AC Cars, Britain’s oldest active vehicle manufacturer – which has been in business since 1901, will fully unveil its stunning new model, the AC Cobra GT Roadster, this April with the first customers then given the opportunity to see the car for themselves at exclusive spring and summer preview events in Europe. The all-new, and exclusive high-performance roadster is the return of one of motoring’s most famous names. With a clean sheet design, the AC Cobra GT Roadster is a cutting-edge modern sports car, produced using the latest technology and engineering processes, yet it remains faithful to the spirit of the original AC Cobra from the 1960s.
A highly accomplished and usable GT sports car, the new model shares no components with the original yet is instantly recognizable. Once again powered by the V8 petrol engine, but this time delivering up to 654bhp (663PS), the new AC Cobra uses a highly advanced extruded aluminum spaceframe chassis developed specifically for the car. Extremely strong and light, the new chassis allows for the perfect layout as well as optimized suspension geometry and weight distribution. Incorporating competition-derived engineering, the car is a pure-bred sports car with phenomenal handling and performance.
Styled by a team of world-class designers, the exterior bodywork and interior of the new AC Cobra retain a modern personality but with a timeless aesthetic, and incorporate some of the latest materials and technology. The interior includes hand-finished unique elements, unseen in the automotive world before, and the augmentation of analog instruments with Digital Glass displays – a bespoke combination. Substantially improved ergonomics mean that the cabin suits drivers of all sizes, with the space afforded by the new chassis design providing a high level of comfort and refinement.
With orders already taken, following the release of the new AC Cobra’s first details last December 2022, the car’s limited production means customers will need to act quickly to secure one of the first cars due in 2024. David Conza, Chief Executive Officer of AC Cars, said: “Developing and delivering a car worthy of the AC Cobra name has not been an easy task, but I am delighted and immensely proud of what we have achieved. This is a sports car like no other, and we have employed some of the industry’s leading designers and engineers to craft an outstanding automobile that is extremely beautiful as well as fantastically quick and amazing to drive.
“We wanted to respect the AC Cobra’s heritage, and while the design has taken influence from the restomod approach it has a more sophisticated feel in keeping with a classic British roadster. This, along with the race-bred personality of the original AC Cobra, means we have produced an unrivaled vehicle that’s totally modern and relevant to today’s connoisseurs – a true 21st-century sports car.”
The new AC Cobra GT Roadster is expected to cost £285,000 including VAT in the UK, with prices varying according to exchange rates and taxes in the country of delivery, at the time of writing this converts to about US$340,000 or €320,000 for European readers.
