You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

[Lee Stewart]

289 Sports (1966)

Ford bought the rights to the Cobra name in the mid-1960s and this left AC unable to use the famous badge on the cars it produced in the UK for domestic and European buyers. AC had also carried on building the narrow-hipped 289-style of body even when Shelby had moved to the 427 shape, so it made sense to call the British model a 289 Sports. The 289 Sports was also built with the 427’s flared arch bodywork for some models and it also enjoyed the all-round coil spring suspension set-up.

While all of this meant little to customers who continued to call the car a Cobra, it placated Ford that AC removed all snake badging from its cars. In any case, the 289 Sports still used a Ford V8 engine, though sales were modest with just 27 sold between April 1966 and February 1969.

[Lee Stewart]

Autokraft MkIV (1982)

The Cobra might have been out to pasture since the late 1960s, but British firm Autokraft saw its potential in the 1980s. For 1982, Brian Angliss’ company took on the licence to build the AC Cobra. Largely similar to the 427 in shape and design, the Autokraft machine had a slightly reshaped body to afford more comfort. It also had independent suspension, a five-speed manual gearbox, limited slip differential and improved brakes.

Power for the MkIV came from Ford as per the originals, but this was a 302ci (4.9-liter) engine producing a relatively mild 253 hp. It was still good for 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds and 135mph. Angliss’ faith was repaid with steady sales of those who wanted a genuine Cobra but had missed the boat with an original and around 480 MkIVs of all types were produced up to 1996.

[Lee Stewart]

Lightweight (1990)

Under Autokraft’s stewardship, a Lightweight Cobra model was introduced to appeal to those who might have bought an S/C in the 1960s. Weight was reduced by 264 lb to 1070kg (2354 lb) and power for the 302ci (4.9-liter) V8 was increased to 375 hp. The engine featured alloy cylinder heads, Holley four-barrel carburettor, and the catalytic convertors were removed to make the exhaust more free flowing.

Unveiled at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show, the Lightweight found a handful of eager buyers in Europe, but it didn’t meet US standards, so its market was limited.

[Lee Stewart]

Superblower (1997)

A new owner for AC Cars arrived in 1996 with Pride Automotive. It quickly introduced two new models and the Superblower was the range-topper. With a supercharged 302ci (4.9-liter) V8, it delivered a surprisingly lazy 324 hp. It was not the sales star that had been hoped for and only 22 were made.

However, Pride tried another tack with a turbocharged model called the 212 S/C that used a twin-turbo 3.5-liter Lotus V8 borrowed from the Esprit. Again, it failed to find favour and only two were built.

[Lee Stewart]

Shelby Heritage Cobra (1999)

Never one to miss a marketing opportunity, Carroll Shelby introduced his own take on the revived Cobra in 1999 with the Shelby Heritage Cobra. With his stamp of approval, it appeals to many buyers. Options include an aluminium body in place of the standard fibreglass one and there’s a choice of 289, 427 and Daytona Coupe bodies.

Power comes from Ford V8 engines and you can pick between 289ci (4.7-liter) and 427ci (7.0-liter). Take the bigger engine and power can be specified between 500- and 750bhp to give 0-60mph in less than four seconds. However, the basic price doesn’t include the engine, so be prepared to spend around $180,000 for a completed Shelby Heritage Cobra.

[Lee Stewart]

AC Mk2 Classic (2012)

With the AC name now owned by Acedes Holdings, the company announced joint ventures in the UK, Germany and the USA to produce Cobras. The German car was set to use a Chevrolet 6.2-liter V8 and Corvette gearbox and brakes. The British-built model as the AC Mk2 Classic that took the original 289 as its inspiration.

At £67,500 (around $85,000 at the time), it seemed reasonable value against the rising prices of original 1960s Cobras. For the UK, it was set to have Ford V8 engines, while European buyers were offered Chevrolet motors. Whichever you chose, it would be built by Hi Tech in South Africa.

[Lee Stewart]

Mk1 260 Legacy (2016)

AC Heritage is a British company based at the Brooklands race track and it launched its limited run of nine Mk1 260 Legacy model in 2016. The half million pound price tag bought you an exact copy of the Cobra in its original form, complete with 260ci (4.2-liter) Ford V8 engine.

All of the Legacy cars were made in left-hand drive and each used a brand-new 260ci engine that AC Heritage has managed to source. The aluminium bodywork could be ordered in one of only two colours: blue or yellow. This was a tribute to Shelby who repainted the original US road test car different colours to fool journalists into thinking there was more than one car.

[Lee Stewart]

Superblower (2020)

The Superblower name made another comeback in 2020 with the 378 Superblower MkIV from AC Cars. It uses a 6.2-liter Chevrolet V8 engine from a Corvette and adds a supercharger to deliver 580bhp. Like the original Cobra, the Superblower has a twin round tube chassis.

Prices for this modern Superblower start at £129,500, which buys you a sports car with six-speed manual gearbox, multi-link rear suspension, ventilated disc brakes. It also gets you a car with a chassis plate that reads AC Cars. The company also produces a non-supercharged 378 and the 140 Charter Edition that looks like a 289 but comes with the 355 hp 2.3-liter four-cylinder usually found in a Ford Mustang.

[Lee Stewart]

Series 1 and 4 Electric (2020)

As well as its modern take on the Cobra theme, AC Cars has gone one further with its Series I and Series IV Electric models. They take the looks of the 289 and 427 Cobras, respectively, and use electric motors with up to 626 hp in the Series IV to give 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds.

In the Series I, power is more modest and it covers the 0-60mph dash in 6.7 seconds, with a top speed of 120mph. A 54kWh battery is used in both models and offers up to 150 miles of range.

[Lee Stewart]