Carroll Shelby is responsible for some of the greatest cars ever made. The Shelby Cobra springs to mind, as are the various Shelby Ford Mustangs built over the years, from the 1960s up to the present day. Yet here is one rare Shelby car that you probably never knew existed.
This is the 2024 Shelby Series II Coupe, a continuation of the Series I Coupe that was launched by Carroll Shelby back in 1999. That car was launched as a limited-production roadster, and while it was largely unsuccessful in terms of production numbers, it has still become an American icon.
First teased in 2007, the Series II has been through various issues, but in 2024, Shelby decided to revive the new Coupe. That new revival has now led to the first-ever Series II Coupe being delivered to its owner, thanks to the work of Bob Wingard.
Wingard acquired the rights to use the original 1999 frames to create the Series II Coupe. So this is a genuine Shelby product, and YouTuber Lou Costabile also got to look at this car, the first one built by Wingard and his team, and delivered to its owner, Pete Wojtowicz.
What Sits Under the Hood of the Coupe?
Pleasingly for those lucky enough to order one of these cars, a variety of engine options were made available to them. Wojtowicz’s example, CCX 5506, has the 351 Windsor V8, stroked to 427ci, under the hood, which makes 560hp. A very respectable figure, and one that is befitting of the Shelby name.
But if you want more power, then you can have that too. The 7.3-liter Godzilla V8 engine, which is naturally aspirated, produces an eye-watering 740hp. Yet Wingard and his team were not finished there. Spend the most cash, and you can get a supercharged version of the Godzilla V8 engine, which makes a staggering 1,042hp. Plus, a fully electric version is also under development. Hardcore enthusiasts might not like that, but it does future-proof the sports car.
We must stress that, at the time of writing, Wingard and his team at Wingard Motorsports had only committed to making ten examples of this striking coupe. Constructing the aluminum body alone takes over 2,000 hours of labor over the course of a 12-month period. So building these cars is not the work of a moment, especially given the size of the Wingard operation. This is a team much smaller than what even Carroll Shelby would have had in the glory days.
Can You Get the Series II With a Manual Transmission?
Yes, a manual transmission is available with the Series II Coupe. Buyers had a choice of either a five-speed manual, a six-speed manual, or a six-speed sequential track box transmission with paddle shifters. Wingard says that the paddle transmission can shift gears in just 80 milliseconds. This is the transmission you will want if you are to take this monster out onto the race track for seamless gear shifting.
In terms of the price, well, they aren’t cheap. Two versions are available: a carbon fiber model and an aluminum model. The base price for the carbon fiber model is a whopping $350,000, and this climbs even higher to an almost ludicrous $500,000 for the aluminum Series II Coupes. Yet, judging by Costabile’s video and what we can see of the car, you certainly seem to get a lot for your money.