Skip advert
Advertisement

Carroll Shelby dies

Carroll Shelby, the legend that created one of the Shelby Cobra, won Le Mans and set up the Carroll Shelby Foundation, has died aged 89

Carroll Shelby

Caroll Shelby, Le Mans winner and creator of the legend that is the Shelby Cobra, has died at the age of 89.

Born in Leesburg, Texas, in 1923, Shelby won his first race in 1952, taking a number of wins over the following two decades. One of his greatest victories was winning the 1959 Le Mans 24 hours teamed with Roy Salvadori. Shelby also raced for Maserati and Aston Martin in Formula 1 before retiring from motorsport completely due to his long-standing heart condition in 1959.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Shelby went on to start the Shelby American company, importing the AC Ace into the US, shoehorning a Ford V8 engine into the front of the lightweight British sportscar - giving birth to one of the most recognisable and successful racers in history.

Shelby remained active in managing his companies – Shelby American has a thriving parts business as well as a line of muscle cars including the Shelby GT500 Super Snake, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GTS, plus a limited number of the 1960s Shelby 289 ‘street’, 289 FIA, 427 S/C and Daytona Coupe Cobras – as well his charity, the Carroll Shelby Foundation, until his death. He endured both heart and kidney transplants in the last two decades of his life. The Foundation helps children battle life-threatening illnesses and funds scholarships in automotive education.

Carroll Shelby leaves a wife, sister, three children, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

www.carrollshelbyfoundation.org

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024