The 1964 season marked the beginning of Shelby's full-scale campaign in the FIA Manufacturer’s World Championship, debuting the new Daytona Coupe alongside the iconic Roadster Cobras. With a powerful American engine and lightweight chassis, the team made waves in Europe, securing key victories at the Targa Florio, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy. Despite finishing second to Ferrari in 1964, Shelby’s relentless pursuit of victory proved unstoppable when his group of Cobras finally toppled Scuderia Ferrari and secured America’s first FIA Manufacturer’s World Championship in 1965.

For the 50th Anniversary of these legendary machines, Shelby American introduced a Cobra 289 FIA 50th Anniversary Edition as part of its Cobra Continuation Series. Limited to only 50 models, encompassing examples in both aluminum and fiberglass, the these anniversary editions were available in polished aluminum or painted in a choice of colors—including Shelby’s 1964 team hue of Viking Blue—with varying shades of racing stripes.

Finished in Viking Blue with a white driver’s stripe and roundels bearing the number 50, this superb FIA 50th Anniversary Edition Cobra is number 33 of 50 and is in essentially as-delivered condition, displaying 29 miles at cataloguing time. Employing a track-ready three-inch “drawn over Mandrel” tube chassis, the car’s power derives from a monstrous 302-cubic-inch V-8 which has been stroked to 363 cubic inches and is said to produce more than 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. Four Weber 48 IDA carburetors with velocity stacks feed this impressive engine, which sends power to its period-style wheels with pin-drive hubs via a TKO 600 Tremec five-speed manual gearbox and Kirkham TorqueTrak differential. Abundant period-correct details include a wood-rimmed steering wheel, polished Monza-style fuel filler, Stewart Warner gauges, dashboard-mounted rearview mirror, an FIA-spec roll bar, and side-exit exhaust.

Celebrating one of the most captivating chapters in American racing history, this breathtaking Cobra 289 FIA 50th Anniversary Edition presents an unparalleled, immersive driving experience for enthusiasts who crave the timeless allure of mid-century road racing.