Daytona Cobra back on the auction block

The Cobra, which failed to sell at Mecum’s Spring Classic Auction, will headline the company’s new Monterey Auction on Saturday, Aug. 15. The auction will be held at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa in California.

The legendary Daytona Cobra Coupe did not meet the reserve when it was on the block at Indianapolis, climbing to $6.8 million during the sale and reaching a post-auction bid of $7.5 million. Pre-sale estimates predicted the car could sell for as much as $10 million, which would be a new record for a U.S.-built car.

"When the Championship Coupe ran its first race in February 1965, it did not finish. However, a few months later the car raced to a first-place finish and won the World Manufacturers Championship for the U.S.," said President Dana Mecum in a press release. "We expect history to repeat itself as the Daytona Cobra crosses the block in Monterey to a victorious finish, setting a record for the highest price paid for an American automobile at public auction."

Mecum’s inaugural Monterey Auction will feature will feature 200 investment-grade vehicles, including exotic sports cars, classics and high-end collector cars. The Daytona Coupe is scheduled to auction on Saturday afternoon.

The Daytona Cobra Coupe was one of six cars built by Carroll Shelby to compete against the dominating Ferraris in the F.I.A. (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) World Manufacturers Championship GT race class. An experimental coupe body designed by Peter Brock was built on an existing Cobra chassis, immediately increasing the top speed by 25 mph. That car won its first race, the 1964 Daytona Continental (prompting Shelby to adopt the Daytona name), and five more coupes were built, including CSX2601.

After competing at Daytona, Monza, Spa, Nürburgring and LeMans, CSX2601 made history when driver Bob Bondurant powered the car to a victory over Ferrari, clinching the 1965 World Manufacturers Championship for the United States and Shelby American on July 4 at Reims, France.

Bob Bondurant (driver) and Peter Brock (designer) will be onsite at Mecum's Monterey Auction to be reunited with CSX2601.

Consignment, bidder, event and accommodation information is available online at www.mecum.com or by calling 815-568-8888.

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