Carz Arena

The championship-winning 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe CSX2601 sold for a record $7.25 million on Saturday at an auction in Monterey.

The sale is believed to be a record for an American car at auction. Bob Bondurant drove it to victory in the 12 Heures du Reims--fittingly on the Fourth of July in 1965 to secure the FIA title. It was the first championship for an American team in the GT class, beating the vaunted Ferrari.

The Cobra had a string of successes that year, winning the GT class at Monza and at the Nürburgring and taking second at Spa. It also later appeared in the movie Redline 7000 and was briefly owned by Bondurant, who sold it in 1969.

The car was the headliner at the Mecum auction held in Monterey as part of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance weekend. It was sold wearing its title-clinching race livery from 1965. It's one of six Cobras from that era whose success helped establish Shelby--and the United States--as a force in motorsports around the world.

Designer Camilo Pardo, credited with drawing the Ford GT supercar, is leaving the automaker after a 24-year career with the company.

Pardo, 45, confirmed to AutoWeek that he is leaving Ford, but he declined to give details. He said final details of his departure have yet to be worked out.

Pardo is best known as the designer of the recast Ford GT, a 550-hp street car based heavily on the 1960s racers that dominated Le Mans. He also designed the GT40 concept car, which became the production GT.

Pardo is still an active Ford employee, a Ford spokeswoman said on Thursday. She declined to comment further.

During his Ford career, Pardo worked in Ford's advance design studio and played key roles on the Thunderbird, the Lincoln LS and electric vehicles. He also has worked at Ford studios in Cologne, Germany, and Turin, Italy.

Outside of Ford, Pardo is known as a fine artist, sculptor and clothing and furniture designer. He also has played host to the worldwide design community during the North American International Auto Show with his annual Designer's Night party--an "A-ticket" event during the show.

Pardo joined Ford after graduating from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit.