Legend has it that the great Carroll Shelby, when he was trying to convince buyers to pay a deposit for a Cobra, would take that person out for a spin, and Sellotape a $100 bill to the dashboard. If that customer could, under full acceleration, lean forward and snatch the cash, they got to keep the money. Apparently, no one ever did.
And the point of this little history lesson?
Cobras are cool. That's the story. Cobras are so cool that they're actually back in production with UK-based AC cars - one of the oldest extant car makers of all, having originally set up shop 125 years ago - launching a new Cobra GT Coupe, which, even in the official press notes, is described as 'brutal.'
That's brutal in the good sense, right?
Oh yes. AC, of course, originally made the Ace sports car (a gorgeous roadster, originally fitted with either Ford or Bristol straight-six engines). When US racing ace Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon in that movie…) wanted the shortest route to creating a race-winning sports car to beat the dominant Corvettes, he struck a deal with AC, which would supply the sweet-handling Ace into which Shelby would shoehorn increasingly massive Ford V8 engines. The legend of the Cobra was born.
Born and stuck around - the Cobra is not only one of the most successful sports car racers of all time (originals are still winning events at Goodwood today) but also one of the most copied, with a horde of kit-car replicas, both good and dreadful, popping up, especially in the 1980s.
This isn't a kit-car, though?
Very definitely not. This Cobra GT Coupe is the real deal, built by AC and packing a modern Ford 5.0-litre V8 engine, which, with the optional supercharger, develops an incredible 730hp and 820 Nm of torque. Frankly, given that the Cobra GT Coupe weighs only 1,600kg, we reckon that the standard unsupercharged 456hp engine sounds just plenty, thanks. The 0-100km/h time? Less than 3.5 seconds for the Supercharged model, and you can even choose from a traditional six-speed manual gearbox or a more modern ten-speed automatic.
It's rather gorgeous…
Heck yes. The coupe shape is inspired by an original race car, with the famous registration number AC A98. While it's a bit reminiscent of the classic 1960s factory hardtop from some angles, it is actually a fully enclosed coupe. Just look at that stunning tear-drop shaping where the roof meets the rear bodywork, and there's a classical 'double bubble' roof shape to give taller drivers, or anyone who needs to wear a crash helmet, a touch more space.
At the rear, the tail of this Cobra GT Coupe sweeps up into a neat Kamm-tail, which is said to dramatically improve the car's aerodynamic performance, and again, that was inspired by the exploits at Le Mans of that AC A98 racer.
Is this a thinly-disguised racer?
Nope - AC says that it's a proper, luxurious Grand Tourer, with space inside for six-footers (that double-bubble roof again…) along with electric windows, climate control and a touch screen sat nav/infotainment system. Instead of the cheap parts-bin switches from the old kit cars, this Cobra Coupe gets machined toggle switchgear. Nice.
Shut up and take my money!
Hang on, not quite yet. You'll have to wait till 2028 for the first deliveries, and they're not cheap. Before Irish taxes are added on, the Cobra GT Coupe will cost you £234,300 (that's €269,975 before VRT and VAT), and the supercharged model will set you back £256,300 (€305,639). Still, that seems almost reasonable when you consider how little that would buy you in the way of a Ferrari or Lamborghini. And the Cobra is waaaayyyy cooler.
It's also part of a big expansion plan by AC, which wants to move from making a handful of cars each year to making more than 1,000 or thereabouts. Speaking at the Cobrat GT Coupe's premiere, David Conza, Chief Executive Officer of AC Cars, said: "The AC Cobra GT Coupe is unique in the history of AC Cars and, with production of the GT Roadster now underway, it shows the road ahead for the company as we build and deliver cars for existing customers. AC Cars continues to invest in its operations, and develop new partnerships. This will provide the catalyst to take AC Cars from around 100 hand-built cars a year currently up to no more than 1,000 cars across all models in total. As we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the company, I want to thank the entire team for their dedication as we move from a boutique manufacturer to a global performance brand. However, we will still retain the craftsmanship and exclusivity that our clients respect."