The
Ford Shelby Cobra is a
concept carA concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car prototype made to showcase a concept, new styling, technology and more. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced.General Motors designer Harley Earl is...
that the
Ford Motor CompanyThe Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake...
unveiled at the 2004
North American International Auto ShowThe North American International Auto Show , is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in
Detroit, MichiganDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
. The Shelby Cobra concept is a
roadsterA roadster, also known as a spyder or spider, is a two-seat car, traditionally without either a roof, side or rear windows.Most modern day two-seaters have windows and feature retractable roofs...
based on the original Shelby Cobra that
Carroll ShelbyCarroll Hall Shelby, is an American racing and automotive designer and former racing driver.-Automotive Executive of the Year Award - 2008 Honoree:...
developed in 1964.
Ford's Advanced Product Creation team designed and built the Shelby Cobra concept in five months. The project was led by Manfred Rumpel. Like several other Ford vehicles developed in the early 2000s (such as the
Ford GT40The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969 . It was built to win long-distance sports car races against Ferrari...
concept, the
Ford GTThe Ford GT is a mid-engined supercar. It was built by Ford Motor Company from 2005 to 2006. It began as a concept car designed in anticipation of Ford's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its "heritage" names such as Mustang and Thunderbird...
and the fifth-generation
Ford MustangThe Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Production began in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964 and the car was introduced to the public on April 17, 1964 at the New York...
), the Shelby Cobra concept is a modern interpretation of older Ford models.
In the case of the Shelby Cobra, the design is reminiscent of Carroll Shelby's performance-oriented sports cars that he developed in the 1960s.
The
Ford Shelby Cobra is a
concept carA concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car prototype made to showcase a concept, new styling, technology and more. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced.General Motors designer Harley Earl is...
that the
Ford Motor CompanyThe Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake...
unveiled at the 2004
North American International Auto ShowThe North American International Auto Show , is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in
Detroit, MichiganDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
. The Shelby Cobra concept is a
roadsterA roadster, also known as a spyder or spider, is a two-seat car, traditionally without either a roof, side or rear windows.Most modern day two-seaters have windows and feature retractable roofs...
based on the original Shelby Cobra that
Carroll ShelbyCarroll Hall Shelby, is an American racing and automotive designer and former racing driver.-Automotive Executive of the Year Award - 2008 Honoree:...
developed in 1964.
Development and Design
Ford's Advanced Product Creation team designed and built the Shelby Cobra concept in five months. The project was led by Manfred Rumpel. Like several other Ford vehicles developed in the early 2000s (such as the
Ford GT40The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969 . It was built to win long-distance sports car races against Ferrari...
concept, the
Ford GTThe Ford GT is a mid-engined supercar. It was built by Ford Motor Company from 2005 to 2006. It began as a concept car designed in anticipation of Ford's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its "heritage" names such as Mustang and Thunderbird...
and the fifth-generation
Ford MustangThe Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Production began in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9, 1964 and the car was introduced to the public on April 17, 1964 at the New York...
), the Shelby Cobra concept is a modern interpretation of older Ford models.
In the case of the Shelby Cobra, the design is reminiscent of Carroll Shelby's performance-oriented sports cars that he developed in the 1960s. The first Cobra featured a large, high-performance
Ford Windsor engineThe Windsor engine is a 90-degree small-block V8 from Ford Motor Company. It was introduced in 1962, replacing the old Ford Y-block engine. Though not all of the engines in this family were produced at the Windsor, Ontario engine plant , the name stuck...
inside a small roadster that
AC CarsAC Cars Group Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd. is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car marques founded in Britain...
had designed specifically for Shelby's vision. Likewise, the Shelby Cobra concept car is small and minimalist, eschewing conveniences found in most modern cars (such as
air conditioningAn air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area, or provide heat to an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, a radio, anti-lock brakes, and even windshield wipers). In a press release to announce the debut of the concept car in 2004, Shelby echoed the aim of the design team: "That's the formula [...] It's a massive motor in a tiny, lightweight car."
http://media.ford.com/newsroom/feature_display.cfm?release=16649
Engine
The Shelby Cobra concept car features an all-aluminum, V10 engine, displacing 6.4 litres. It is capable of producing at 6,750rpm and of torque at 5,500rpm, making the engine one of the most powerful built by Ford. The engine red-lines at 6,800 rpm, and Ford claims it is capable of reaching , though it is electronically limited to .
The double-overhead-cam cylinder heads and cylinders are fed by port fuel injection and racing-derived velocity stacks that are just visible within the hood scoop. For a low hood line, the throttles are a slide-plate design and the lubrication system is the dry-sump type, which relocates oil from underneath the engine to a remote tank.
Chassis
The chassis for the Shelby Cobra concept car was based on an aluminum chassis used on the
Ford GTThe Ford GT is a mid-engined supercar. It was built by Ford Motor Company from 2005 to 2006. It began as a concept car designed in anticipation of Ford's centennial year and as part of its drive to showcase and revive its "heritage" names such as Mustang and Thunderbird...
production car, and modified to suit the concept car's front-mid engine placement. In fact, many parts of the GT were adapted for use in the Cobra, such as the suspension, several components of the frame, and the mounting brackets for the transmission (which is placed in the rear on the Cobra). Despite sharing large portions of its chassis with the Ford GT, the Shelby Cobra concept is almost shorter, with a wheelbase shorter than the GT.
Body and Interior
Although the Shelby Cobra concept was aimed to reflect the design of the older models of Cobras, the concept is dimensionally very different from the original. However, the design includes many common external features, such as a large grille opening, side vents, and large wheel arches. In line with Carroll Shelby's designs, the concept has a very minimalist look, which is continued in the interior. The concept omits many features common in modern cars, such as air conditioning and a radio. The placement of the transmission in the rear allowed for the driver and passenger seats to be placed closer together, adding to the compactness of the Cobra.
Ford has not yet announced any plans for producing the Shelby Cobra.