Carroll Shelby Intl

What Carroll Shelby Intl does

Carroll Shelby International (OTCQB: CSBI) is a Las Vegas-based automotive performance company operating through three wholly-owned divisions: Shelby American Inc. (vehicle manufacturing and retail), Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc. (trademark and brand rights management), and the Carroll Shelby Foundation (philanthropy). The company manufactures and sells low-volume performance vehicles built on Ford platforms, including Mustang-based Super Snake, GT350 and GT500 variants, modified Ford trucks (F-150 Super Snake, Raptor, F-250 Super Baja), and heritage Cobra continuation cars (289, 427, Daytona Coupe), distributed through direct-to-consumer channels including ShelbyStore.com, the Carroll Shelby Store in Las Vegas, the Build & Price configurator, and Ford's dealer network for licensed models.

The company's primary economic engine is brand licensing. Carroll Shelby Licensing has held the Shelby, GT500, and GT350 trademark rights since 2003 and licenses them to Ford (which pays approximately $800 per Shelby-badged Mustang), as well as to consumer-products manufacturers including Electronic Arts, Sony, Microsoft, Mattel, GameLoft, Maisto, Revell, and others for toys, video games, apparel, and collectibles. Shelby American Inc. operates as the manufacturing and retail arm, producing Shelby-branded vehicles, aftermarket performance parts, and merchandise, while the Team Shelby enthusiast club drives community engagement and recurring consumer revenue.

Carroll Shelby International's business model combines a high-margin licensing royalty stream anchored by a long-tenured Ford relationship with lower-margin but brand-reinforcing direct vehicle sales, parts, apparel, and a philanthropic arm. The Shelby brand — supported by registered trademarks, trade dress protection on 1960s Cobra appearance, and heritage from four consecutive Le Mans GT40 victories — represents the core intangible asset underpinning all three divisions. The company's stated foundation year is 1962, tied to Carroll Shelby's pioneering of modern automotive licensing, though the present corporate structure reflects subsequent reorganizations.

Name

Carroll Shelby Intl

Legal name

Shelby American Inc.

Website

https://shelby.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Carroll Shelby International is a specialty automaker and brand licensor that builds low-volume performance Mustangs, trucks, and heritage Cobras while monetizing the Shelby trademark through Ford vehicle royalties and consumer-products licensing across gaming, toys, and apparel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performance Vehicles & Automotive Brand Licensing

NAICS

Automotive Parts and Accessories Retailers (44133)

SIC

Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (3711), Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)

akta.pro primary industry

Aftermarket Exterior Accessories Manufacturing (Body Kits/Grilles/Bumpers/Racks/Tow Hooks) (IMACANAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Automotive Parts & Accessories Online Retailers (CRAFADAK)

Keywords

• Performance vehicle manufacturing
• Automotive brand licensing
• Shelby Mustang modifications
• Heritage muscle cars
• Automotive performance parts

Headquarters

HQ city

Gardena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Licensing Royalties: Ford Motor Company pays approximately $800 per vehicle in royalties to Carroll Shelby Licensing for each Shelby-badged Mustang produced. This is the primary licensing revenue stream from automotive manufacturing partners.
2. Vehicle Sales: Shelby American Inc. manufactures and sells performance vehicles including Super Snake models, GT350, GT500 Signature Edition, F-150 Super Snake, Raptor, and F-250 Super Baja through direct sales channels.
3. Performance Parts & Merchandise: Sale of Shelby-branded performance parts, apparel, and merchandise through ShelbyStore.com and retail locations. Products include performance automotive components and branded collectibles.
4. Brand Licensing: Licensing of Shelby trademarks and vehicle images to third parties including Ford, Electronic Arts, GameLoft, Jada, Maisto, Sony, Microsoft, Revell, ZModels, Mattel, and others for toys, video games, apparel, and collectibles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Carroll Shelby International designs, manufactures, and markets high-performance Shelby-badged Ford Mustangs (Super Snake, GT350, GT500 variants) and trucks (F-150 Super Snake, Raptor, F-250 Super Baja), alongside heritage continuation vehicles (Cobra 289/427, Daytona Coupe, GT40) and licensed Revology reproductions. It sells Shelby-branded performance parts, apparel, and merchandise directly to enthusiasts and licenses its Shelby, GT500, and GT350 trademarks to Ford and consumer-goods partners, earning royalties per vehicle and per licensed product.

Product overview

Shelby American Inc. operates as a diversified automotive performance company with three core divisions: vehicle production, licensing, and philanthropy. The vehicle portfolio spans modern performance Mustangs (Super Snake, GT350, GT500 variants), modified Ford trucks (F-150 Super Snake, F-150 Off-Road, Raptor, F-250 Super Baja), heritage Cobras (427, 289 FIA, 289 Street), the GT40 Shelby Edition, and licensed Revology reproductions of classic 1960s Shelby vehicles. The company also produces performance parts, apparel, and merchandise through the Shelby Store, and manages the Carroll Shelby Foundation charitable initiative. A strategic partnership with TOPDON integrates diagnostic tools into production facilities. The broader Shelby ecosystem includes Carroll Shelby Licensing for brand trademark management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shelby Super Snake: High-performance version of Ford Mustang featuring enhanced horsepower and performance modifications.
• Shelby GT350
• Shelby GT500
• Shelby GT500KR
• Shelby F-150 Super Snake
• Shelby Raptor

Products and services

• 2026 Shelby Super Snake-R High-performance track-oriented modified Mustang with supercharged V8 powertrain and Shelby performance enhancements, sold direct by Shelby American Inc.
• 2026 Shelby Super Snake Performance-modified Mustang with supercharged V8 powertrain and distinctive Shelby styling, configured and built by Shelby American Inc.
• 2026 Shelby GT350/TA Track Attack variant of the Shelby GT350 Mustang with Shelby performance upgrades aimed at competitive road-course use.
• 2026 Shelby GT350 Performance Mustang variant carrying the legendary Shelby GT350 name with track-capable specifications, built by Shelby American Inc.
• Shelby GT500KR (King of the Road) High-performance Mustang with enhanced powertrain, exclusive Shelby KR badging, and limited-production collectibility.
• Shelby GT500 Signature Edition Limited-production GT500 featuring unique Shelby signature styling and enhanced performance specifications.
• Shelby GT500 Code Red High-performance GT500 variant with exclusive Code Red designation and advanced performance specifications.
• Shelby GT350 Signature Edition Special-edition GT350 with signature styling elements and collector-focused specifications.
• 2025 Shelby F-150 Super Snake Performance-modified Ford F-150 pickup with Super Snake branding and enhanced V8 powertrain, sold by Shelby American Inc.
• 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road Off-road-focused performance truck based on the Ford F-150 with lifted suspension and all-terrain enhancements.
• 2026 Shelby Raptor & Raptor R Baja-ready performance truck based on Ford Raptor with Shelby modifications for extreme off-road performance.
• 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road Championship Edition Limited-edition off-road truck celebrating championship racing heritage with exclusive Shelby styling.
• 2026 Shelby F-250 Super Baja Heavy-duty performance truck based on the Ford F-250 with extended suspension and desert racing capability.
• Shelby 427 Cobra (CSX6000 series) Continuation of the legendary 1960s Shelby 427 Cobra with period-correct specifications, sold to collectors through Shelby American.
• Shelby 289 FIA (CSX7000 series) Authentic recreation of the racing-specification 289 Cobra with FIA homologation features.
• Shelby 289 Street (CSX8000 series) Street-legal continuation of the classic 289 Cobra for driving enthusiasts.
• Shelby Daytona Coupe (CSX9000) Continuation of the Le Mans-winning Shelby Daytona Coupe with authentic vintage racing specifications for collectors.
• GT40 Shelby Edition Heritage vehicle honoring the GT40 that achieved four consecutive Le Mans victories under Shelby management, sold to collectors.
• Shelby CSX1000 60th Anniversary Edition Commemorative continuation vehicle celebrating 60 years of Shelby American heritage; produced as factory models by Superformance under license.
• Revology 1967-1968 Shelby Reproductions Licensed reproductions of 1967-1968 Shelby GT350 and GT500 (including GT500KR and convertible variants) produced by Revology under Shelby license; combine classic Shelby styling with modern performance.
• Shelby Mustang Mach-E / Shelby Mach-E GT (concept) All-electric performance concept based on Ford Mustang Mach-E with Shelby branding and modifications, sold as a Shelby American concept offering.
• Shelby Performance Parts Aftermarket performance parts and accessories (suspension, superchargers, exhaust, aerodynamic components) for Shelby vehicles and compatible Ford models, sold through shelbystore.com.
• Shelby Branded Apparel & Merchandise Shelby-branded apparel, collectibles, and merchandise sold via shelbystore.com and the Carroll Shelby Store Las Vegas.
• Carroll Shelby Licensing Program Exclusive trademark and brand-image licensing program granting rights to the Shelby, GT500, GT350, Super Snake, 289, 289FIA, 427, and 427 S/C marks (and 1960s Cobra trade dress) to OEMs and consumer-goods partners such as Ford, Electronic Arts, Sony, Microsoft, Mattel, Maisto, GameLoft, Revell, Jada, and ZModels.
• Commemorative Carroll Shelby Signature Certificate-of-authenticity simulated Carroll Shelby signature produced exclusively for the Carroll Shelby Foundation and offered in exchange for a $50 donation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Four consecutive Le Mans victories with GT40 (1966-1969)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ford Motor CompanycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFord has historically partnered with Carroll Shelby to produce iconic performance vehicles including the GT40's four consecutive Le Mans victories and Shelby-badged Mustangs. Carroll Shelby Licensing has owned the Shelby, GT500, and GT350 brand names since 2003. Ford pays approximately $800 per vehicle in royalties to Carroll Shelby Licensing for each Shelby-badged Mustang produced. In January 2026, Ford announced it would replace the Shelby GT500 with the new Mustang Dark Horse SC.
• Electronic ArtsminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Shelby-branded video games and digital entertainment products featuring Shelby vehicles and branding.
• MattelminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Shelby-branded toy vehicles and collectibles.
• SonyminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Shelby-branded video games and entertainment products.
• MicrosoftminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Shelby-branded video games on Xbox platforms.
• GameLoftminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Shelby-branded mobile games and applications.
• RevologyminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensee producing licensed reproduction 1967-1968 Shelby GT350 and GT500KR vehicles under the Shelby American brand.
• MaistominorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Shelby-branded die-cast model vehicles.
• RevellminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Shelby-branded plastic model kits.
• SuperformanceminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensee producing Shelby CSX1000 60th Anniversary Edition vehicles as factory models.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Roush Performance: Roush Performance modifies Ford Mustangs, F-150s, and Broncos into limited-edition high-performance vehicles — directly parallel to Shelby American's Mustang and truck programs, sharing the same OEM-tuner business model.
• Superformance: Superformance is Shelby American's contracted manufacturer of the CSX1000 60th Anniversary Edition and continuation Cobras — operating the same licensed-continuation vehicle niche as Shelby's heritage line, just from the production side.
• Callaway Cars: Callaway Cars builds supercharged performance variants of Corvette and other vehicles and licenses its tuning know-how, much like Shelby — a small specialty performance manufacturer leveraging a stronger OEM's base platform.
• Revology Cars: Revology produces licensed reproductions of 1960s Shelby Mustangs (GT350, GT500, GT500KR) under Shelby American's brand — already a commercial partner and a directly analogous continuation/reproduction carmaker.
• Hennessey Performance Engineering: Texas-based Hennessey modifies a broad range of OEM vehicles (Mustang, Corvette, trucks, plus the Venom hypercar) into limited high-performance editions — a directly comparable low-volume specialty OEM with its own brand and licensing infrastructure.
• Saleen Automotive: Saleen Automotive designs, manufactures, and sells Saleen-branded performance Mustangs and other vehicles, operating as a small specialty OEM/licensor with a business model closely mirroring Shelby American's vehicle-plus-licensing structure.

Others

• Shelby American Motor Company (independent collectors/restorers): Independent restoration shops and small builders of replica Shelby Cobras and Mustangs operate in adjacent territory; relevant as alternative sources for enthusiast buyers but not formal competitors.

Regional players

• Brabus: Germany-based Brabus is an independent tuner/brand-licensor for Mercedes-Benz vehicles with a globally recognized performance nameplate — comparable business model (tune and badge an OEM's vehicle, build brand equity) but different geography and base OEM.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/610823252385260
• Instagraminstagram.com/teamshelbyclub
• Xx.com/shelbyamerican

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carroll Shelby Intl