The Shelby Daytona Coupe was designed with really one purpose in mind. To take on Ferrari and its 250 GTO and claim the World Championship for GT manufacturers.
And, it succeeded. End of story. The Daytona Coupe became the first American manufacturer to win an international FIA championship in 1965. So important is it to history that it was the first car ever to be federally recognised as a national treasure in the US.
So, obviously, they should be raced, and raced hard. Whether or not they happen to be 'real'. Yes, there are only seven true Daytona Coupes, but seeing one built to the correct specifications is awesome.
Which brings us to this video. Twenty glorious minutes riding onboard with a Daytona Coupe as it flies around the modernised confines of the Circuit des 24 Heures at Le Mans.
A hectic start gives way to a more spread out racing environment. The accompanyment of that brutal 4.7-litre Ford V8 is all we really need. But, to my mind at least, the best bit is as we slow down, listening to the pops and crackles of a historic exhaust doing its proper work. Twenty minutes of this on a Friday is just what we need to end the week.
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Drifting a £9million Aston Martin round the Isle of Man
Elevenses
Video
Onboard
Shelby
Daytona Coupe
Le Mans
Le Mans Classic