AC set to release new Cobra
April 15, 2009 by SamPurcell
AC Cars, the British car builders behind the legendary AC 427 Cobra, has unveiled the latest iteration of the iconic lightweight racecar: the Cobra MkVI.
Sporting gullwing doors courtesy of German firm Gullwing GmbH, this gloriously retro sportscar is aimed at selling to all those interested in purchasing a replica Cobra or Cobra Kit-Car; a market of 1,500 new purchases in America each year.
AC’s Chairman, Alan Lubinsky believes the genuine article will prove to be an extremely enticing proposition for enthusiasts around the world.
“Why would anyone buy a replica when they can own an authentic AC roadster that is lighter and better and has been engineered and built to such demanding standards?”
Running a 6.2 litre Corvette V8, the new AC will flaunt power outputs of either 326 kw for the base GT model, or a whopping supercharged 482kw for the uprated GTS.
Bear in mind, this car only weighs a miniscule 1,025 kg, and all power is fed only to the rear wheels. With a BHP/Tonne ratio of 641 for the GTS, even the super-light Caterham Seven R500 pales a little in comparison to this monster.
Four-pot callipers and ventilated discs sourced from Porsche will attempt to slow this car down. A modern, fully triangulated and jig-welded spaceframe, coupled with race-derived suspension will aim to give a true sportscar performance on road and track.
Straight-line performance for the Mk VI is judged at 3.3 seconds from 0-100 km/h, but a top speed has not been announced as yet. Earlier AC Cobras were already eclipsing 300 km/h in the 1960’s, so expect anything.
Built in Germany, the AC Cobra Mk VI will be distributed throughout Europe by a network being compiled in the coming months.
The new Cobra will be launched at the Top Marques Car Show at Monaco on April 16th.
Print it: 
the originals were just sooooooooo hot although my understanding was that they were just too fast, and a lot have been written off. The front end is just perfect, IMO
Looks better than the American re designed Cobra although Shelby himself was involved with the design this is much more in tune with the original. Can CA find some pictures of the American Cobra to compare?
To be a faithful reproduction it must have power by Ford. How could they be so stupid as to put a GM engine in it?
Whole heartedly agree millatime, :-) Also AC had nothing to do with the Cobra! They were simply the manufacturers of the Donor bodies. IIRC they were actually in the market against Sunbeams and MG’s before Carol (no substitute for cubic inches) Shelby came along.
Nice car all the same
The first ’60’s AC Cobra was part of my initiation into becoming a motor head of sorts. I then about the height of my father’s knee.
It looks a fine machine with classic lines, and the promo is in indigo; the Gay colour of the rainbow, making it even more attractive. However in it’s current guise it is no more relevant than Elfin sports machines.
For modern times they should have sourced a more relevant power plant. The Audi performance diesels would be ideal and made this machine a great sports car of the times, as was its’ 60’s predecessor.
I think I have found my ultimate car.
dear santa, for christmas i would like………..
Ah to sleep perchance to dream
I don’t particularly like the look of the Hardtop version However if they could offer it with the option of a removable Targa type roof that wouldn’t be so bad.
As for the engine – Why not give customers the option of choosing what V8 engine they want? be it a Ford GM-Holden Mopar/Hemi BMW Merc-Benz etc.. [supercharged?]
I still remembered how the 7.0L V8 sounded like when i was little. Now I’m 30 and hoping to own one.