New Series 2 Coupe Celebrates 25 Years of the Shelby Series 1 Roadster

Earlier this month, at the Revs Institute in Naples, Florida, before a packed house of Shelby fans there to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Series 1 roadster, Shelby American unveiled the Series 2 coupe. The sleek fastback will be limited to just 10 copies.

The history of contemporary Shelby-badged cars not named Mustang or F-150 dates back to that Series 1 roadster of 1999. Oft-maligned, and often unfairly, it was the only car designed from scratch by Carroll Shelby and was billed as the modern successor to the Cobra. A number of factors impacted the success of the promising Series 1, most of which were beyond Shelby’s control, including sticky corporate partnerships, budget overruns, and a disappointing powerplant switch to the Oldsmobile Aurora’s relatively modest 320-hp V-8. Just 249 of the planned 500 Series 1 cars were produced.

Until that is, Maryland-based Wingard Motorsports and Custom Coaches purchased the remaining Series 1 chassis and parts. “We revised the car to reduce weight by maximizing the integration of billeted aluminum and carbon fiber components,” said company founder Bob Wingard in a press release. “We further refined the suspension, braking, and drivetrain to allow an increase of more than twice the horsepower of the original platform. The bodies are now lighter, and the platform will support over 1100 horsepower.” Based on that work, the company released an updated, limited-production Series 2 roadster in 2018.

For the sleek new 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Coupe, Shelby has again granted Wingard an official license to build the car. Just 10 will be produced—three bodied in aluminum and seven in carbon fiber—all of which will be based on the Series 2 roadster’s aluminum honeycomb monocoque frame. Each car, too, will only be offered as rollers, which means buyers will need to supply their own powerplant.

Aluminum-bodied cars, which start at $498,200 minus the powertrain, will come either polished or painted to spec with racing stripes. Carbon-fiber cars start at $385,600. Buyers will have a few options to make these coupes go, with powertrain pricing starting at $83,500, which includes the motor, driveline, and a six-speed transaxle. Those looking for V-8 rumble can fit a Carroll Shelby Engine Company 427 Windsor V-8 or a supercharged Ford Godzilla crate motor. Wingard has also created a performance EV package for those interested in going the electric route.

“While the Shelby Series 2 is based on the first-generation car, it’s a significant leap forward,” said Wingard. “The Shelby Series 2 blends old school craftmanship and current technology, pushing the coupe into super car territory.”

Noted restorer, author, and Shelby historian Colin Comer believes there is much to look forward to. “I’m one of those guys who thinks everything is better as a coupe. Much like the Daytona coupe was to the Cobra roadster, and the Viper GTS was to the RT/10, this new Series 2 coupe really takes the roadster to another level,” Comer told Hagerty. “First, it just looks the business. And obviously being available in carbon fiber or aluminum ups the ante even more.”

In that $500,00–$600,000 all-in price bracket, the new coupe will have no shortage of competition. “The new Mustang GTD supercar, for one, hits the exact same demographic as the Series 2 coupe,” Comer said. “So I’m curious to see who the ten buyers are and what they end up doing with their Shelbys. Certainly, though, from where I sit, this is one heck of a way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Carroll’s original Series 1 dream.”

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