Taylor Swift Didn't Actually Smash That Shelby Cobra in 'Blank Space'

If you were curious about the classy Shelby Cobra that gets trashed in Taylor Swift's lavish new music video for "Blank Space," Jalopnik has the story.

Will Hough--a professional body builder, triathlete and personal training company owner--owns the sleek Cobra model and loaned it for the video. A replica of a Backdraft Racing Cobra, the model was built to Hough's order in South Africa six years ago.

Here are some highlights from his Jalopnik interview.

Swift spotted the car on the Cooper Classic Cars website.

"One thing led to another--I believe Taylor Swift was on the website and said 'I want to use that car in my video,' and that's how it started," Hough said. The vehicle was intended to help "simulate this whole James Bond era," Hough told Jalopnik.

It can hit 170 mph on a good day.

When asked about modifications from the original specifications, Hough said, "It has a BMW E36 suspension with coilovers all the way around, a 2x4 tubular frame, a Roush Racing 402 R motor and has 3.56 gears in the rear."

And what about speed?

"It's great," he added. "I've gotten it up to 160 mph, 170 sometimes."

"No animals, trees, automobiles or actors were harmed in the making of this video."

Hough was "shocked" when the video came out because the visual effects used to depict Swift smashing the gray Cobra were so realistic.

"It didn't actually get smashed in the video at all; what happened was at the end of the video, she put her hand down and scratched up the front of the car," Hough said. "They paid $3,200 to have the whole car repainted, because you can't blend in on fiberglass."

Did he spend any time on set?

"Yes I was," he said. "I drove the car out there, it was a great time!"