Speaking of valuable cars, Saturday brought stunning news from the madness that is the Monterey auctions. CSX2601, one of six Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupes made, hammered at $7.25 million, the highest amount an American car has brought in public auction.
Quite a coming out party for Mecum Auctions, which was holding its first-ever auction during the high-octane week many collectors and spectators look forward to all year.
The first Cobra coupe — CSX2287 — was an experiment in 1964 by the famous chicken farmer and his crew to gain an edge against Enzo Ferrari in the F. I.A. (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) World Manufacturers Championship’s GT class. Designed by Peter Brock and built on an existing Cobra chassis, the slippery sheet metal and abruptly sliced off tail (inspired by decades-old aerodynamic research by German Wunibald Kamm and others) raised the Cobra’s top speed by 25 mph. AsianWeek
The Cobra won its maiden race at Daytona, which prompted Shelby to adopt the Daytona name. It then made racing history when, in 1965, it became the first American car ever to win the Federation Internationale de Automobile World Manufacturers Championship.
Bondurant, now 76, was at the wheel that day in Reims, France.
“It’s fantastic to be here, having raced this car in 1964 and ‘65,” he said Saturday as he sat behind the wheel of the Cobra — which still bears the number 26 on its door — on the fairways of Old Del Monte Golf Course, adjacent to the Hyatt. “Our mission with this car was to beat Ferrari for the World Manufacturers Championship and we accomplished that when we won the race in France.”
After four decades, Bondurant was reunited with the famous car two months ago at the racing school he owns and operates in Phoenix, an experience that immediately brought back memories. Monterey County Herald
The sale is believed to be a record for an American car at auction. Bob Bondurant drove it to victory in the 12 Heures du Reims—fittingly on the Fourth of July in 1965 to secure the FIA title. It was the first championship for an American team in the GT class, beating vaunted Ferrari.
The Cobra had a string of successes that year, winning the GT class at Monza and Nurburgring and taking second at Spa. It also later appeared in the movie “Redline 7000” and was briefly owned by Bondurant, who sold it in 1969. AutoWeek
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