1962 Shelby 260 Cobra
Chassis / VIN CSX 2000
Photo details
Joyride serves the 5,184 × 3,456 Commons original JPEG byte-for-byte. No crop, resize, retouching, metadata removal, generation or vehicle reconstruction; responsive presentation may crop displayed edges.
Why this car matters
The prototype that launched the Cobra: one car used for development, shows and publicity, repeatedly repainted to suggest a larger fleet.
- Built around an AC chassis and Ford 260-cubic-inch V8.
- Kept by Shelby from new; offered by the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust in 2016.
One car, a documented identity
The auction record and photographer both identify CSX 2000, the first Cobra.
The 2016 sale result does not establish the current owner. The blue photograph is from 2015, not the car’s original finish.
Auction appearances & results
Monterey 2016
Monterey, California
Auction house’s reported sold result. The retrieved lot page does not explicitly identify the buyer-premium treatment; this is not labeled a hammer price.
Listing identity: CSX 2000
Read the original auction recordNo upcoming or active auction has been verified in this car’s record. Historical results do not indicate that it is currently for sale.
Where this car has been
- February 1962
A prototype takes shape
A Ford 260 V8 and four-speed gearbox were installed after the AC chassis arrived in California.
RM Sotheby’s - 1962 onward
One car, several colors
Shelby used CSX 2000 for development and press appearances, repainting the same prototype multiple times.
RM Sotheby’s - August 19, 2016
The trust offers CSX 2000
RM’s Monterey report places the $13.75 million sale in the Friday session.
RM Sotheby’sRM Sotheby’s
The record behind the story
Checked . This profile preserves what the sources establish and leaves unverified outcomes open.
Existing Joyride photograph by Sicnag, licensed CC BY 2.0 and identified as CSX 2000.
Read the related celebrity car story- CSX 2000 auction recordRM Sotheby’s · checked 2026-10-07
Identity, prototype use, Shelby ownership, trust offering and $13.75 million result.
- Monterey 2016 event reportRM Sotheby’s · checked 2026-10-07
August 19–20 event and Friday sale of CSX 2000.