Ultimate Shelby Cobra Replica Makes 1,100HP and Is German

BOLD RIDE

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Posted by Zach Doell

 

If you’re looking to buy an original Shelby Cobra, you better have a thick wallet. The values of these iconic sports cars have gone through the roof, leaving the budget-conscious left to fill their garages with Cobra replicas. 
 

Though when roadsters like this one exist…that’s hardly a performance downgrade.

Meet the Weineck Cobra 780 Limited Edition—a not-so-subtle German-built remake of the Cobra design, fitted with a goliath 12.8-liter V8. Scary. These ultimate reproductions originally came to market in 2005, but even by today’s standards the performance offered is still breathtaking.

And by performance, we mean colossal power…1,100 horsepower to be exact. The massive 12.8-liter V8 that lies under the hood (780 cubic inches) was constructed by Donovan Engineering and outfitted with retooled Weineck pistons, heads, and a new crankshaft. When prodded, it roars from its 1,000 rpm idle and generates enough torque to rocket passengers from zero to 60 mph in under three seconds. Keep your foot to the floor—if you dare—and the Cobra jets to 186 mph in under 10 seconds.

That face-smashing performance is achieved in part due to the Weineck Cobra’s featherweight status, tipping the scales at a scant 2,200 pounds. While much of that load is composed of V8 heft, the rest is relegated to the car’s tubular space frame chassis, which totes a modern independent adjustable suspension and four-wheel Brembo brakes. A four-speed manual gearbox is the mechanism which forces the V8’s tower of power to terra firma, and it does so without any traction control or other modern driver aids. Again, scary.

Only 15 of these outrageously hood-scooped Shelby Cobra replicas were produced in 2005, and when new, the 780 cu. in. Weineck roadsters retailed for over $600,000. This Weineck 780 was one of them, which came up for sale again at the RM Auctions’ Paris event in 2014. It gaveled for a decidedly less expensive €61,000 ($68,000 at today’s rates), which makes it quite the performance bargain.

Photo Credit: RM Auctions