Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe sets American auction record at $42.9 million

A 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, formerly owned by legendary racer and constructor Carroll Shelby, has set a new record for the most expensive American car sold at auction, fetching $42,905,000.

Sold during the Gooding & Company auction at Monterey Car Week, the vehicle (chassis CSX2300) nearly doubled the previous American auction record held by a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ, which sold for $22 million in 2018. Only six examples of the Daytona Coupe were ever produced. The model was specifically designed by Peter Brock to improve aerodynamics and compete against Ferrari in international GT racing, eventually helping Shelby American become the first American manufacturer to win a FIA World Championship in 1965.

Other notable sales at the auction included a 1963 Ferrari 250 P for $18.705 million and a 1913 Mercer Model 35-J Raceabout, which sold for $3,635,000.