Built by Carroll Shelby as the counter to Chevrolet’s Corvette, the original AC Cobra was a lightweight road-going race-ready two-seater whose legacy still stands today. AC Cars has now unveiled the 2023 AC Cobra GT Roadster.
Purposed to honour the legacy of the original AC Cobra, it retains a hearty 5,0-litre Coyote V8 affording the 1 450 kg roadster with a power output of 487 kW and up to 780 N.m, which aids in its 3,4 second 0-100 km/h sprint time. What might be an example of overindulgence, the AC Cobra GT Roadster can be fitted with an optional supercharger and intake air cooling kit. It has to be said though, that while the latest Cobra rendition lives up to the performance standards of models before it, this is undoubtedly the most technologically advanced and user-friendly rendition so far.
This model of the Cobras’ is also wider, and its body is slightly longer than the Cobra MkVI, which when coupled with the car’s carbon-campsite lightweight frame and superb distribution of weight, aids in drastically better handling and agility.
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Its power-laden V8 serves as one of the key players in the AC Cobra GT Roadster’s new powertrain. Accompanying the abundance of “Go faster” hardware is a myriad of driver assistance features such as stability control and ABS, resulting in a more user-friendly driving experience. The two-seater sports car is fitted with a limited-slip differential as standard but customers can opt for a Torsen LSD as well.
The burly power plant is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, however, the AC Cobra GT Roadster is offered in automatic transmission configuration, which utilizes a ten-speed autonomic transmission which introduces steering-wheel-mounted shifters in the cabin. As for the interior, it is characterized by elements like the 10,25 inch- touch screen nestled underneath the main instrument cluster alongside analogue dials and gauges harking back to the Cobras of yore. Seats are adorned in premium leather and accent stitching that are colour-coordinated with the saddle-bag door cards.
“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”— David Conza, Chief Executive Officer
Following in the footsteps of the AC Cobra’s exclusive nature, only 250 units of the AC Cobra GT Roadster will be produced each year for the global market.
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