WEINEM Shelby Cobra Replica

The story of Weinem's Shelby Cobra Replica is a remarkable tale of innovation, passion and precision craftsmanship that goes far beyond simply replicating a classic sports car.

From 1972, former racing driver Jürg Weinem ran a petrol station and workshop in Thalwil, which moved to Horgen in the 1980s. As a passionate car enthusiast and restorer, he built around 250 buggies on Beetle chassis on the side and also sold them as kits. His passion, however, was the idea of creating a replica of one of the most iconic sports car legends, the Shelby Cobra, and bringing it to the Swiss roads.

The Cobra, a vehicle developed by Carroll Shelby in the early 1960s, combined American power with British elegance and quickly became an icon of the automotive world. It was based on the British sports car AC Ace, which was built from 1953 and was delivered with a six-cylinder in-line engine.

The desire to revive this legend led Jürg Weinem to the decision to build a high-quality replica from scratch. The vision was to preserve the heritage of the Shelby Cobra in a modern context while bringing the tradition of Swiss engineering and high-quality craftsmanship to the road.

The idea from 1979 was quickly put into practice and shown in the form of a raw body and chassis at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show. The positive feedback encouraged Weinem to continue and to complete the car despite all the adversities of modern legislation, be it the technical approvals of the frame or the seatbelt tests. He exhibited the first finished vehicle in Geneva in 1981 and the Swiss Über-Cobra went into production.

Like Carrol Shelby, Weinem decided to use powerful Ford V8 engines for the drive. The choice of engine depended on the desired performance level, but the focus was always on strong performance paired with optimum handling and, of course, the distinctive sound that had made the Shelby Cobras famous, among other things.

A unique feature of the Weinem Shelby Cobra Replica was the special care taken in tuning the vehicle's handling. The vehicle geometry was optimized to preserve the agile handling of the original Cobra as well as to meet modern driving requirements. The braking system and suspension in particular were revised to keep both safety and driving dynamics at a high level, which further enhanced the driving pleasure and sportiness.

After Weinem was successful with the production of the first Shelby Cobra replica, the vehicle quickly attracted attention - not only in Switzerland, but also internationally. The high quality of the workmanship and the attention to detail of the design ensured that the Weinem Cobra was regarded by many car enthusiasts as one of the best replicas of the original. Collectors in particular appreciated the vehicles, as they were not only a visually exact replica of the legendary Cobra, but also offered an exceptional driving experience.

Weinem not only limited itself to the production of one-offs, but also began to offer customized versions. Customers could choose between different engine versions, ranging from classic V8 engines to more powerful versions. Each customer had the opportunity to design their replica according to their individual wishes - from the color of the bodywork to the features of the interior.

The Weinem Shelby Cobra Replica stands today not only as a technical masterpiece, but also as a piece of automotive history. Jürg Weinem has succeeded in preserving the heritage of the Shelby Cobra without losing touch with modern technology and the high standards of Swiss engineering. For many enthusiasts, the Weinem Cobra is more than just a replica - it is a drivable dream that transports the spirit of the 1960s into the present.

Unfortunately, the production of the high-quality replicas was very costly and after only four examples had been built, construction of the Weinem Cobra was discontinued. In 2013, the Weinem Automobile company was dissolved following the death of Jürg Weinem.