Shelby is celebrating a major milestone in 2025: It introduced the 427 Cobra, one of the company’s defining models, 60 years ago. The brand is commemorating the anniversary with a limited-edition roadster called Shelby 60th Anniversary 427 Cobra designed to pick up where the original model left off.
Built on a powder-coated frame, the 60th Anniversary 427 Cobra features edition-specific exterior badges, twin stripes, a hood scoop, and what Shelby refers to as original-style trim. Buyers have several paint colors to choose from, and the model is available with either a fiberglass body or an aluminum body, but the goal is clearly to configure a roadster that resembles the original car, not to end up with a custom-looking, resto-modded Cobra that would fit right in at SEMA.
It’s a similar story inside, where you won’t find a touchscreen or a sound system fit for a late-model luxury SUV. Sitting on a leather-upholstered bucket seat, the driver faces a wood-rimmed steering wheel and an analog instrument cluster with a “60th Anniversary” logo added to the tachometer and the speedometer.
What ends up under the hood will vary from car to car—and it won’t necessarily be a 427-cubic-inch V-8. Shelby stresses that each 60th Anniversary 427 Cobra will be sold as a fully assembled rolling chassis, so buyers will need to finish the car by working with one of the company’s authorized dealers to source and install a drivetrain. Luckily, there’s no shortage of 427 crate engines available from a long list of OEM and aftermarket companies. Shelby’s catalog of crate engines includes no less than eight variants of the 427.
The Shelby 60th Anniversary 427 Cobra is on sale now, though pricing hasn’t been released. The company is asking enthusiasts who want to put one in their garage to reach out for more information. Production is limited to 20 units, including 10 with a fiberglass body and 10 with a hand-rolled aluminum body. And, as a bonus, part of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to the Carroll Shelby Foundation charity.
Head over to Monterey, California, during car week this year if you want to see the commemorative Cobra in person before signing the dotted line. Shelby will display the roadster at some of the events planned that week, though a detailed schedule hasn’t been published yet. Additionally, six examples of the original 427 Cobra (including the first and last ones built) will be shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
I love that blue on the Cobra.
