Before Ford v Ferrari, there was the AC Ace, a small British sports car with curves for days powered by a modest Bristol inline-six engine. Then came a man named Shelby, who brokered a deal to shoehorn a Ford V8 into the Ace and dubbed it the Cobra. Last year, AC announced it would return to the market with a new car inspired by its Cobra legacy. The AC Cobra GT Roadster is finally here, wearing the Union Jack flag and still powered by Ford.
The new AC Cobra GT Roadster is a reboot of the original for the modern age. This means the two-seater sports car is larger than in the 1960s. Side by side, the new AC Cobra is 11 inches longer than the OG Ace with a wider track too. The bodywork features carbon-composite material producing a total weight of 110 pounds. The AC Cobra GT’s larger vehicle dimensions are meant to accommodate drivers of more generous proportions comfortably. The downside is the car’s curb weight crosses the 3,000-pound threshold.
Buyers can choose two variants of the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engines for their AC Cobra GT Roadster. The first is a naturally aspirated Coyote V8 making 454 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. Followed by a supercharged 5.0-liter increasing the power to 654 hp and 575 lb.-ft. Both engines are managed by a six-speed manual transmission or an optional 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.
For the interior, AC does a great job of providing the cockpit with upscale leather-wrapped surfaces and trimmed seats. In addition, a center screen and push-button starter add a touch of modern tech to the retro-looking sports car.
AC reported building 250 units of the Cobra GT Roadster this year. All of them have been purchased for a price that has not been disclosed. However, if you want to get in line for the next batch of Cobras, you can do so directly through AC’s website.
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