If you're a fan of American muscle cars, the news that the AC Cobra will be making a triumphant return will come as music. Even sweeter, or perhaps not if you're a purist, is finding out that it will come with modern amenities like power steering and assisted brakes. Air conditioning, though, is an optional extra.
Where possible, though, AC Cars will fit modern components where its inclusion would not interfere with the car’s inherent character. The key ingredient remains as old school as it was when the original Cobra debuted in the late 1960s, a 6.2-litre V8 engine (or 378 cubic inches in American parlance). Although this one is lifted from a Chevrolet Corvette.
The 2017 car, which itself is based upon the MkIV Cobras of the 1980s (sold by Autokraft in the US), will also be built upon a ladder chassis, but its naturally aspirated GM engine shunts out at least 328kW or up to 410kW in supercharged form, according to a report by Autocar UK, in which AC Heritage’s Alan Lubinsky was interviewed.
“It’s a quasi-modern car, you can use it every day if you want,” he said. “It’s had significant upgrades but the underlying hardware – the chassis and surrounding parts – are essentially as they were before, just with more modern mechanicals.”
The ‘rebirth’ of the Autokraft Cobra MkIV was spurred by the Low Motor Vehicle Manufacturer’s Act (LVMVMA) which has also helped other niche car builders like the DeLorean Motor Company of Texas to fashion new examples of old (and iconic) cars.
AC Cars will also be looking to market 2017 Cobra to other markets such as Hong Kong and China, but the first few batches of the cars are destined for European customers who are expected to shell out roughly $144,000 for it. There are no set limits on the number of cars due to be produced as part of this renewed run, however rate of tooling and assembly is expected to be termed ‘unhurried’.
Should this go well, AC plans to build a more modern Cobra in larger numbers with additional creature comforts and perhaps even a more current powertrain.
