed transmission.
In addition, a track-oriented version is also available. Only six will be built (two have been pre-sold, leaving four available) in this configuration to commemorate the six original racecars, each featuring an authentic Shelby-built V8. Adding to the standard Le Mans Edition components, this package includes the following:
- 6-point roll cage
- Lightweight wheels with 2.5-inch locking nut
- 14-inch, 6-piston brakes front, 13-inch, 6-piston brakes rear
- Carbon fiber front splitter and rear diffuser
- A/C delete
- Carpet delete
- Full race seats with 6-point harnesses
- Quick-release steering wheel
- Dash-mounted programmable ignition module
- Dash-mounted brake bias controls
- Shelby aluminum block 351 V8 bored and stroked to 427ci
- 560 horsepower and 530 lb-ft torque
- Tremec TKO-600 transmission
- Full dry sump lubrication system
The Daytona Coupe Le Mans Edition can be seen in person at the Pasadena Art Center Car Classic on Sunday, July 19. For additional information on the Daytona Coupe Le Mans Edition, contact Exotic Auto Restorations at 714-979-7100, on the web at www.carsbyexotic.com or by email at exoticauto@sbcglobal.net .
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JZeke 2:26PM (5/12/2009)
Bad-a$$. I want this.
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PJ 2:37PM (5/12/2009)
"try not to drool on your keyboard..."
Too late.
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CarlosMC 7:58PM (5/12/2009)
+1 :)_
Tomac 2:31PM (5/12/2009)
That's simply a thing of beauty. One of my favorite all-time designs.
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JDM Life 2:33PM (5/12/2009)
Now this i like.
This must be a beast to drive.
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tenfifteen 2:48PM (5/12/2009)
@ "Carroll's Ferrari-slayer dominated the 1965 race season on its way to win the FIA GT World Championship - the first and only American car to achieve the feat."
Someone can correct me if we're talking about different things here, but I don't believe this series (which evolved from the World Sportscar Championship) gained the "FIA GT" moniker until the late 90s (when an Oreca Viper won, btw), and plenty of Fords won in the 60s. From most recent to oldest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIA_GT_Championship
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BPR_Global_GT_Series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Sportscar_Championship
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jerry lipke 6:27PM (5/12/2009)
Right you are. Viper and Corvette have both dominated the FIA GT championship since the mid nineties. The class rules have changed numerous times since the 60's. The Ford GT's were always in the prototype or sports class however and not the GT classes.
If it matters the current Ford GT is in the FIA GT1, GT2, or GT3 class depending on the specification. And Ford, Corvette, and Dodge have always met the spirit and letter of the homologation rules unlike the MC12, Saleen S7, and others.
ken_aisin 2:51PM (5/12/2009)
What a beauty!!
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socom149 2:52PM (5/12/2009)
Why dosent Ford revive a car like this to compete w/ corvette and other cars like the GTR, etc.
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EqueezeMe! 2:54PM (5/12/2009)
Shot #10 of the rear should be in the top 5 Autoblog pictures of all time...
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Kill The Fanboys 3:31PM (5/12/2009)
I vote for shot #6!!!! I immediately right clicked "set as background". Then save-as.
There isn't a word to describe how good this car looks.
imirk 4:59PM (5/12/2009)
Might be just i bit better if it wasn't pointing off the road, but thats just me
Dan 4:38PM (5/12/2009)
Blah.....
Gimme a Factory Five Daytona Coupe over this any day of the week.
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Drew Phillips 4:49PM (5/12/2009)
Really? You would take Daytona Coupe that uses donor parts from a Ford Mustang over one with a specially developed tubular space frame and suspension system with a body actually designed by Peter Brock? I think there's a reason Carroll Shelby put his blessing on this one...
Shiftright 4:46PM (5/12/2009)
Shwing!.....
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Shiftright 4:52PM (5/12/2009)
Amazing that a company can put together such a pants-tightening piece of bad assedness and then slap 'Le Mans Special Edition' logos created in Word by the receptionist on it. Sorry, us designers a re picky about stuff like that.
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RLQ 9:22PM (5/12/2009)
My dream car keeps getting hotter.
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CarlosMC 10:04PM (5/12/2009)
Yes, but will it ever come to Europe? :)
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recharged95 1:01AM (5/13/2009)
I saw 2 superperformance daytonas sitting side by side at FFF (Knott's Berry Farms event.
Just a stunning car to look at in person. Stunning. Having the widebody treatment with a nice splash of silver with black stripes... Actually, I'll take mine in Jaguar-ish polished steel (no paint).
And then having in front of you (which they did when it was time to go) a pair of 427s roar to life though those polished side pipes will make you, ah-hem, your pants. It IS the real deal.
And don't think about it, I checked already, they're over $100K easy.
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recharged95 1:09AM (5/13/2009)
"Gimme a Factory Five Daytona Coupe over this any day of the week. "
Dan, I checked too. The dimensions are off on the FFR such that the different proportions does make it noticeable. BUT I agree the FFR car handles better!
The again, have you seen a superperformance interior (very nice)?
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