Carroll Shelby’s Ford-powered Cobra stands among the most legendary sports cars of the 1960s. While it was not uncommon to fit American V-8 engines into lightweight British sports cars during the early 1960s, no company achieved the level of success that Carroll Shelby and his Cobra did. The Cobra combined the agile and nimble chassis of the AC Ace with the potent power of Ford’s eight-cylinder engines.
By 1963, the Cobra had undergone an upgrade from its initial 260-cubic-inch engine to Ford’s new 289 HiPo small-block V-8. This enhancement provided the perfect blend of handling and power. The 289 Cobra, with its 306 horsepower, took the American sports car market and racing scene by storm.
Source: RM Sotheby’s
