AC previews 663hp Cobra GT ahead of debut

British firm promises to launch 'a sports car like no other' next month

AC Cars, a venerable 120-year-old name in the British automotive industry, has rather a lot going on at the moment. For one thing, it is intent on expanding its production facilities at its new headquarters at Donington Park. For another, it is committed to returning to vehicle manufacture in Europe, and already has a presence in Germany. And for the past three years, it has been toiling away at what it describes as a ‘cutting-edge modern sports car’ - the AC Cobra GT Roadster.

Now, the new car is called a Cobra and looks like a Cobra, and on that basis you might be tempted to say, ‘it’s an AC Cobra’. But in fact, it isn’t. Clearly, the firm knows which way its bread is buttered in terms of styling and name calling - but the new car shares no components with its very famous namesake. Instead, AC has spent what seems like an awful lot of time perfecting an all-new extruded aluminium spaceframe chassis, one capable of underpinning a bespoke two-seat roadster powered by a 663hp V8.

AC doesn’t specify where it got the V8 from, although apparently it will be available either with a supercharger or without. You’d imagine that both flavours live up to the Cobra’s reputation for cheek-smushing speed. Its maker reckons acceleration ‘will be nothing less than spectacular’ and given it’s accounting for a car that weighs less than 1,500kg, we’re willing to believe it - whether you go for the six-speed manual or the option of a ten-speed automatic. On which note, perhaps that's a clue to the engine's origin, bearing in mind the Mustang V8 is available with a 10-speed slusher...

Interestingly, while huge pace is virtually assured, AC is keen to emphasise that this new Cobra is a ‘highly accomplished and usable GT sports car’, not a stripped-out racer. Granted, it consulted with a ‘professional UK race team’ when it came to nailing down the new suspension configuration and geometry and boasts of improved weight distribution, but compliance appears to have been just as high on the list as response. The new carbon fibre-bodied model is longer and wider than its predecessor, too, so expect the hand-finished interior to be cosy rather than impossibly bijou.

“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 unrivalled vehicle that’s totally modern and relevant to today’s connoisseurs – a true 21st century sports car,” said David Conza, AC’s chief exec.

While we await the full details - the car is due to be officially unveiled next month - we can at least confirm that it has landed with a 21st-century price. The new AC Cobra GT Roadster will cost from £285,000, and is said to have already found its first buyers since it was teased back in December. Clearly, much of the company’s wider ambition is baked into the anticipated demand for the new model, and it’ll follow up the reveal with customer preview events across Europe in the coming months. If you can’t wait that long, you can register your interest on AC’s website. Ours is certainly piqued.

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