Remember the AC Cobra? Yup, the iconic car that pays homage to the iconic Shelby Cobra of the 1960s. It’s set to make its North American debut in the form of the new Swedish-made Cobra GT Roadster, at the ModaMiami auto show later this month.
AC Cars – which is still around – is one of the oldest independent carmakers in the world. But for the past few years, the British brand underwent numerous name changes and liquidations thanks to a series of poor financial decisions.
Since 2022, Swedish businessman David Conza has been leading AC Cars, and in the last three years, the company has experienced a sort of comeback. The new Cobra GT Roadster was unveiled by AC Cars back in April 2023 after a lengthy period of electrifying a few vehicles in its range. This was soon followed by the introduction of the Cobra GT Coupé in 2024.
Now, the the Cobra GT Roadster is all set to wow the American public at the famed ModaMiami auto show, which will be held at Miami's Biltmore Hotel. It will be accompanied by the Cobra GT Coupé as the British company plans to make a comeback in the North American market.
"AC Cars is well and truly back in America, and we’re delighted to be with our existing clients and to meet so many new customers in Miami. The GT Roadster is a celebration of heritage and modern engineering and, based on the response so far, we know it’s going to receive an unbelievable amount of attention over the coming weeks," explains David Conza, AC Cars CEO.
Currently, AC Cars manufactures its cars at its UK facility, with German engineering expertise. But high demand has forced AC to go to Sweden-based T-Engineering for additional production. T-Engineering was formed by former Saab engineers in the early 2010s and is backed by Chinese automaker Dongfeng.
This marks the start of a fascinating chapter in the plant's history – both Cobras will be brought to life in the same facility that created the iconic Saab 900 Turbo. But this isn't the first time the Brits and Swedes have worked together on a car.
There was the 1968 Saab 99 that was sold with a 1.7-liter straight-four engine, produced in England by Triumph. The B engine, which debuted in 1972 and later powered the 99 Turbo and early first-generation 900 models, was the result of its subsequent re-engineering.
Coming back to the new Cobras, although both cars have a composite body, there's a lot of resemblance to the original Cobra that was manufactured in the 1960s. They have an expanded wheelbase that frees up more internal space, are equipped with electric power steering, and are built around an aluminum space-frame chassis.
The Cobra GT Roadster sports a 5.0-liter V8 engine, which is sourced from Ford. It provides 454 horsepower to the back wheels through a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The supercharged GT Roadster V8 S, on the other hand, generates 663 horsepower and 575 lb-ft (779 Nm) of torque and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 3.4 seconds.
The electric AC Ace Classic, which debuted at SEMA over a year ago, will also be on display at Modamiami alongside the GT Cobra Roadster. With a design reminiscent to its 1953 predecessor, the resurrected Ace is the lightest two-seater EV sports car currently on the market. It weighs only 2,508 lb (1,134 kg), thanks to its carbon fiber construction.
Created in collaboration with gearbox manufacturer Tremec, the Ace's 300-horsepower engine and 72-kWh battery provide 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque, which is ample for a 4.9-second 0–60 mph sprint. On the range front, the Ace is said to be good for just over 200 miles (322 km) on a single charge.
At introduction, there were just 49 AC Ace Classic electric models available, with prices starting at US$275,000. Delivery of these models is expected to commence shortly.
Oh, and there's also an ICE version of the Ace. It comes equipped with a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from a Ford Focus ST, with 276 horsepower.
The Cobra GT Roadster and GT Coupé not only boast stunning designs and high-performance capabilities but also come with prices that reflect their exclusivity. In the UK, the Roadster starts at £195,800, while the Coupé is priced at £225,000. In the United States, expected prices are rumored at approximately $245,000 for the Roadster and $280,000 for the Coupé.
Several units from the first manufacturing cycle have already been sold – proof of the high demand and the enthusiasm among fans for the resuscitation of this iconic model. Cobra’s comeback signifies a thrilling mix of the bygone times and the present.
If you’re someone who has a soft spot for old-school-styled sports cars with modern, peppy performance, this might just be the car for you!
Source: AC Cars
