Autoblog

The Shelby Daytona Coupe is the embodiment of classic American motorsports. The only problem is that putting a genuine Daytona Coupe in the garage is nearly impossible. There are only a handful in the world, and the price tag would be in the millions of dollars (if you could find an owner willing to part with one). A few years ago, Superformance and Peter Brock, the original designer of the Daytona Coupe, created a modern replica version that made owning the legendary race car much more affordable. Now, Shelby Distribution has announced it will offer an aluminum-bodied version of that same coupe. Like the Shelby CSX4000 and Commemorative GT40 continuation vehicles, the Daytona Coupe will be listed in the Shelby Registry. In addition to the new skin, the Daytona Coupe also features an updated suspension system that will be shared with the upcoming MkII version of the Superformance Coupe. You can check out a gallery of the aluminum bodied prototype under construction below, as well as the current Superformance Shelby Daytona Coupe.

Gallery: Superformance Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe

Gallery: Aluminum-bodied Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe prototype

[Source: Shelby Distribution]

Click the image above for a high resolution gallery

You might expect that Carroll Shelby has quite a collection of cars. He's even put up a few for sale recently, including his personal 1969 GT500 Convertible that he's owned since new at Barrett-Jackson this year and the unique Cobra Supersnake that sold for $5,000,000 at last year's auction. A few years ago Shelby also auctioned off one of the six original Daytona Coupes that he had owned for more than twenty years. He must have missed it in the garage, because he requested that Superformance build him one of their new Daytona Coupes. Designed by Peter Brock, the same man who penned the original, this modern version of the Cobra Coupe retains the wonderful shape of the original while offering some creature comforts not found in the race car. Carroll's personal car, which was delivered to him this week, features the "Guardsman Blue" paint scheme of the original cars as well as the #98 that on the car he previously owned. Unique to the car is a one-off paddle-shift transmission designed by MasterShift mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Power comes from a 427SR Roush crate engine pushing out nearly 500 horsepower. Follow the jump for the press release and check out the gallery below of the car you wish you owned.

Gallery: Carroll Shelby's Superformance Daytona Coupe

[Source: Shelby Distribution USA]