AC Cobra rebirthed for modern era

The Cobra is a veritable icon among sports cars. The appeal of the roofless, low-slung two-seater endures to this day, with various kit car companies offering their own expressions of the original template.

It was British firm AC that started it all, with the AC Ace of 1953: it used a steel tube frame, over which a curvy, compact hand-built body was draped. Initially, power came from an in-line six-cylinder motor which the company developed in-house. It then went with another straight-six unit, sourced from Bristol. Subsequently, it was engineered to take another straight-six, from the Ford Zephyr of the day.

But the Cobra story really began when Carroll Shelby (no introduction needed) approached the firm with a request. Could they build something that would accommodate a V8 engine? AC modified the Ace to fit a Ford Windsor 3.6-litre V8. The engine of the production model was increased to a displacement of 4.7 litres. The Cobra was born.

This week AC Cars revealed further details of its new Cobra GT Roadster, announced in December last year. The company lays claim to being the oldest active vehicle manufacturer in Britain, having been at it since 1901. According to AC, the modern Cobra shares nothing with the original model. Except the overall spirit and execution, of course.

“The new AC Cobra was conceived as a true grand tourer, combining speed, agility and balance with comfort and practicality,” the company noted in its release. “Designed to be fully road legal, meet homologation standards where applicable and incorporate modern safety features, every aspect, from the styling through to ergonomics, has been considered.”

Petrolheads might be happy to know that it has not been reinvented as an electric vehicle. Yes, the new Cobra will still wield a V8 motor (specifics of which were not outlined), but power is said to be rated at 488kW and 780Nm. Buyers will have a choice of a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic.

“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,” said Cobra CEO David Conza.

“This, along with the race-bred personality of the original AC Cobra, means we have produced an unrivalled vehicle that’s totally modern and relevant to today’s connoisseurs — a true 21st-century sports car.”

It uses an aluminium space-frame chassis and carbon composite body, staying true to the lightweight, rigid ethos of the original. The wheelbase is 284mm longer than the AC Cobra Mk IV and overall length has increased by 110mm. In all, AC Cobra says the vehicle could weigh 1,500kg, predicting a 0-96km/h sprint time of 3.4 seconds.

At odds with the truly barren nature of the original, this modern Cobra will offer niceties such as electric windows, climate control and an infotainment system with navigation. It will even offer suitable weatherproofing.

AC says the Cobra is likely to cost £285,000, or R6.2m at the current exchange rate. The reveal of the production version is set to happen in April.