1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe Smashes US Auction Record At $42.9M

by Aaron Leong — Tuesday, August 18, 2026, 11:31 AM EDT

1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona sold for $42 million at auction - Image: Gooding Christie's

A 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe made history at Monterey Car Week, selling for a mind-boggling $42,905,000 at the Gooding Christie's Pebble Beach Auctions. This number doubles the previous record for an American collector car, and thus makes the Chassis CSX2300 the most expensive American vehicle ever sold at public auction. Suck that, Ferrari Luce EV!

Side view of Chassis CSX2300 - Image: Gooding Christie's

The winning bid shattered pre-auction estimates that had the vehicle fetching upwards of $25 million. Opening at a modest $2 million, the bids bumped the car into eight-figure territory within seconds. The closing hammer technically fell at $39 million, with buyer fees pushing the checkout price to $42.9 million. For the record, the previous long-standing American auction record was set back in 2018 when a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ formerly owned by actor Gary Cooper sold for $22 million. Auction house officials also confirmed that the iconic machine will remain in the US under the care of an local collector.

Chassis CSX2300's engine bay - Image: Gooding Christie's

You could say this Daytona Coupe earned its price due to its extreme rarity undeniable motorsport importance. Engineered specifically to challenge Ferrari's dominant 250 GTO in the FIA World Sportscar Championship, only six examples of the closed-cockpit GT racer were ever constructed by Shelby American. Combining the immense power of a 289-cubic-inch Ford V8 with a slick, aerodynamic aluminum body penned by designer Peter Brock, the Daytona Coupe helped the car through its conquest of high-speed circuits like Le Mans and Daytona.

Fully restored interior of the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe - Image: Gooding Christie's

Chassis CSX2300 itself boasts an exceptional racing pedigree, having competed under the factory Shelby banner during the pivotal 1965 season. The car secured a impressive third-in-class finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring and notched additional top finishes at European circuits, including a third-place finish at the Nürburgring 1000K. These combined efforts helped Shelby secure the 1965 FIA World Sportscar Championship, marking the first and only time an American manufacturer won the international GT title.

Check out that behind - Image: Gooding Christie's

To top that off, the Chassis CSX2300 is also the sole unit retained personally by Carroll Shelby, who owned the car from 1975 until 1998. Fully restored to its vibrant Guardsman Blue livery bearing racing number 12, the vehicle looks like its first day on the 1965 Sebring campaign.

All told, what a record weekend in Monterey this year, where collector car demand showed resilient strength. Across all auction venues during the event, total sales topped $747 million, driven by high-profile offerings with strong provenance, racing history, and original componentry.