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2013 Shelby Cobra Twin Turbo Project by Heffner Performance 
Here at TopSpeed, Heffner Performance is better known for its twin-turbo packages offered for models like Lamborghini Gallardo or Audi R8 V10. But now the tuner has announced a twin turbo package based on the famous Shelby Cobra. Heffner began the program by simply teasing us with a massive engine on its Facebook page asking us to guess what it went in. The following day, Heffner showed us the beautiful Cobra body that it was going in. Unfortunately, the package is far from complete, but we do have bits of information and some rather sexy images. This Cobra package will be developed during the winter and we’ll likely see the final draft sometime in the spring of 2013. Since the tuner will offer hasn’t offered up any other details, we can only speculate on what the beautiful powerplant in the Cobra’s engine bay will produce. Judging from previous packages we have seen from Heff, we expect the new Cobra Twin Turbo to deliver somewhere around 750 horsepower. We’re in direct contact with Heffner, so we will get information lightning fast, once Heff releases it. So, stay tuned for more info! Battle Over Carroll Shelby’s Remains is Settled, Finally After we lost racing and general automotive legend, Carroll Shelby on May 10th, a squabble ensued over his remains. His estranged wife, Cleo, claimed that she had the rights to his remains and the documentation that his children had, which requested that he be cremated and his ashes split between his children and his burial plot in Texas, was forged. According to reports, Shelby had filed for an annulment of the marriage, citing that his wife had lied about her background and even her name, just before he died. Unfortunately, the annulment was not awarded posthumously, so it appeared as if the only other way to settle the dispute was in court. Fortunately, the two sides managed to keep the case out of court by coming to an agreement on Monday and Mr. Shelby’s body will be laid to rest in the way that he requested, except for one minor compromise. The minor compromise is the fact that his estranged wife gets part of his ashes. We’re glad to hear that the issue is settled, though we would have preferred to see his wife completely cut out of it. The most important thing, however, is that the issue is done and this legend can now be laid to rest peacefully and his children can hold their heads high that their father was laid to rest in the way he requested, though his son Michael says that they are still not happy with the results. V-12 Mercedes-Powered Shelby Cobra is Pure Auto PerfectionTo say we absolutely love every Shelby Cobra to death is an understatement. This also breeds a little hatred in our hearts for those that take a hacksaw to them and start modifying stuff. However, here are some modifications to Shelby Cobras that we can stomach and some that we completely fall in love with at first sight. Magnis Jinstrand’s modified Shelby Cobra just happens to fall squarely in the latter classification… This beautiful example of automotive genius boasts a disgustingly sexy 6.0-liter Mercedes V-12 with an equally disgusting loud-mouthed supercharger strapped to its intake. There’s no information on the power pushed out by this mean machine, but judging by the above video, we would have to estimate it to be in the 700-horsepower range. The exposed supercharger really just does it for us. Not only does it look awesome, but it is about the only whining that I can say I want to hear while driving a car. This blower obliges by providing plenty of it in audible goodness. We are unsure what other modifications this Cobra has on it and we are also unsure if this is actually a real AC Cobra or not. Chances are that it’s a kit car sitting on a custom chassis, especially given how well it handles. Regardless of its authenticity, it is still one sexy beast. We will update you if we happen to come up with any of the vehicle’s specs. Until then, crank your speakers up and enjoy.
Win a Factory Five Mk4 Kit through PowerBlock TV
Factory Five is known for being the premiere Shelby Cobra replica builders of the world, but how does their Mk4 Roadster stack up against the original 427? On March 17th and 18th, 2012, Powerblock TV will be airing episodes of MuscleCar TV that will show both cars stacked up against each other in a variety of driving categories. The Mk4 Roadster was jacked up with Ford’s new 5.0L Coyote engine, upgraded Wilwood brakes, Moser’s wavetrack rear end, and KONI’s latest double-adjustable shocks before both cars went to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a little one on one action. To watch the action, make sure you catch those episodes on March 17th and 18th, then again on March 24th and 25th on The Powerblock. Of course, if you want to be part of the action, then head over to the PowerBlock website, or visit the PowerBlock TV Facebook page where you can sign up to win the Ultimate Do-It-Yourself Package. PowerBlock is holding a sweepstakes in which the winner will receive a complete Factory Five Mk4 Kit, complete with Ford Racing parts and Matco Tools, as well as a bunch of other prizes. All you have to do is sign up online to win. No purchase necessary. Hit the jump to get full details on how to enter. For full contest rules and all the wonderful fine print, go to http://www.powerblocktv.com/roadster/#!/rules Full story 1965 Mercer Cobra Roadster
It’s quite possible that the Mercer name may not spark any type of recognition with the younger crowd. After all, this company was an American automobile manufacturer that produced cars before World War II and are probably not mentioned in any of the history books handed out in most classrooms. For the short version of the story, Mercer was responsible for the Mercer 35 Raceabout which was produced back in 1910 and considered the most admired sports cars of the decade. This vehicle was capable of hitting a top speed of 90 mph, which at the time was quite a feat, and was admired so much that Carrozzeria Sibona-Basano ended up building a modern interpretation of it in 1965. The Mercer Cobra Roadster was a one-off vehicle commissioned by the Copper Development Association from Virgil Exner’s designs in Esquire. Its design was drawn up by Virgil Exner and Virgil Exner, Jr. and was built using a Cobra chassis, number CSX2451. The special Mercer-Cobra Roadster will be put to auction on August 20, 2011 in Monterey with an expected draw of $800,000-$1,200,000. See what makes up a 1.2M Mercer Cobra after the jump. Full story The Top Muscle Cars of the 60s and 70s
The early 60s all the way up to the 70s was a golden age for the American automotive industry if only for the simple fact that muscle cars were growing not just in number, but in overall stature. The muscle car arms race of the that time yielded plenty of options for customers looking for more power and metal-twisting torque from these vehicles. And the models only grew in popularity as more and more people began clamoring for the biggest, baddest, and most powerful machines. The general appeal these muscle cars offered to the growing American car culture of the time was the opportunity to own powerful cars that could be used for drag racing while also keeping costs at bay. At that time, a number of brands began developing their own models, including legendary names like the Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro, the Plymouth Barracuda, the Pontiac Trans-Am, and the Dodge Charger, to name a few. While the golden age of American muscle was limited to parts of these two decades, the industry has enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in recent years. It’s not going to compare to the 60s or the 70s, but as proven by customer clamoring, the culture of American muscle cars is far from bearing its last legs. To pay tribute to the time where muscle was king of the road - and the drag strip - we have compiled a list of the 10 most memorable muscle cars of the golden age. Check out the list after the jump. Full story $400,000 Challenge: 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 takes on 2011 Ferrari 458 ItaliaCrazy as it sounds, there are just people that have nothing better to do with their money than waste it away on a meaningless drag race between an American classic and an Italian thoroughbred. Yep, you read the title right, too: a $400,000 bet to see which car is faster in a quarter-mile run. Can you say nuts? Dan Bilzerian owns what’s described as a tuned-up 1965 427 Shelby Cobra and with nothing else better to do, he decided to engage his friend Tom Goldstein to race against the latter’s 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia in a good old fashion quarter-mile drag race. But instead of settling for bragging rights or a Diet Pepsi at the vending machine, the two men decided to raise the stake to the tune of $400,000. One race. One winner. One $400,000 bet. Unbelievable. In what will go down as one of the most expensive “friendly” bets we’ve ever seen, the two buddies bring their machines to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to settle the score and, more importantly, who takes home that ridiculous amount of money. So, who won? Well, something like this doesn’t deserve a spoiler. Check out the video after the jump and find out. Full story Shelby Showdown: GT500 Super Snake takes on the CobraIf you put a gun to our head and gave us five seconds to name the greatest American car ever built, we’d spill out the Shelby Cobra’s name faster than even our minds can process it. Sure, there are a lot of other vehicles that can lay claim to this subjective title, but we reckon that we’d have a lot of people on our side who agree with us when we say that no American car has been as universally loved and appreciated as the Carroll Shelby’s masterpiece. The question that we’d like to ask though is how a 427 SC Cobra – the grand daddy of them all – can hold up to one of its successors, namely the 2011 Shelby GT500 Super Snake and the ensuing mayhem that follows with that 750 horsepower engine. To our good fortune, the folks from Hot Rod had the same thought in mind when they took the two Shelbys out on track for a road course and drag strip test to determine which serpent packs a more venomous bite. Care to find out whose bite is more lethal? Check out the video and see for yourself. 2011 Shelby Cobra "50th Anniversary"
Take a stroll back in time to the 1962 New York Auto Show and you’ll come across a roadster that would invariably change the course of automotive history, as we know it. That car was the Ford-powered Shelby Cobra and almost half a century after its historical debut in New York, a special edition ‘50th Anniversary’ model was introduced at Barrett-Jackson a few days ago. The rolling chassis models, which are using the CSX8000 chassis number, are being touted as continuation cars that will be limited to only 50 units, a not-so-subtle ode to the iconic car’s age. "Fifty years after its introduction, the Shelby Cobra is still an international symbol of high performance," said John Luft, president of Shelby American. “Half a century later, the Cobra remains one of the most coveted cars in the world,” he adds. Despite being a rolling chassis model, we don’t expect all 50 models to be unaccounted for soon. Sure, it doesn’t have a drivetrain, but it’s a Shelby Cobra. And a special edition one at that. These type of cars don’t sit on dealerships too long. UPDATE 02/02/2011: Shelby American has announced that all 50 units of the 50th Anniversary Shelby Cobra Street Car have been sold just 48 hours after the official introduction: "The strong demand for these cars proves that the Shelby Cobra is still as desirable and sought after today as it was 50 years ago," said John Luft, president of Shelby American. "People who didn’t have the opportunity to buy one in the 1960s jumped at the chance to own one of these very special collector’s edition Shelbys. Although the entire factory allocation has been spoken for, a few of these anniversary cars are still available from our Shelby Cobra dealers who seized the opportunity and bought multiple cars." UPDATE 01/23/12: Shelby has announced that the last unit of the 50th-anniversary Cobra will be raffled off at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona. For a chance at owning this bad boy, interested car enthusiasts have to buy a ticket - or hundreds of tickets - at a price of $25 each, or five for $100. The winner will be announced in January 2013. All proceeds will be donated to the Carroll Shelby Foundation. (Autoweek) Details on the Shelby Cobra "50th Anniversary" after the jump. Full story 1963 Shelby Cobra
How much would you pay for an original 1963 Shelby Cobra – chassis number CSX 2080 – that hasn’t been used, let alone touched, since 1981? If you’re having trouble gauging its value, Auctions America by RM has an estimate that could make you double over in disbelief. It’s estimated to fetch a price tag of a little less than half-a-million dollars. Unbelievable. This particular Shelby Cobra is widely considered as “one of the most original Cobras in existence”, and if you take Donnie Gould, the president of Auctions America by RM, and his word, then you better believe that this particular model is the perfect centerpiece for any collector of classic vehicles. "The discovery of CSX 2080 represents an important collecting opportunity for automotive enthusiasts," he said. The event is going to be held on March 3rd to 5th at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale. Details after the jump Full story | Shelby Cobra latest reviews:
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