AC Cobra Supersnake news - Snake charmer - 2007

In the world of AC Cobras, there's no such thing as a cheap car. But when it comes to the world's only surviving Supersnake version, which just happens to belong to the car's creator, then the price is likely to be something special.

Try $5 million (£2.5m). That's how much this car realised at auction when it went under the hammer in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Owned and designed by Carroll Shelby, the Supersnake was built in 1966 and distinguished itself from mere standard Cobra 427s by adding a pair of superchargers to create 800bhp.

Shelby said of his ultimate creation: "I wanted it to be the meanest, fastest car on the road. Forty years later, it will still kick the tail of just about anything in the world."

One other Supersnake was built for American comedian Bill Cosby, but this car was destroyed in an accident.