Shelby American

Carroll Shelby founded Shelby American in 1962 in Venice, California, after retiring from a successful racing career. The company's first major breakthrough was the AC Cobra, which mated a lightweight British AC Cars chassis with a powerful Ford V8 engine. This successful collaboration led to the 1965 FIA World Sportscar Championship, marking the only time an American manufacturer has won that prestigious title. During the mid-1960s, Shelby became a critical partner for Ford, developing the legendary GT350 and GT500 Mustangs and spearheading the Ford GT40 racing program that famously defeated Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. In the late 1960s, Ford took over more of the Shelby Mustang production, and Carroll Shelby eventually pivoted to other business ventures, including a significant partnership with Chrysler in the 1980s. During this era, he collaborated on high-performance Dodge models and served as a key consultant during the development of the original Dodge Viper. However, the Shelby brand returned to its Ford roots in the early 2000s, signaling a new era of performance-focused collaborations. In 2003, Carroll Shelby formed Carroll Shelby International, Inc. as a public holding company, with Shelby American as its primary manufacturing subsidiary. The company relocated its headquarters to Las Vegas, Nevada, becoming the first automobile manufacturer in the state's history. This period saw the introduction of the Shelby Series 1 and the return of the Shelby GT500 to Ford showrooms, alongside the development of the high-performance 'Super Snake' package. Following the passing of Carroll Shelby in 2012, the company has continued to expand under a dedicated management team. Today, Shelby American operates out of a state-of-the-art facility near the Las Vegas Strip that includes the Shelby Heritage Center. The brand remains at the forefront of the American performance market, producing record-breaking street-legal vehicles and high-performance trucks while maintaining a global network of authorized mod shops to serve international enthusiasts.