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McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

Broad Arrow Amelia Concours Auction Preview: 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra

By Sponsored Article – February 24, 2026

Broad Arrow Auctions: 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra

Offered with just over 25,000 original miles, this certified SAAC Senior Division concours winner is among the finest examples of a highly original, unrestored 427 Cobra extant. Furnished with its original jack, grease gun, and spare wheel, and factory weather equipment, it is set to cross the block at Broad Arrow’s upcoming Amelia Concours Auction this 6 – 7 March. By the time Carroll Shelby took the feisty small block Cobra to the world stage in 1962 to challenge the might of Ferrari in the hotly contested FIA GT Championship, the quest for more power was already weighing heavily on Shelby and his right-hand man, development driver Ken Miles. Ford's proven 289 cu-in V8 was nearing the peak of development, just shy of 400 reliable horsepower, but Shelby knew the Cobra needed additional grunt to stay competitive, especially on long, open circuits. In the wake of an uncharacteristic drubbing handed out by the Grand Sport Corvettes during the 1963 Nassau Speed Week, the Shelby camp retreated to the drawing board. An earlier experience with a Ford 427-powered NASCAR Galaxie made an impression, and Miles felt the big Ford engine could suit the lightweight Cobra. Shelby tested the 427 in a hastily built leaf-sprung 289 chassis at Sebring, and despite less than developed handling, it proved blisteringly fast in a straight line—fast enough to convince Shelby, Miles, and Ford top brass that the 427 would power the next generation of Cobras. Far more sophisticated than a “shoehorn job,” Ford offered the services of its chassis engineers to assist Miles in reworking the Cobra to handle the big block's additional weight and power. Chassis tube diameter increased to four inches, and adjustable coil-over suspension was fitted all around. The bodywork grew dramatic flared fenders to accommodate the fat rubber required to handle the power. Once properly sorted, the 427 Cobra had comparable handling to the 289, coupled with astonishing straight-line performance—famously covering the 0-100-0 sprint in just 13 seconds. For decades to come, the 427 Cobra's near-mythical performance served as a benchmark for the ultimate sports car. Long after production ceased, it was still one of the fastest cars on the road—and they remain astoundingly quick, even by today's standards. It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest sports cars ever created, and the 427 Cobra enjoys a permanent place among motoring royalty. GALLERY-EMBED One pitfall of putting such performance in the hands of mere mortals is that many 427 Cobras suffered at the hands of those ill-equipped to handle them. Many were damaged and rebuilt, driven hard and put away wet, and by now, most survivors have been restored to some degree. As such, original, largely unrestored cars are exceptionally scarce. Chassis CSX3203 ranks among the best examples of a highly original, essentially unmodified big-block street Cobra. For many years, this car resided in the famous collection of Lynn Park, who, over 55 years as an enthusiast, collector, and racer, owned some 55 different Cobras, with as many as 10 genuine cars in his stable at once. Along his collecting journey, Park realized that original, unrestored cars were rapidly dwindling and resolved to find the best unrestored 289 and 427 he could, leading him to CSX3203. At the time he discovered it, 3203 was a highly original car showing no signs of crash damage or significant repairs, had just 23,000 miles on the odometer, and still wore much of its original paint along with a rare hard top. Documentation tracks chassis CSX3203 from the time it was invoiced by A.C. Cars, Ltd., on 4 January 1966. In April of that year, Shelby American, Inc. had completed installation of the 428 PI engine and four-speed Toploader, and the car was invoiced and trucked to Broadway Motors of Kansas City, Missouri, finished in an appropriately sporty shade of Rangoon Red, and equipped with Sunburst wheels and a hardtop. The Shelby American Automobile Club (SAAC) Registry shows CSX3203 was leased by Broadway Ford to Joseph Bixby, also of Kansas City. The car returned to the dealer several times for warranty work, and by October 1966, it had accrued just 4,600 miles. The next owner of CSX3203 was Stanley Patzel of Nebraska, followed by owners in Ohio and Oklahoma, with registration documents on file. The Registry notes that in October of 1974, it was in the care of Connie Moore, still in its original red paint, with a full width roll bar and small vents added to the front fenders, Sunburst wheels, and approximately 12,000 miles recorded. In 1980, Moore showed CSX3203 at the SAAC-5 event in Dearborn, Michigan, taking home 1st place in the 427 concours class. In October 1986, Connie Moore sold the car to Lynn Park, with just 14,000 miles. Park set about rectifying minor inaccuracies by removing the incorrect roll bar and the small added-on fender vents and fitting Goodyear Blue Dot tires to the Sunburst wheels. Park showed it at the 1988 SAAC meet (SAAC-13) in Santa Rosa, California and once again took home 1st place in the concours Cobra class, qualifying it for the SAAC Senior Division. By 2004, the Cobra had just 23,000 miles, and in 2014 it was sold to a West Coast collection. GALLERY-EMBED As offered, CSX3203 displays just over 25,000 miles and retains the exceptional originality that its past custodians have so fervently preserved. It has been noted that the car retains the majority of its original paint (some paintwork was commissioned by Park when rectifying the roll bar and side vents). Close inspection also shows various important numbers, including CSX3203 clearly stamped on the chassis, its original riveted on chassis plate with serial number inscribed by vibrating pencil, the original 428 Police Interceptor engine block with casting date 5M6 (6 December 1965), its original “BY” type 28-spline close-ratio four-speed “toploader” transmission with tag, and its matching body stampings on the door hinges, trunk latch, and hood latch. Of the 260 big block cars produced, it is one of very few to wear a factory hard top, and also noted are believed to be the original carpets, seat covers, door pockets, dash, and windshield, all presented with a marvelous patina that reflects its years with experienced and thoughtful owners. Furthermore, it is offered with its original jack, grease gun, spare wheel, soft top and side curtains, and it rides on an original set of Sunburst wheels. The opportunity to acquire an unrestored, highly original 427 street Cobra comes along rarely, and CSX3203 represents one of the best examples of the breed, ready to shine on the road and as the centerpiece of any prestigious sports car collection. Join Broad Arrow at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island for the official auction of the Amelia Concours, the internationally recognized and award-winning celebration of automotive excellence. Register to bid now to secure your opportunity to acquire one or more of over 160 collector cars crossing the block during the two-day sale, 6–7 March 2026. View all lots and find bidder registration information at broadarrowauctions.com. View Listing For More

By Jordan Aquistapace – June 24, 2025

The Fourth Shelby Cobra Ever Built Heads To Broad Arrow's...

The opportunity of a lifetime. Carroll Shelby's legacy is a tale of performance and perseverance. He broke the industry mold with a revolutionary approach to both sports car manufacturing and racing. While Shelby's influence in motorsports was recently portrayed in the blockbuster film Ford v Ferrari, his original factory AC Cobras and Mustangs continue to rise in popularity and value among collectors worldwide. Today, early Shelby Cobra examples in all conditions trade well into the seven-figure mark at auction, dramatically appreciating above its original base price of $5,995 in 1962. The team at Broad Arrow Auctions is pleased to shed light on Shelby America and Carroll's quest for performance with the upcoming auction of this rare 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra. Set to cross the block at the 2025 Monterey Jet Center Auction, chassis CSX 2003 is one of the very first production Shelby Cobra examples ever built. Completed in early 1962 at Ed Hugus' European Cars in Pittsburgh, it was part of the foundational batch of Cobras completed before Shelby had a formal operation in California. Still equipped with its original 260 cu-in "XHP" V8 engine, transmission, and rear end, this car combines the raw character of a prototype with the kind of historical weight that rarely resurfaces. CSX 2003 was tested by Ford engineers, including Henry Ford II, and later displayed during race week at the 12 Hours of Sebring. For the last 36 years, the car has remained with a single Virginia-based owner, who used it not only for weekend drives but even as a daily vehicle during his years as a practicing surgeon. The Cobra was restored in the 1980s, carefully maintained, and eventually returned to its original white-over-red configuration by its current owner. Shelby himself even signed the glovebox door at a Ford-hosted event in Washington, D.C., highlighting the car's direct connection to its designer. Unlike later Cobras built under Shelby American in Venice, CSX 2003 was born in a more experimental phase, assembled with help from Hugus at a time when Shelby was still trying to convince Ford to take a chance on his idea. That early phase of trial, partnership, and ingenuity makes CSX 2003 unbelievably valuable. Its mixture of untouched mechanical components, extensive documentation, and understated presentation puts it in a rare space. For serious collectors, particularly those tuned into the earliest moments of Shelby's story, this is a chance to buy something that may not come around again for decades. It's a piece of history that still runs, still drives, and still carries the fingerprints of the people who made the Cobra what it became. Learn More " width="680"> Source: Broad Arrow Auction

By Jordan Aquistapace – January 08, 2024

Collector-Grade 1999 Shelby Series 1 Prototype Up For Auc...

After decades of success across the automotive field, Carroll Shelby decided to embark on a task that he had not to this point ever undertaken: design and produce a car from the ground up. Through years of hard work, regulatory roadblocks, and engineering challenges, the Shelby Series 1 was born. The automotive professionals at Sotheby's Motorsport are pleased to showcase this 1999 Shelby Series 1 Prototype as one of the many collector-grade cars currently up for auction on its online platform. American muscle through and through, the car made use of Oldsmobile's 4.0L L47 Aurora V8 and produced 320 horsepower. The body however was purely Shelby, its sweeping lines an homage to the iconic racers of the past, while its advanced suspension and innovative honeycomb chassis structure confirmed a forward-looking vision. With only 249 production units delivered, the car is scarce by any measure, but this example takes things one step further. This car, serial number CSX50X2, is the second prototype constructed by Shelby American and is the only remaining Series 1 prototype in existence. Serial number 50X1, as the story goes, was destroyed early in the development program during crash testing. With development complete by late 1998, the question of what to do with the prototype arose. After some deliberation, Carroll Shelby gifted the car to long-time friend and then President and COO of Shelby American Donald J. Rager as a bonus for his outstanding contributions to the Series 1 program. The car has since remained in the late Rager's family, never having been road registered and still retaining its original Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, signed by Carroll Shelby himself. The car is finished in silver, and as a prototype, lacks the characteristic racing stripes found on the production units. The bolstered bucket seats are trimmed in black leather with gray inserts and feature the car's namesake embroidered on their backs. This distinctive prototype features similar amenities to those found in the production vehicle, including a Monsoon CD/cassette stereo and a multi-speaker sound system, however, the seller notes the side windows are plastic. The car has been well cared for and gently used, with just over 12,000 miles now showing on the odometer. Included in the sale are three limited edition Shelby American jackets, the original Manufacturer's Statement of Origin signed by Carroll Shelby, a copy of the 1998 Bonus Compensation Agreement awarding the car to Donald Rager signed by both Rager and Shelby, photos of Rager and Shelby with the car, and historic magazine articles about the model. Bidding for this collector-grade 1999 Shelby Series 1 Prototype is currently open on Sotheby's Motorsport by clicking the link below. View Price And Listing Source: Sotheby's Motorsport

By Edward Jones – December 21, 2020

Mecum Kissimmee 2021: Rangoon Red 1967 Shelby 427 Cobra R...

Presented by Mecum Auctions - Much has been written over the years about the Shelby Cobra, especially in 427 trim like the car offered here. Its unadulterated track prowess, ongoing mechanical development and international attraction are part of that. The encroaching pressure of federal automotive regulations was what finally caused the storied import-based package to disappear from the marketplace. CSX3318 was invoiced to Shelby American on October 11, 1966, putting this 427-powered roadster into the exclusive company as a final-year example before Ford and Shelby American agreed to pull the plug on the AC-supplied body program. If this car seems familiar, it could be because it was shown on the cover of “Car & Driver” in April 1981, as well as the epic Roger Huntington domestic production book “American Supercars.” This well-presented FE-powered Shelby was sold to its first owner through Marshall Motor Company in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. In 1978, the car’s second owner sold it to Jim Inglese, founder of Inglese Induction Systems, the noted experts in Weber and EFI fuel systems development. During that era, a cosmetic restoration was administered by Cobra expert Geoff Howard of Accurate Restorations in Danbury, Connecticut, with S/C modifications including flares, hood scoop, side pipes and competition fuel cap being added at that time. This 427 Cobra was displayed at the 1987 SAAC-12 meet in Charlotte where it received First Place honors in the popular vote 427 Cobra Class. It was the lone 427 Cobra to participate in the inaugural “Cobras in the Mountains Tour” in 2004. Most recently, in April 2018, this motorcar was restored to its original as-delivered specifications by Drew Serb at the Cobra Experience in Martinez, California, allowing it to attain the level of excellence now expected in today’s ever-advancing hobby. Today, CSX3318 features a correct 427 CI side-oiler V-8 engine under the hood, with the correct 4-barrel carburetor and intake in place as well. The engine is detailed with Ford chrome components and displacement callout decals. This big-block engine design was enough for Ford’s most noteworthy racers to compete and win against the very best packages in the world during its classic era, and the term “side-oiler” retains a notoriety that has come down to the current era. This mill is backed by a 4-speed transmission. With correct Rangoon Red paint covering the aluminum body, the exterior is accented with chrome trim, Cobra and 427 callouts, front-fender louvers, and the trademark bumper design and grille opening. The svelte fender lines, windscreen with vents, stacked tail lamps and special Sunburst knock-off wheels with blackwall rubber combine to give this Cobra its all-business impression, leaving the possible occupants with a “dare to enter” sense of excitement. This car can be driven as aggressively as the BF Goodrich radial rubber will allow and the pilot desires. The interior on all Shelby Cobras was the definitive “cockpit,” sporting the type of functionality that is based on a serious attention to driving. The two bucket seats are split with the shifter and a chrome ashtray. The dash is in flat black, equipped with fully functioning gauges to monitor engine conditions. A 3-spoke wood-rim steering wheel with a Cobra-logo center completes it. The 427 Cobra was designed as a streetable performance masterpiece, an ultimate expression of its owner’s commitment to be respected. The 1967 model run would signify the end of that possibility for new car buyers (Shelby sold the final available example in 1968). The history of CSX3318 is listed in the Shelby Registry, but few can match its notoriety as a “Car & Driver” road-test subject, ownership by Inglese, book-cover subject, present condition and its potential in the future. This vehicle will be auctioned off at Mecum Auctions’ Kissimmee 2021 event (January 7-16, 2021). View Listing

By Edward Jones – December 18, 2020

Mecum Kissimmee 2021: 1965 Shelby GT350R Fastback - 1 of 34

Presented by Mecum Auctions - One of only 34 examples of Carroll Shelby’s all-conquering GT350R SCCA B Production racers, Serial No. 5R106 was raced in Midwest SCCA National events by its first owner, Richard Jordan of Downers Grove, Illinois. A veteran Corvette racer and graduate of the Carroll Shelby School of High Performance Driving at Riverside, California, Jordan ordered the car through Jack Loftus Ford Inc. in Hinsdale, Illinois. Prepared at Ford’s San Jose assembly plant to specifications established by GT350 Project Manager Chuck Cantwell, the stripped Mustang 2+2 Fastback arrived at Shelby American’s LAX headquarters on December 21, 1964; exactly six months later, on June 21, 1965, it rolled out of the Shelby workshop as an original full-competition R-Model, complete with a Shelby-modified 289 HiPo small-block V-8 tuned to 325 HP on the Shelby dynamometer. 5R106 was then shipped via TWA to O’Hare International Airport, and then to Loftus Ford, where it arrived with an additional rear axle assembly carrying 4.11:1 gearing. While not fully documented, the car’s race record begins with an entry in the B Production class at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on September 4, 1965—just 10 days after Jordan took delivery of his fresh new racer. Its subsequent history included races at Clermont, Indiana, Lynndale Farms, Wisconsin, and Wilmot Raceway, also in Wisconsin. Jordan began winding down his racing career by the early 1970s, when he placed 5R106 into long-term storage, where it remained for years under wraps and preserved in virtually as-original condition. Its second owner, Paul Zimmons of Potomac, Maryland, restored 5R106 after purchasing it in 1987, winning the Gold Award in the Competition Class at SAAC-18 at Watkins Glen in 1993. In 2000, the car earned Second Place Popular Vote at SAAC-25 at Lime Rock Park. Subsequent owners, including such prominent collectors as Dave Christenholz and noted Shelby expert and author Colin Comer, have carefully maintained this extraordinary R-Model as it first raced at Road America in 1965 (including the scratch in the door handle from when Jordan once went off-track at Road America and barely scraped the outside wall), employing only its original factory components and NOS parts as required. With fewer than 4,900 original miles on the original engine and drivetrain, 5R106 remains in astonishingly original condition, retaining such important features as the original Plexiglas and R-Model magnesium racing wheels. Fully race-ready and offered with unusually extensive documentation that includes the original Shelby American and Jack Loftus Ford paperwork, 5R106 presents as exceedingly original, authentically restored and factory correct in every detail, making it a marvelous example of a perennial American racing classic. This vehicle will be auctioned off at Mecum Auctions’ Kissimmee 2021 event (January 7-16, 2021). View Listing

By Edward Jones – December 11, 2020

Mecum Auctioning 1965 Shelby GT350 Fastback "Advanced Pro...

Presented by Mecum Auctions - Just as Carroll Shelby’s original Ford-powered Cobra roadster set a new standard for high performance in a sports car, the 1964 announcement of the new Ford Mustang reset the American public’s expectations for affordable performance in a mass-production automobile. The most inspired and brilliantly targeted product in automotive history, the Mustang’s meteoric rise to fame was unprecedented, appealing to the broadest cross-section of consumers ever encountered in Ford’s decades of market research. It was therefore inevitable that Ford would approach Carroll Shelby—already leading the charge in the company’s Total Performance campaign—to instill the Mustang with the performance needed to dominate SCCA B Production competition. Shelby’s answer to Ford’s command, the 1965 Shelby GT350, is firmly entrenched as a genuine American automotive treasure; a single encounter with one of these feral beasts can be a life-altering experience that has opened more than a few eyes to the magic of the times and people responsible for its creation. Shelby American designer Peter Brock, one of the pivotal figures in the GT350 saga, has pointed out, “finding a GT350 Mustang in almost pristine condition is more than a minor miracle; it’s headline news.” Offered after 30 years of museum-quality storage, Shelby GT350 No. SFM5013 is the very car to which Brock was referring, and it is quite likely the most well preserved original GT350 in existence. Significantly, it has been in the careful stewardship of a small cadre of prominent collectors, beginning with its first owner, Sports Car Graphic Magazine Editor John Christy. The story of 5013 begins with its arrival at Shelby American’s Venice, California, shop on December 20, 1964 as a special-order, partially completed Mustang 2+2 from the San Jose assembly plant, as orchestrated by GT350 Project Manager Chuck Cantwell. Work began on the car, which Shelby designated an “Advanced Prototype,” on January 5, 1965 and was completed on January 25. Upon its completion, it served as a PR vehicle and appeared in an early Shelby American promotional poster. On May 20, 1965, SFM5013 was picked up by Hi-Performance Motors in Los Angeles, who sold the car to Christy. A close friend of Carroll Shelby, Christy had been in on the action swirling around Shelby American right from the start. He was one of the first to drive the fabled CSX2000, and he closely covered the Cobra’s development in the pages of Sports Car Graphic. He also completed a course at Shelby's School of High Performance Driving and was active in SCCA racing. Invited by Shelby to test drive a new GT350 (5007), Christy famously conducted a 10,000-mile road test in the same car, from Los Angeles to Sebring, Florida, to New York City and back to Los Angeles, chronicling his experiences in the June and July 1965 issues of Sports Car Graphic. Christy was so enamored of the GT350’s performance and handling that, immediately upon completing that now-famous road trip, he committed to the purchase of 5013 on May 24, 1965. As is clearly shown by the GT350’s present odometer reading of just 6,950 miles, Christy drove the car very sparingly. He also fastidiously preserved it in as-new condition, as did all its subsequent owners. According to the Shelby Registry, Steve J. Karlock of Camarillo, California, purchased 5013 in 1976. It changed ownership several times in the late 1980s, passing between several noted California collectors and vintage racers until landing with its present owner (also a highly regarded California collector and racer) in 1989. Recognizing the car’s uniquely original condition, its current owner chose not to so much as move it, except to have it serviced and to maintain its mechanical and cosmetic fitness; otherwise, it remained undercover and well protected. As a result, Shelby GT350 No. SFM5013 is, as the legendary Peter Brock describes it, “probably the only example extant today that remains virtually untouched.” A more ringing endorsement would be hard to imagine, especially coming from a man of Brock’s vast experience and historic contributions to all things Shelby. This vehicle will be auction at Mecum Auctions' Kissimmee 2021 event (January 7-16, 2021). View Listing

By Edward Jones – December 09, 2020

Mecum to Auction 1964 Shelby Cobra at Kissimmee 2021 Auction

Presented by Mecum Auctions - Almost 60 years after its inception, the Shelby Cobra remains a touchstone of American automotive history, one that literally redefined performance. This 1964 Shelby Cobra 289, CSX2498, has recently emerged from an extensive nut-and-bolt restoration to like-original condition that was completed in 2020. As chronicled in the Shelby Cobra Registry, the car was billed to Shelby American on July 3, 1964, shipped to Los Angeles aboard the “SS Loch Avon” and invoiced to Hellertown Motors in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, on March 29, 1965. Ordered in white with a black interior and the Class A accessory package including WSW tires, a landau hardtop, side curtains and a luggage rack (uninstalled), it was shipped to Pennsylvania via TWA air freight and delivered by Hellertown Motors to its first owner, Dennis Richmond of Allentown, on April 16, 1965. Richmond enjoyed driving his new Cobra, travelling some 38,000 miles before selling it to its second owner, Cass Ludyard of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania in 1967. Two years later, by which time it was repainted in silver and fitted with a Boss 302 engine, the Cobra was purchased by Karl McKeever of Collegeville, in whose care it remained for the next 50 years. During that time, CSX2498 was refinished in Guardsman Blue and an NOS 289 HiPo engine was installed along with new upholstery and other new parts as needed. Its recent restoration included refinishing the car in its original white with the black-painted wire wheels and chromed spinner centers seen earlier in its history. A rack-and-pinion car with full-length undercar exhaust, it is authentically finished and beautifully detailed throughout, including such important details as the correct Shelby aluminum intake, hollow-letter Cobra valve covers and Tri-Y exhaust headers, and it is also well documented with an entry in the Shelby Registry and an album of restoration photos. This vehicle will be auction at Mecum Auctions' Kissimmee 2021 event (January 7-16, 2021). View Listing

SC20_The John Atzbach Collection_1965 Shelby GT350R Sells For $3.85 Million_071720

By Andrew Nabors – July 20, 2020

Ken Miles' Prototype GT350-R Sells for a Record $3.85 Mil...

Back in March we broke the news that Dana Mecum and Company had secured the consignment of a 1967 Shelby GT350-R. While this would normally be filed along with other significant Shelbys at the auction, this one is not like the others. Not only is it the first example, but it was also a prototype driven to victory in the car's first race by Ken Miles. Mecum Auctions Unveils Ken Miles’ Shelby GT350-R Carroll Shelby and Ken used the car as a testbed for all subsequent Mustang modifications, and the car amassed over 100 podium finishes in its career. As the flagship of the John Atzbach Collection, it was the only one of his cars to have a reserve price. Nevertheless, a bidding war erupted that saw the car hammer for a grand total of $3,850,000. This makes it the most valuable Mustang of all time, and that is what makes Mecum Auctions the perfect place to find your dream car. Stay with us for all your Mecum and Mustang news.

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