One-of-a-Kind Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra Tribute Car to Cross the Block at 2013 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction

• Unique 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra will cross the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car auction block in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Jan. 19
• Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
• In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Shelby Cobra in 2012, this one-off GT500 has an 850-horsepower-plus Ford Racing supercharged V8 engine, Shelby American wide-body kit, and is finished in historical Cobra Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes

Ford announced today the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra, which was unveiled in 2012 to honor the late Carroll Shelby, will cross the auction block on Jan. 19, during the 2013 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car event in Scottsdale, Ariz. Proceeds from the sale of the tribute car will benefit JDRF, the leading funder of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.

2013 Shelby GT500 Cobra

The tribute car was unveiled by Ford Motor Company board member Edsel B. Ford II, Ford executive vice president for Global Marketing, Sales and Service, Jim Farley, and Shelby American President John Luft at the 2012 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion in August 2012. The Shelby Cobra was the featured marque of the international event.

“Carroll Shelby was an amazing individual who was an inspiration to anyone who loves performance,” said Farley. “He continued to be very involved in the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 until his passing. During the development of the GT500, Carroll mentioned he would love to build a wide body Mustang one day. We incorporated this feature into the tribute car to fulfill Carroll’s wish. This tribute car connects the glorious past Shelby shared with Ford to the bright future he helped create with the current-generation GT500.”

Beginning with a 662-horsepower 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, a group known as the “Friends of Carroll” created a one-of-a-kind GT500 Cobra wide-body car. Generating more than 850 horsepower with a Ford Racing 4.0-liter Whipple supercharged V8 engine, the car requires 13-inch-wide rear wheels wrapped in massive 345-section high-performance tires for extra grip.

Ford teamed up with Shelby American for several key components on the Carroll Shelby tribute car. Shelby American provided a specially designed hood, rear wide-body kit, Shelby Wilwood brakes and new 20x13-inch rear and 20x10-inch front wheels. The bodywork is finished in the same Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes that graced many Cobra roadsters built in the 1960s.

After its unveiling in Monterey, the car was driven that weekend on the track by Henry Ford III with Aaron Shelby, grandson of Carroll Shelby, in the passenger seat to demonstrate the ongoing connection between the Ford and Shelby families. Then, the tribute car toured the United States, including appearances at SEMA, Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas and other high-profile events. It appeared in countless magazines and newspapers and on automotive media sites internationally.

For more than half a century, Carroll Shelby motivated people throughout the extended Ford family to achieve great success. Countless engineers crossed paths with Shelby over the years, from those who were involved with the GT40 to those working on the 2013 Shelby GT500. At the age of 88, Carroll Shelby spent five hours driving the latest Shelby GT500 during engineering validation sessions at Sebring and the Arizona Proving Grounds in late 2011.

“While Carroll Shelby is no longer with us, his spirit lives on with the designers and engineers he touched over the years,” said Farley. “He will continue to influence Ford performance cars for many years to come.”