Sixty years after AC Cars built a coupe for Le Mans, it is finally putting the finishing touches on its first official version — the Cobra GT Coupe.
Based on the existing roadster platform, the coupe is due to go into production, with first deliveries expected towards the end of next year.
The coupe is inspired by victories from AC’s formative years, which includes the Monte Carlo Rally and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the new AC Cobra GT Coupe adds motorsport-derived enhancements to produce an AC Cobra unlike any other.
It retains key touch points from the Roadster but is in part inspired by the infamous AC A98 coupe Le Mans race car from 1964.
The coupe boasts an enhanced aluminium chassis and optimised carbon-fibre body.
AC Cars is celebrating the news of the AC Cobra GT Coupe with details of the extreme Clubsport Edition, honed to excel on the track.
Limited to just 99 examples, and predominately featuring a 799bhp (596kW) V8 powertrain, these will be the first cars delivered to clients – from the end of 2025 onwards.
The Clubsport Edition will be followed by the series production coupe, available with either a normally aspirated 450bhp (335kW) V8 or 720bhp (537kW) supercharged option.
The new AC Cobra GT Coupe starts at £325,000 + taxes, and reservations for both the AC Cobra GT Coupe and Clubsport Edition are open now at ac.cars.
Chief exec David Conza said the reveal of the AC Cobra GT Coupe was a proud moment for the company.
“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,” he said.
“This means the limited Clubsport Edition will provide an incredible, racing car-like experience on either the road or the track.”
Despite the AC Cobra’s legendary status, the original car was only ever available from the factory as a roadster, so the new AC Cobra GT Coupe represents a watershed for the marque.
As befitting a company with such a storied heritage, AC Cars looked to its past when starting work on the new coupe.
The one-off AC A98 coupe provided significant inspiration with the distinctive Kammtail rear – a design element employed by leading Italian race teams and AC Cars in the 1960s.
Intended to help reduce drag, and boost performance at high speed, the Kammtail design was included on the AC A98 coupe – AC Cars’ factory entry for the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Finished in time to take part in Le Mans testing in April that year, it returned to the UK and gained infamy as the car was reported as driving 290km/h on the recently completed M1 motorway.
In order to honour this legacy of speed, the new AC Cobra GT Coupe will feature an evolution of the potent powertrain in the GT Roadster – with up to 450bhp (335kW).
However, for the limited Clubsport Edition power will rise to 799bhp (596kW) to deliver an extremely agile and ferocious road-legal car.
Pared back and honed it is envisaged as unrivalled in its class.
With the same dimensions to the existing roadster, the new coupe has a wheelbase of 2570mm, and is 4225mm long and 1980mm wide.
Once again it will feature near perfect 50:50 weight balance front to rear, with a low centre of gravity.
The new AC Cobra GT Coupe’s kerb weight will be confirmed ahead of production, but the Clubsport Edition has a set target of under 1450kg.
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