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January 12, 2004 Legendary Shelby Cobra Concept Vehicle On BFGoodrich® Tires; Performance Car Meets Performance Tire Greenville, SC When Ford rolled out the new Ford Shelby Cobra concept at the North American International Auto Show this week, the new vehicle was introduced with many of the same features that made the original famous — including BFGoodrich® tires. 
As part of Ford's "Year of the Car", the Ford Shelby Cobra's design features a minimalist interior and exterior elements that emphasize its performance-oriented function. The massive grille opening, side vents, low-back seats and bulging wheel arches an obvious connection with Carroll Shelby's original 1960s two-seat Cobra.The Ford Shelby Cobra concept team looked to BFGoodrich Tires to provide tires for this exciting new concept. "We are thrilled to say that we are a part of latest generation of the Ford Shelby Cobra," said Tom Chubb, vice president of marketing, Michelin Automotive Industry Division. "The tires were designed to accentuate the vehicle's design while providing the style and performance that are traditionally associated with the BFGoodrich Tires brand." BFGoodrich provided four specially designed g-Force T/A tires for use on the new Shelby concept. Unlike production BFGoodrich ultra-high-performance tires available to consumers, the concept Cobra's tires feature "BFGoodrich" in large white lettering on the sidewall along with a slick tread surface, similar to the design of the brand's competitive racing tires. Inspired by the biggest, baddest Cobra of all — the renowned 427 — Ford engineers created a new aluminum-block V-10 to power the Ford Shelby Cobra concept. This 6.4-liter engine, adapted from Ford's MOD family, delivers the rush of raw power associated with that big 1960s V-8 monster — with 605 horsepower and 501 foot-pounds of torque — without the aid of supercharging or turbocharging. This combination of a new aluminum-block V-10 and thorough engineering has created a rarity in the world of auto shows — a concept car that can actually run zero to 60 in under four seconds. Show cars are typically limited to 15 miles-per-hour, but this vehicle is no ordinary piece of art. To develop an authentic show vehicle, Ford designers in conjunction with Shelby, requested that BFGoodrich Tires provide tires that could go the distance and not simply collect dust in an exhibit hall. |
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