SPF Coupe From Superformance

The inspiration for the Superformance SPF Coupe is the 1965 Daytona Coupe.  The Daytona, the only American-made car to win the World Manufacturer’s Championship for Grand Touring Racecars, quickly became revered for its ability to reach racing speeds of 200MPH.

The Superformance SPF Coupe is licensed by Carroll Shelby and is eligible for SAAC registry.

Engineering

With a 93.2 inch wheelbase and total length of 175 inches, the SPF Coupe weighs in at 2,866 pounds.  The chassis layout was originally designed by Jim Price and then later enhanced by Roush engineers Bob Negsted and Dan Bamford.

The Superformance SPF Coupe is built to handle a Ford 351 Windsor engine, which can be stroked to 427, and a six-speed Tremac T56 transmission.  Its chassis features fully independent front and rear suspension with unequal length upper and lower control arms.  The shocks are Bilstein coil-overs with H&R springs.  Also included are front and rear sway bars specifically designed for the SPF Coupe.

SPF’s steering is power-assisted rack and pinion.  Its vacuum-boosted braking system includes Australian PBR calipers with 12.8 inch by 1.25 inch vented rotors in front and 12 inch by 1 inch in the rear.

The aluminum-core radiator has a built-in water to oil cooler.  The stainless steel fuel tank is mounted over the rear axle and holds 21 gallons.

The windshield is heated and shatterproof, and the SPF Coupe design includes “no handle” doors, intended to reduce wind resistance.

The Superformance SPF Coupe comes with air conditioning as a standard feature.

Impressions

In an article by Dennis Begley published by TheCarSource.com, Peter Brock was quoted as saying, "The Daytona Cobra Coupes were the last of the specials, a watershed point in race car design …"

The aerodynamic lines and powerful look of the Daytona Coupe have proven to be timeless, as attested by the popularity of its replicas.  Under the watchful eye of Carroll Shelby, the Superformance SPF Coupe pays homage to this American classic.

What Will It Cost?

According to Jim Creel of Racing Legends Motorsports in Plano, the Texas dealer for Superformance, pricing for the Superformance SPF Coupe starts at $68,900.

After Superformance had developed and initiated production on the Superformance Brock Coupe, named after Peter Brock, designer of the original Shelby Daytona Coupe, Shelby American sued Superformance.  Eventually, the litigation was settled, although the settlement agreement terms, if any, have never been made public.

As a result of this agreement between the two companies, the product is now known as the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe.

In addition to the SPF Coupe, Superformance also manufactures the MKIII, inspired by the Shelby Cobra.  This replica car is licensed by the creator of the Shelby Cobra, Carroll Shelby.

Superformance also produces the GT40, which is eligible for the official GT40 registry as a continuation GT40.