Car of the Year (1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe #CSX2287)
The International Historic Motoring Awards, convened annually in London, awards the “best” of a small group of categories, selected by a blue-ribbon panel of 22 automotive connoisseurs from here and abroad. Sponsored by leaders in the automotive community, five finalists from each category are selected and the awards presented at the St.Pancras Renaissance hotel at a gala black-tie ceremony every November. To achieve an award in any of the 12 categories is a great honor, with particular attention to the top honors, “Museum of the Year”, analogous to the best movie, and “Car of the Year”, analogous to best actor.
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is the only organization to have awarded “Museum of the Year” (2011), “Publication of the Year” (2012), and “Car of the Year” (2014).
In November, the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe was the first automobile ever Inducted into the American National Historic Registry, an honor awarded in the past only to buildings, battleships, etc. This car was the first American automobile to win the International Sports Car Championship. Besides helping America prevail, the car set 23 records in 1965 at Bonneville for speed and endurance. Hidden away for 30 years, it is the only one of the six Daytona coupes in original condition. The combination of innovative design, outstanding racing history, and a superb state of preservation attracted the National Park Service to make it the inaugural National Registry car.
