2013 Shelby Cobra Daytona coupe thrives on supercharged power

Back in 1964, Carroll Shelby built the original Daytona coupe to challenge the Ferrari in the GT racing series. With its unmistakable AC Cobra looks and a potent 4.7-liter Ford V8 under the hood delivering 380 hp (283 kW) to the wheels, it sprinted 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in mere 4.4 seconds. Shelby assembled a total of six such vehicles, not all of which survive to this day.

Seven years ago, Shelby American attempted a resurrection of the legend with a limited run of the 2013 Shelby Cobra Daytona. The project was a massive success from the stylistic point of view: the same classical lines and proportions, the same Cobra features. Where it fell a bit flat was the engine: the Ford 427 V8 simply didn’t deliver much more power to the asphalt than its 56-year-old ancestor did.

This is where the tuners came in. They fitted the naturally aspirated mill with a Roush supercharger and boosted it to 550 hp (410 kW) and 813 Nm (600 pound-feet) of torque. They also mounted a tubular roll cage in the rear half of the cabin, installed power lifters into the windows, and even implemented a modern climate control system.

The black car adorned with silvery Le Mans stripes is currently available for purchase in Florida, USA, with the price open to negotiation.