AC Cars, Britain’s oldest active vehicle manufacturer, is celebrating its 123rd anniversary with three milestones. Not only is production of the all new AC Cobra GT Roadster already underway in the UK, but the marque’s Donington Park HQ has expanded and it’s just wrapped up the design for the reveal of its next model- the AC Cobra GT Coupe.
March 8th, 1901 is forever set in AC Cars’ history, as it’s the day the Weller brothers established their company as engineers, repairers and manufacturers of motor cars and motor cycles in West Norwood, London. This was the company that would later change its name to AC, following the launch of the popular Autocarrier in 1904.
123 years later, AC Cars is meeting its promise to deliver the first examples of the stunning AC Cobra GT Roadster this year. The cutting edge new sports car is being produced in a 100,000sq ft facility located on the UK’s south coast, which has room for expansion but is already complete with bespoke studios, additive manufacturing and tailor-made assembly halls.
With the first year’s production now allocated, AC Cars’ expanded HQ and R&D centre at the historic Donington Park in the UK is the ideal base for client test drives and future demonstrations of the AC Cobra GT Roadster. Initially only for clients with scheduled orders, the test drives will allow the full performance and drama of the V8 sports car to be appreciated. Open to clients and visitors alike, the new facilities at Donington will also provide a brand centre for the famous marque and in time will house the company’s archives.
As part of the birthday celebrations, AC Cars has also released the first details of a new addition to the AC Cobra GT range, the AC Cobra GT Coupe. Revealed this spring, and based on the same novel vehicle architecture as the roadster, the new coupe is now available for reservation and includes the same performance credentials and hand-finished interior, but with a fixed head-design.
The first ever iteration of the iconic AC Cobra to be designed as a coupe, it retains the same aesthetic touch points as the GT Roadster but with the practicality of a fully enclosed cockpit. With a specification on a par with the existing car, the new coupe offers AC Car’s clients a differentiated choice as the company begins to expand its range. Officially unveiled later this year, the coupe is just one part of AC Cars’ exciting future plans.
Speaking of the latest announcement David Conza, Chief Executive Officer of AC Cars, said: “With UK production growing rapidly, our expansion at Donington Park underway and the first clients scheduled to drive cars, AC Cars is looking ahead. I’m delighted to announce our next model, the AC Cobra GT Coupe, a car which has already been incredibly well received by clients. Our continued investment plan has allowed us to place the people, equipment and facilities needed as we further commit to future models.”
AC Cars charges ahead
The news of UK production, the expansion of its operations at Donington Park and the announcement of the new AC Cobra GT Coupe means that AC Cars is on schedule after the first details of an all-new model were shared in 2022.
Unique in their combination of enduring aesthetics with cutting-edge design and construction techniques, the new AC Cobra GT Roadster and GT Coupe represent a level of performance and exclusivity unheard of in any previous iteration of the AC Cobra.
Taking a clean sheet approach, inspired by the original automotive icon, the AC Cobra GT range is nothing short of revolutionary. With a unique aluminium chassis, and a thunderous 5.0-litre V8 engine, the sports cars’ visual appeal draws on the ethos of the original yet catches up on 50 years of design evolution.
Echoing AC Cars’ factory in Thames Ditton in the 1960s, the new site on the UK’s south coast focuses on the highest quality of craftmanship, with skilled team members building each car to an exacting specification.
Extremely light and with exceptional torsional rigidity, the AC Cobra GT Roadster and GT Coupe’s advanced construction requires fastidious production techniques in order to meet the high standards of both AC Cars and today’s supercar collectors.
The development of the south-coast site is already underway, bringing all the crafts and disciplines required under one roof, allowing AC Cars to refine its manufacturing systems as it increases production.
The new site joins the company’s enhanced HQ and R&D facility at Donington Park, which has served in the development of new vehicles. The additional space and facilities at the historic race circuit will allow for the possibility of a driver academy and even race operations in the future.
To learn more about the AC Cobra GT Roadster and GT Coupe, and to place orders for these extraordinary vehicles, visit ac.cars.
