Shelby
Shelby
Founded
1962
Founder
Carroll Shelby
Country
United States
Headquarters
Enterprise, Nevada
Shelby
Founded
1962
Founder
Carroll Shelby
Country
United States
Headquarters
Enterprise, Nevada
About this brand
Discover the history
Shelby American, founded by racing legend Carroll Shelby in 1962, holds a prominent place in automotive history. Shelby was an accomplished race car driver who had made his mark by winning prestigious races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959. When health issues forced him to retire from racing, he turned to car manufacturing. His vision was to build high-performance cars that could dominate both the streets and racetracks. Shelby’s most iconic creation was the Shelby Cobra, a lightweight British AC Ace chassis fitted with a Ford V8 engine. This car quickly became a sensation, especially in American road racing.
In the early 1960s, the Shelby Cobra dominated the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC), while Shelby set his sights on international competition. With the Daytona Coupe version of the Cobra, he won the GT class at the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans and later secured the 1965 FIA GT World Championship for manufacturers, making Shelby the first American manufacturer to win an international title. This success caught the attention of Ford, who was seeking to dethrone Ferrari at Le Mans. Ford teamed up with Shelby to develop the GT40, which, under Shelby’s management, won the iconic race in 1966, 1967, and subsequent years, firmly cementing Shelby’s place in motorsport history.
Throughout the 1960s, Shelby’s collaboration with Ford also resulted in some of the most famous Mustangs ever produced, including the Shelby GT350 and GT500 models. These cars became synonymous with American muscle and performance, offering enthusiasts road-ready versions of race-bred machines.
Shelby American’s activities slowed in the 1970s due to rising fuel prices and tightening emissions regulations, but the brand never disappeared entirely. In the 1980s, Carroll Shelby made a notable return by working with Chrysler to develop high-performance versions of their cars, including the Dodge Viper, which became a modern American supercar icon.
In 2005, Shelby renewed his relationship with Ford, helping to design and develop a new series of performance Mustangs, including the Shelby GT500, which again became an enthusiast favorite. These cars represented the perfect blend of Shelby’s racing heritage and modern engineering, carrying on the tradition of high-performance vehicles.
Shelby’s legacy extends far beyond car manufacturing. The company’s continuous presence in motorsport, from vintage races to modern endurance events, showcases the brand’s commitment to performance and innovation. Whether on the track or the road, the Shelby name remains synonymous with speed, power, and American automotive ingenuity.
