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Shelby Daytona Cobra: Highest Priced Auctioned U.S. Car at $7.25 Million
by James Rothaar
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Classic Car Auctions: Mecum Auction announced that it recently sold a 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe CSX2601 for $7.25 million at Mecum's Monterey Auction in Marengo, Ill. The selling price established a new record for the most expensive American car sold at auction. The event was held on the Del Monte Golf Course at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa.

It was a high point as well for Mecum Auctions, according to the company's president, Dana Mecum. "Selling this amazing piece of American race history at our first Monterey auction has been the crowning achievement of my career and Mecum Auction's 22 years of selling collector cars," Mecum further added, "This hand-built car beat the fastest cars in the world and has now added another 'win' to its list of accomplishments. It certainly finished in record form again."

Legendary car designer Carroll Shelby originally built the car to compete in the Federation Internationale de l'Auomitive (F.I.A.) World Manufacturers Championship for the GT class. Shelby's goal was to have a car capable of competing head-to-head against the event-dominating Ferraris. An experimental lightweight coupe body, designed by Peter Brock, increased the car's speed by a dramatic 25 mph. The specially built Cobra was named the Shelby Daytona Cobra to commemorate both its debut and first victory at the 1964 Daytona Continental.

Mecum's Monterey Auction featured more than 200 classic cars, ranging from a vintage 1931 Rolls-Royce to an exotic 2007 Saleen S7 supercar. The classic-car auctioneer is the largest of its kind worldwide, auctioning more than 5,000 classic cars yearly.

For more information on Mecum Auction, visit Mecum.com.

For JustLuxe James Rothaar

AtlanticBlue_98GT

Yeah, I was watching it when they were auctioning it off. They started it out, correct me if I'm wrong, at 20M? Dana said they had somebody approved for 14M or something, but the guy never put his bid in.