Did the Cobra exist before Carroll Shelby visited AC?

[Turk]

Bandit1,
Not all designers, certainly not those on the payroll of GM, Ford and other big manufacturers have that latitude. Not that they wouldn't want to.

I imagine when you are on the payroll for Ford or GM and they have you working on their dime, they expect you to complete certain projects with no obligation to name the car after you. Sad but true.
Basically they own the intellectual property rights as if they created it. I suppose same is true of Microsoft. I don't know who is responsible for the net browser I use, but I can assure you it in not someone named Mr. Explorer.

I am sure some of the recent successes in the auto world has many no-name engineers, designers we will never hear about.

If you have a name like Dior, Shelby, Versace, Eddie Bauer, they let you name a kitchen sink even if all you did was to have once turned the faucet on.


Name recognition.! The name Shelby has some clout believe it or not. I don't think he is a diety, but many will pay a premium for his name, and I think it was clever for Ford to have consulted with him and maybe got nothing from him in the form of any design or engineering advice, but they sure wanted his blessing and name. They must feel the car will fare better as a Shelby Cobra than it would as Ford Cobra.

I am not suggesting the car will run better or will be a better car becaue of the name. It just will be perceived as something special.

Lucky for old man, he has that name to be able to do that.

If they would have asked me, I would have suggested my name.

TURK