There’s a new AC Cobra coming, sort of. AC Cars is to fully reveal its latest iteration of the Cobra in April 2023, called the Cobra GT Roadster, which it describes as a ‘cutting-edge modern sportscar’, in spite of what is undoubtedly some very familiar styling.
To be fair, on the surface and under the skin, it’s claimed absolutely nothing is shared with the original. The chassis is an all-new extruded aluminium space frame structure developed specifically for the new Cobra, while the bodywork is all carbon-fibre. All told it’ll weigh around 1,500kg. Dimensionally, it’s got a 284mm longer wheelbase than the Cobra Mk VI, with 110mm more in overall length. It’s wider too.
Still, that’s not an awful lot of weight for the V8 engines to shift, coming in naturally-aspirated or supercharged guises, for up to 663PS (488kW). There are no specifics on where the engine comes from, but the six-speed manual and ten-speed automatic transmission options are telling that it’s likely based on the 5.0-litre Coyote Ford mill. Performance should be pretty punchy, with 62mph sure to come up in well under four seconds.
On the inside, there are modern-looking McLaren-esque carbon shell seats and while the dash retains a classic look, it’s filled with gauges in what AC calls the Advanced Driver Information Centre. The wheel is fully modern, complete with an airbag, too. On launch, it’ll have modern amenities such as climate control, electric windows and an infotainment system complete with sat-nav.
The only thing we don’t get on with? Those wheels are just a bit too big, with the skinny side profiles looking altogether out of sorts with the classic look of the Cobra. Still, you can’t have big brakes without big wheels these days so sacrifices need to be made. If you can get past those, there’s still the price to contend with. Price predictions, for now, sit at around £285,000. Whew! What are your thoughts on the ‘new’ Cobra?
Report by Ethan Jupp
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