First Production AC Cobra GT Coupé Hardtop Launches

AC Cars, something of an American icon but also the oldest active British car maker, launches its first production hardtop coupé focused on track-day performance.

Initially, the AC Cobra GT Coupé will be limited to just 99 models but the automaker plans to use it to herald a new range of tin-tops for general road use.

As with previous AC Cobra models, the cars draw on the brand’s glorious racing history competing in the Monte Carlo Rally and, most famously, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The equally iconic U.S. racer and car tuner, Carroll Shelby, raced and modified the brand’s cars through the 1950s and 1960s.

Now AC has built the first Cobra GT Coupé, developed on the company’s existing Cobra platform and an homage to the AC A98 coupé Le Mans race car from 1964. It employs the brand’s enhanced aluminum chassis and carbon-fiber bodywork.

The first model is the extreme Clubsport Edition targeted for track performance. This limited-edition model features an 810-hp V-8 powertrain. These will be the first cars delivered to customers from the end of 2025 onwards.

This Clubsport Edition will be followed by the series production coupé, available with either a normally aspirated 456-hp V-8 or 729-hp supercharged option. The new AC Cobra GT Coupé starts at £325,000 ($417,810) plus taxes, and reservations for both the AC Cobra GT Coupé and Clubsport Edition are now open.

David Conza, Chief Executive Officer of AC Cars, says: “The reveal of the AC Cobra GT Coupé is a proud moment for us, and the story of a road-going AC Cobra coupé is one years in the making. To have been able to combine the timeless AC Cobra design into a car using the latest design and construction techniques breaks new ground for AC Cars. This means the limited Clubsport Edition will provide an incredible, racing car-like experience on either the road or the track.”