AC Cars has a history going back 122 years and as it still makes cars, it is Britain’s oldest active vehicle manufacturer. Over the years, the company has gone through many changes of name and ownership and is currently part of Acedes Holdings, LLC, which acquired it in 2019.
Among the many sportscars it has produced, the most famous and enduring has been the AC Cobra. AC Cars is the legitimate owner of the AC Cobra trademark for new cars in the UK, Europe and key markets around the world. Fiercely protecting the authenticity of genuine sportscars of the company, and the investment its customers make, the company has fought off imitators or companies passing their products off as genuine.
AC Cars was an original partner in the Cobra project, and the manufacturer of all original chassis in the 1960s. Modifying the existing AC Ace, which had been already altered to accommodate the 2.6-litre Ford Zephyr engine in early 1961, the first chassis (CSX2000) was shipped to the USA 12 months later in 1962. The company has evolved, manufactured and sold the AC Cobra to customers around the world since then.
Early next year, the company will unveil a brand new and exclusive sportscar – the AC Cobra GT roadster. The result of 3 years’ intense investment and development, it will be the most advanced Cobra ever. With the new roadster, AC Cars (England) Ltd. will be responsible for the build of cars, with production returning to Europe.
Technical details of the car are limited at this time but these first three official pictures show the car to have the legendary profile which AC Cars says will deliver ‘a revolution in design’ for the 61-year-old model. Its wheelbase of 2570 mm makes it the largest AC Cobra yet. With an extruded aluminium space frame chassis, developed specifically for the new car, it will be a true grand tourer, combining speed, agility and balance with comfort and practicality.
There is the promise of performance, handling and soundtrack that the Cobra name is famous for. With a supercharged V8 engine (5-litre Ford Coyote) developing up to 663 ps/780 Nm, and the choice of a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic gearbox, the car (which is said to be under 1,500 kgs) will have a 0 – 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint time of approximately 3.6 seconds, it is claimed.
The development of an all-new, and highly advanced, vehicle architecture, as well as a hand-finished manufacturing process, means the AC Cobra GT roadster will set a benchmark in production detail and build quality.
