Rare Shelby Cobra 289 FIA 50th Anniversary Edition (1 of 50 Built)

A very rare 1964 Shelby Cobra 289 FIA 50th Anniversary Edition roadster arriving at Cars and Cocktails at Auto Addiction OC. Built by Superformance with authorization from Shelby as part of its continuation (CSX7000-series) cars, the FIA 50th Anniversary Edition commemorates the anniversary of Shelby's campaign in the 1964 FIA World Manufacturers Championship and features FIA-style wheels, 50th Anniversary badges, and Shelby-issued certification. It was available with a fiberglass body for $94,995 or an aluminum body for $159,995 excluding the drivetrain. This example, finished in Viking Blue with Red stripe and Arctic White roundels, is powered by a Shelby Aluminum 289 347CI V8 engine producing 475 horsepower mated to a Tremec TKO 600 5-speed manual transmission. It was built in 2015 and was the 49th of 50 Anniversary FIA Roadsters built.

Superformance Cobras are already continuation cars built in limited quantities, and people who buy them probably do so more for the driving experience than for collectability, so at the end of the day there really isn't much of a point in building special editions like this. And once people know your Cobra isn't one of the original '60s cars now worth more than most houses, they'll either walk away or focus their attention on its mechanical details and performance capabilities rather than rarity and value. But history deserves to be honored, especially when it comes to a car as significant as the Cobra. And with this special run, Superformance did a great job of incorporating a livery that looks every bit as good today as it did in 1964. The special plaques may not matter to most people, but for those lucky enough to own one of these cars, it still feels good to have some extra bragging rights!

Would you pay a premium over a standard Superformance continuation Cobra for this special anniversary edition? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!