AC Cobra GT Coupe – a ’60s-style sports car for McLaren supercar money
The coupe version of AC’s modernised Cobra is anything but traditional under the skin, save for its thumping V8 and manual gearbox
Don’t be fooled by the ’60s looks. The appearance of the AC Cobra GT Coupe is a very modern take on a very traditional sort of sports car, pairing sophisticated construction techniques and exotic materials with a big thumping V8 engine and a manual gearbox.
The Coupe shares 75 per cent of its engineering with the GT Roadster released a couple of years ago, which means it uses a bespoke extruded aluminium spaceframe chassis, clothed in carbonfibre bodywork. All the same, it’s no featherweight, weighing 1600kg at the kerb.
That’s perhaps because in spite of looking like a traditional Cobra, this new model is notably larger, which means it should be comfortable for drivers over six-feet tall. Happily, the weight is split evenly front to rear which, combined with the new Cobra’s much more advanced construction, should bode well for the driving experience. Likewise the fact that it dispenses with the traditional small wheels and balloon tyres for 21-inch wheels and Michelin tyres – Pilot Sport 4 S as standard, with Cup 2s an option.
The Coupe body style is inspired by the 1964 AC A98 Le Mans racer and similar to those often seen racing at the Goodwood Revival. Though heavier, it’s claimed the Coupe will be quicker than the 172mph roadster given it’s slipperier, with its Kammtail and integrated diffuser.
Cobra GT Coupes will come with serious muscle to move them along. A Ford-derived 5-litre V8 delivers either 450bhp and 410lb ft when naturally aspirated, or a serious 720bhp and 605b ft when fitted with a supercharger. Gearboxes are also per the Mustang, a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic, while a Torsen LSD is optional. The supercharged Cobra GT should be capable of 0-60mph in 3.5sec.
Though AC is yet to release images of the Cobra GT’s interior, we know the roadster blends modernity and tradition nicely, with classic analogue dials but sumptuous leather trim, tight fit and finish, and even a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. The gear shifter looks very old-school, though the steering wheel stands out a bit, being effectively lifted from an S550 Mustang. Trim and spec customisability is effectively limited only by the buyer’s budget.
Production of the Roadster is underway with a planned run of 250 examples priced at around £240,000. Once complete, the Cobra GT Coupe is set to enter production from 2028. The naturally aspirated model will be priced from £234,300 plus taxes and the supercharged model from £256,300 plus taxes. No finite figure for the production run has been given.
