BY PETER BARNWELL
THE BULGING muscles of the new AC Cobra GT Roadster have been revealed ahead of the model’s 2024 production start.
The drip feed of tantalising info about AC Cars’ new Cobra GT Roadster continues this week with an announcement that the first pre-production model is built and about to embark on a ‘meet and greet’ program for prospective buyers and order holders.
The face-to-face customer preview of the stunning new model will be held in April at AC Cars new headquarters at Donington Park, UK.
Similar events are schedule to take place across Europe during the northern spring and summer.
Though not confirmed, buyers will likely have to stump up around £285,000 for the new two-seater which converts to roughly (A$510,000). This amount will vary in each country depending on the exchange rate and local taxes.
AC Cars builds vehicles at facilities in the UK and Germany and is working with industry leading suppliers for GT Roadster components along with its design and development.
AC Cars claim to be Britain’s oldest active vehicle manufacturer and has forged ahead with GT Roadster development to the pre-production stage which is what they will be showing to deposit paying customers and presumably fully vetted sales prospects.
But the cars won’t roll off an assembly line any time soon… The company says the first production examples are due in 2024 without nominating any particular date.
Presumably to maintain interest in the GT Roadster in the face of numerous alternatives, AC Cars has revealed more details of the sports car it announced only in December last year.
Obviously channelling the first Cobras from the 1960s, the 2024 GT Roadster is a new and exclusive high-performance grand tourer that has come to fruition from a ‘clean sheet’ design using cutting-edge technology and engineering processes.
AC Cars say it has been faithful to the spirit of the original 1960s model, a statement qualified by emphasising the point that the new version is instantly recognisable as a Cobra yet shares no components with the original.
As with the original, power comes from a V8 petrol engine, but in this case delivering a healthy 481kW/780Nm. AC Cars makes no performance claims but with this output, the newcomer is virtually guaranteed to be quick and fast.
All to the accompaniment of a loud and proud V8 exhaust rumble.
It will be available with a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission, either of which will assist the sub-1500kg car in accelerating from 0-100km/h in approximately 3.4 seconds.
Though similar in looks to the original, the new GT Roadster uses a computer-designed extruded aluminium spaceframe chassis for strength and lightness and developed specifically for the car.
AC Cars say it optimised the new chassis to allow for “the perfect layout as well as optimised suspension geometry and weight distribution”.
The two-seater chassis is produced specifically by AC Cars with support from Cecomp in Italy and enables better packaging of the powertrain, steering and suspension.
The stats tell us the wheelbase of 2570mm is 284mm longer than the AC Cobra Mk VI, but the car’s overall length has grown only 110mm, to 4225mm. The track has been broadened to give the GT Roadster a wider stance, which, along with optimised weight distribution and centre of gravity, has ‘drastically’ improved handling and agility.
AC Cars say motorsport technology and engineering has been used to give the GT Roadster what it calls “phenomenal handling and performance”.
The muscular body was styled by a team of “world class designers with both exterior bodywork and the interior retaining a modern personality with a timeless aesthetic”.
A bespoke interior was designed and commissioned for the roadster to reflect both its legacy and its modern approach to sports car engineering.
Adding a large serve of exclusivity is the GT Roadster’s ‘hand finishing’ used to deliver the required interior quality which AC Cars says, “elegantly fuses both analogue instrumentation and digital technology to enhance the driving experience”.
A focus in the cockpit is the advanced driver information centre that shows all relevant engine information in direct eye line without disrupting the interior design.
Close attention was paid to improving the car’s ergonomics and make the cabin fit drivers of all sizes thanks in part to the new chassis design.
AC Cars say its new GT Roadster is designed for everyday usability and comfort with electric windows, climate control and an infotainment system with integrated sat-nav.
According to AC Cars CEO, David Conza, “Developing and delivering a car worthy of the AC Cobra name has not been an easy task, but I am delighted and immensely proud of what we have achieved. This is a sports car like no other, and we have employed some of the industry’s leading designers and engineers to craft an outstanding automobile that is extremely beautiful as well as fantastically quick and amazing to drive.
“We wanted to respect the AC Cobra’s heritage, and while the design has taken influence from the restomod approach it has a more sophisticated feel in keeping with a classic British roadster. This, along with the race-bred personality of the original AC Cobra, means we have produced an unrivalled vehicle that’s totally modern and relevant to today’s connoisseurs – a true 21st century sports car.”
More details will be made available at the launch of the new AC GT Roadster in 2024.
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