Caroll Shelby - Motorsport Legend

Usually we write about monthly industry sales and updates along with the new car launches and since we are quite young in the business we never really got a chance to write about all time classic cars. Then on a Sunday morning we decided to go back to history write about cars that made the difference. Interestingly though we wrote about something else, someone who was behind such cars, someone who made cars with just one mission which is brutal power and till now his cars carry forward his legacy. The most renowned name in the automotive space, He is Caroll Shelby.

Born in texas, Shelby suffered heart valve leakage problems at the age of 7 and spent most of his childhood in bed depending largely on nitro glycerin pills. That’s probably why one day he decided to become a racing driver and in a decade long career as a racing driver he was driver of the year for 1956-57 by sports illustrated and also competed in 8 world championship races. And he is very well known as a co-driver in Aston martin DBR and took it to victory in 24 hours of le Mans racing. In fact Carroll Shelby is the only man to have won the prestigious Le Mans race as a driver, team owner and automotive manufacturer. Later on he found out that a small company called AC was struggling to find an engine for its racing car the ACE. Shelby strikes a deal with ford to supply the mighty V8 and that spermed to what we know as the ACE cobra and at that time it become the fastest road car for a while in England. And In America the success with cobra paved the way for many great cars in partnership among ford and Shelby.

Remember the GT40! Going further back when in 1963 Ferrari pulled back of the deal at the last minute Henry ford actually ordered his designers to built a car that could snatch the prancing horse. And in 1966, 1967, 1968 GT40 did exactly what it was born to do. Moreover what made GT40 “The GT40” Shelby had a big role to play after its suspension failure at the Nurburgring 1000km race. And since GT40 was a landmark in the lives of carol Shelby, Henry Ford and everyone associated with it, rather every auto enthusiast.

That was just the beginning for carol Shelby, Then started the era of Shelby 350 and since then GT’s have been ruling hearts from a school going kid with the poster in his bedroom to the movie producers and GT350 was itself a style statement and that is why from Jim Morrison to Bill Clinton almost every famous icon bought this masterpiece.

Further came the GT500 powered by another mighty V8 which delivered 540 brake horses of power also embarked 40^th anniversary editions later on with scoops and vents, twist-lock hood pins. These additions were so popular that every car modification had it. It was a common rage to see the flamboyance characteristics of Shelby GT500. last  may 2012 at the age of 89 when he died, Just before he passed away he got to see the all new GT500 powered by the supercharged V8 engine  which produces 662 bhp and 631 lb-ft of torque, and a claimed top speed of 325 km/h. It is in fact the most powerful going V8 ever made in the history.

 And carrying foreword a little bit of his legacy as he said  "Yesterday's History, Tomorrow's a Mystery, So live for today."  As an auto lover we expect carol Shelby international to take foreword the legacy.

(Author - Anshul Chawla - Is an automobile enthusiast who love and live cars! Can be ignited at anshul_chawla@live.com)