The AC Cobra, known as the Shelby Cobra in the United States, is a renowned sports car crafted by British manufacturer AC Cars since 1962. The vehicle is equipped with a powerful Ford V8 engine, a departure from the Bristol straight-6 engine traditionally used by AC Cars. The AC Cobra's predecessor, the AC Ace, featured a hand-built body with a steel tube frame and aluminium body panels created using English wheeling machines. Despite its exquisite craftsmanship, the Ace's BMW-designed engine was deemed outdated by the 1960s.
Key Points:
1. The AC Cobra, also known as the Shelby Cobra in the US, is a legendary sports car manufactured by AC Cars.
2. It features a Ford V8 engine, a departure from the Bristol straight-6 engine used in AC Cars' prior models.
3. The AC Ace, the Cobra's predecessor, boasted a meticulously hand-built body with a steel tube frame and aluminium body panels.
4. The Ace utilized a BMW-designed engine that was considered outdated by the 1960s, prompting the shift to the more robust Ford V8 in the Cobra.
5. Production of the AC Cobra was intermittent, with manufacturing taking place in both the UK and the US over the years.