In the spirit of transparency we like to aim for around here, the AC Cobra (and its rough American equivalent the Shelby Cobra) has never really been my vibe. It’s more of a Baby Boomer dream supercar than anything aimed at my generation, and most of the ones I’ve encountered have been replicas owned by guys who act personally insulted when you ask if they’re replicas or not. (They almost always are!) But that doesn’t mean I don’t respect the Cobra. I can certainly appreciate its importance to motorsports history and the fact that even a replica one with a beefy Ford V8 in a small roadster body can mean license-losing fun without trying hard.
Luckily for gearheads of all ages everywhere, the latest incarnation of Britain’s AC Cars isn’t inclined to just let the Cobra legacy die on the vine. An all-new version is due out next month promising “the latest materials and technology,” and based on these early photos, it looks to be getting a makeover with modern gear—but one that’s smart enough not to mess with a formula that clearly works.
Behold, the first official pics of the new AC Cobra GT Roadster. It looks old-school, but it comes with some very 21st-century updates. The most obvious ones out of the gate are those circular LED headlights, which I think work remarkably well on this classic design without being overdone or cheesy.
Then we have an extruded aluminum spaceframe chassis underneath that recognizable body, designed to be stiff as well as light. It’s got a slightly longer wheelbase and more overall length than the last Cobra but also features a wider track. Standard features also include electric windows and climate control (which speaks to how bare-bones past Cobras were) and an infotainment system with navigation and smartphone integration.
Nice to have, but hey, nobody buys a Cobra for stuff like that. Let’s talk specs that matter: under that hood, we find a familiar 5.0-liter supercharged Ford V8 here good for 654 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque. That can be had with a six-speed manual or a similarly modern 10-speed automatic, presumably also Ford-sourced. The new Cobra should do zero to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds and get there with an impressive soundtrack, AC Cars says. Not bad.
The company says the interior has also been heavily revised for comfort, ergonomics and overall quality, including what it calls “analog instruments with Digital Glass displays.” No clear photos of any of that are available yet, but again, it all sounds quite modern without totally disrupting the experience you’d expect from this car.
The automaker says the new Cobra will start at £285,000 in the UK and prices will vary from region to region; it’s also fully road-legal, although no word yet on whether it’ll be sold in North America.
Not bad, AC Cars. I’m intrigued and kind of delighted by the application of modern tech to a howling V8 sports car icon. Expect to see more in April when this thing makes its grand debut.
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Erhm, like.. Shouldn’t it be 3.0? There was the original one, and the the replica craze, and now this.
Why attempt to make such an utterly ridiculous car more practical? Buy an aluminum bodied Kirkham replica for $100k and you’ll have something with speed, a hint of refinement, and solid craftsmanship. It’s not like you’re going to drive it much anyway.
I always liked the looks of the 289s better than 427s and I prefer coupes to roadsters. A “Cobra” in a “what-if” Aceca style would be different and even slightly practical, though the Daytona coupes were better aerodynamically and FFR makes a kit for those.
I don’t know how you really meaningfully update something like this without it looking weird or gaudy. All of the modern stuff is just so out of character for this raw machine. All that said, I won’t complain too much about something like this still being produced today. F* halo lights, tho.
When will the DC Cobra be released?
Added to my “if I win the lottery” list.
I’ve never driven one. Followed one around a small tight track once. A well done replica has always been on my bucket list. Sex on wheels to this genXer.
I’m shocked, SHOCKED!!
But at least its not angry…
Not electrically shocked tho
First the Meyers Manx, and now the AC Cobra. What’s next- MGB? Triumph Spitfire?
Also the International Scout, that’s in the surprise revival list
Is it metal or fibreglass?……….makes a big difference to connection to the original.
I am not a fan of the headlights. Look like to old BMW angel lights
Functional hood scoop… my money is on “nope”.
Please include metric units too. LBFT means nothing to most of the world.
Overpowered, dangerous, and not very practical. I want one.
“It’s more of a Baby Boomer dream supercar than anything aimed at my generation”. You know, As a Gen Xer who’s car sensibilities matured in the late 80’sI always thought that too, but One of our younger engineers popped into our #VroomVroom Slack channel the other day to let us know he’d purchased a Factory Five Cobra kit, and got a lot of excitement back from others in his demo – so I guess you can never tell…..
I’m all for a DC Cobra, but let’s enjoy some nice V8 sounds for a bit longer. Give solid state and lighter-weight batteries time to catch up and this thing with its current updates could be “relevant” for a long time.
Despite Cobras not really being my thing personally I can think of much dumber ways to drop $300,000+ on a car. This is at least more unique than whatever “entry level” Lambo, Ferrari, McLaren, Bentley, etc you could get for this price and the fact that it’s a supercharged V8 with an honest to god manual or the excellent in high power applications GM/Ford 10 speed gives it a little more character in my humble opinion.
While this is decidedly not a vehicle for me and probably not what I’d do if I had that much to spend on a car (I’d almost certainly go GT3 or 911 Turbo S drop top), I respect that it exists and I’d spend way longer gawking at it if I saw one than say…a Huracan or 570 or something.
Your graphic is in error. The 1992 Dodge Viper was Cobra 2.0, I will hear no rebuttal.
As much as I’d like to bust your chops on this you are absolutely correct
The Viper is the Wonder Boy to the Cobra’s Adventure Island.
I assure you this makes perfect sense.
I get what you mean about Cobras. It’s one of the reasons I only really like the early narrow 289s rather than the fat 427 style; very few people bother making a replica of a 289.
The best one I’ve ever seen is an all-original (down to the paint and upholstery) ’65 AC Cobra that shows up to the Portland All-British Field Meet every year. It has something like 180,000 miles on it and was a daily driver for a decade. It’s gorgeous.
I’m confused, I thought the AC Cobra was the same thing as a Shelby Cobra?
If I remember right there are a bunch of legal technicalities involved.
My understanding was that they started out the same car, but after Shelby stopped buying rolling bodies from AC in the 60s, there’s been “Shelby Cobras” that he built with somebody else and “AC Cobras” that Shelby wasn’t involved in, constructed all the way up until…well, today, apparently, but I thought mostly in the 80s, to slightly different designs/features/etc.
It’s COMPLICATED.
As often is, I have your answers. They will confuse you further. But answers they are.
First of all, the Shelby Cobra is the AC Shelby Cobra. The AC Shelby Cobra was in fact, an AC Ace minus engine and transmission. Which Shelby American in their first iteration would then drop a 260ci or 289ci Ford into.
Then in 1963, AC Cars discontinued the Ace and instead started building the AC Shelby Cobra. Which was an AC Ace with the Ford 289 so that Shelby didn’t need to engine them himself.
This was then followed by the famous one, the AC Cobra MkIII also known as the Shelby Cobra 427 including the 427 Semi-Competition (S/C) model. Contrary to what people want to believe, these cars were an absolute unmitigated disaster. With 425HP and 480ft/lbs, they were undrivable with the contemporary tires. The suspension was much improved, but also had new problems. They took too long to build so never got homologated for racing. And it was way, way too damn expensive. Which led to Shelby killing the AC Shelby Cobra / Shelby Cobra in 1967.
Which AC then continued to make as the 289ci version which was alternately marketed as the AC Cobra 289 and the AC 289 Sports.
Now all THAT said, then we get into the TRADEMARK shitshow. And really all that you need to know there is: don’t fucking call your car a Shelby or a Cobra without blessings from everyone involved in the originals, in triplicate, unless you want your ass to get sued out of existence.
Overdone and cheesy describe this very well.
Why is this not an EV?
It’s a toy. They will be made in low numbers and rack up few miles. Almost nobody who can afford this will DD it. I am fine with this remaining an ICE car. Save the Li for commuter vehicles where it will do more good.
I’m sorry but the correct question is why is this a 5.0 Coyote engine rather than a 6.8 or 7.3 Godzilla?
Because it would add 200lbs to the front end. Godzilla is porky.
The 7.3L Godzilla weighs 540lbs
A 289 weighed 460-500lbs
Not a huge difference
Whoever told you 540lbs is straight up wrong, full stop. M-6007-73 is 580lbs naked save manifolds for a total installed weight in excess of 610lbs. And it has no EEC options whatsoever. That’s per Ford.
The 5.2 Aluminator weighs 502lbs fully dressed (sans A/C) and uses a standard ford EEC-VI or VII.
Because the 6.8 and 7.3 are big blocks that won’t fit dimensionally, and cast iron so the weight is lethal, and Ford won’t sell them the Predator, so they have to use the Aluminator (M-6007-A52XS.)
Nope. It weighs well over 100lbs more, it has no ECU option, and the 7.3 is a goddamn MASSIVE engine because you can’t get to 7.3 from a block that was already punched from 4.6 to 5.8L.
It is a big block, period. The Coyote’s a small block. The 7.3 is over 25″ wide, has a bore of 4.22″ and a stroke of 3.976″. Mod block taps out at 3.7″ and a 4.165″ stroke BUT NOT TOGETHER. (You cannot have a 3.7×4.165! Voodoo, Aluminator, Predator are all 3.7×3.66. Only the 5.4L truck motor goes to 4.165 at a 3.552 bore which requires a significantly taller deck; the 5.8 Trinity taps out at 3.68×4.17 and ain’t exactly known for durability.)
Because the Coyote is the better engine
why would it be?
I don’t have anything intelligent to say about this upgrade/makeover, so I’ll just point out that I always seem to anthropomorphize inanimate objects, and to me the AC Cobra always looked downright terrified to be in possession of so much power.
Great take! These things have always been sorta real world Mad Max cars – hints here and there of coming from a more refined time, but all about brutal, violent power in the present.
Looks fun, but also looks like Surprised Pikachu Face Car.
I’m sorry but those round LED headlights and large grille opening make this car look like it just accidentally saw its grandmother in the shower.
Would that be an original 289 Cobra in a car wash?
When I saw the headline, my only thought was “I wonder if it will be over $200,000”. Was not disappointed.
When AC Cars decides to electrify one and include fast charging, will it be an AC-DC Cobra?
Thunderstruck edition
Their own version of “Plaid” mode will be called, “Maximum Overdrive”.
For 285k we’ll need to listen to the money talk.
You can still do dirty deeds, but the dirt cheap part needs work.
It’ll be perfect for cruising on the highway to hell
You need Big Balls to drive one of those.
We’re done here, gang. We’ve found the COTD.
An AC/DC Cobra running on High Voltage? For one of Those, i’m About to Rock!
and we salute you.
I hope they never make that mistake.
Does anyone else think it’s a little weird that this one isn’t electric? All that R&D for something that can only be legally sold for a couple more years. Granted, they’re probably making plenty of profit per unit, though
I love everything but those wheels..
Yeah it looks wrong without a deep dish and kinda chunky tires.