After treating the world with a modern take on the iconic Cobra, AC Cars is now in the process of revitalizing the Ace, the sports car that both AC and Shelby American used for their respective Cobras.
AC on Thursday provided a first look at the design of its modern Ace, which the 123-year-old company is offering in Ace and Ace Bristol forms.
The modern Ace features the slimmer grille used on later versions of the original Ace, and which is shared with the Cobra, while the modern Ace Bristol features the larger grille used on early examples of the original Ace.
The modern cars may resemble the original designs, but the mechanicals have been brought up to date. They both ride on a new 3.0-inch steel tubular frame chassis, and are powered by a 2.3-liter turbo-4 sourced from Ford. The original cars came with inline-6 engines.
The turbo-4 is found in multiple Fords, including the Mustang EcoBoost, and in the Ace and Ace Bristol delivers about 300 hp, with drive sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. AC said it developed a new exhaust for the engine, to ensure its cars have a unique sound.
With only about 2,425 pounds to carry, the turbo-4 will hustle the cars from 0-62 mph to about 4.6 seconds, according to AC. A top speed hasn’t been announced.
AC said it used original drawings and historic cars to shape the new body which is made from carbon fiber. Some subtle differences were made, like the more graceful rolling flanks instead of the somewhat flat-sided original design. The dimensions have mostly been left untouched, unlike AC’s modern Cobra, known as the Cobra GT Roadster, which was made bigger than the original to enable taller drivers to fit comfortably.
The modern Ace and Ace Bristol are still being developed but AC is confident they’ll be ready to start deliveries by mid-2025. Reservations are open, and AC said to expect a starting price of 175,000 British pounds (approximately $228,500).
Handling the development is AC Cars Classics, a new division that groups all of AC’s various classic car programs under the one umbrella. AC Cars Classics will also handle production of the modern Ace and Ace Bristol at AC’s plant in the U.K.
Each car will bear an official chassis number, denoting it as a genuine AC and a descendent of its respective original model.
This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com
