Item No.: 20030716
Series: 2015
Online Store: http://bit.ly/1doy6ZR
The 289 Shelby Cobra was added to the 132 series in 2012. The first model was the hardtop coupé in the famous white paint scheme with blue stripes. The model was based on the No. 4 Cobra that competed at Le Mans in 1963. Since then, only the open-top versions have been added to the CARRERA range. The reason? There are only two original vehicles with a hardtop.
This model is the second closed-top Cobra. At first glance, the car looks somewhat toy-like with its green paint job. However, the vehicle in this color scheme has a real-life counterpart:
just like the white-and-blue Shelby, the green No. 3 competed at Le Mans. In 1963, two racing teams each entered a single car there for the first time. Carol Shelby, however, had to acknowledge that in international endurance races and on high-speed circuits, the car’s excellent power-to-weight ratio and the resulting acceleration were far less important than the ability to maintain full throttle and achieve high top speeds. By the early 1960s, aerodynamically sophisticated coupes with low drag were already considered the most powerful weapons in motorsport.
Despite having hardtops installed, the two Mk II Cobras were at a massive disadvantage on the long Mulsanne Straight compared to the fast Ferraris. The Cobra driven by Bolton/Sanderson and entered by AC Cars finished only 7th (behind 6 Ferraris), but came in third in the GT class and won the 4-5-liter class. The No. 4 car driven by Ed Hugus and Peter Jopp retired.
The CARRERA model is based on this very Cobra from AC Motors with chassis no. CSX2131. Externally, the model differs from the original only in minor details. The biggest difference from the real car lies in its inner workings (or as we slot racers say: in the driver’s setup): This model is a left-hand drive, whereas the original No. 3 was one of the rare right-hand drive cars built in 1963 for the British market. In terms of driving dynamics, the car is well-known: Excellent acceleration and high speed on the straights, strong tire grip, and thus excellent directional stability. In terms of driving dynamics, it’s no match for a modern DTM car, but among its peers
, it’s a beautiful and fast car to drive.
Best regards,
CoMod Lotus
P.S.: If you’d like to hear what a Le Mans Cobra sounds like in a race: Here you go!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dst60YfGpSg
