The appetite for low volume cars seems to continue unabated. Here we have the latest offering from AC Cars, Britain’s oldest active vehicle manufacturer.
Evocative of the car that the original AC Ace evolved into, the AC Cobra, the chassis, coachwork and interior of each vehicle will be hand crafted before receiving their electrified performance powertrain.
TREMEC Electric GT’s turnkey eGT413 Modular EV platform is fully integrated into the AC Ace and is designed to elicit a powerful driving experience. With 300 eHorse Power (225 kW), a 72 kWh battery package, and a sub 1,134 kg (2,500 lb) curb weight the AC Ace delivers excellent performance. DC Fast Charging combined with a 200+ miles of range per charge provide an extremely functional and reliable roadster. *
Reservations and orders for the new AC Ace electric are now open with the cars starting at $275,000 before taxes. Deliveries will start in 2025 for a limited number of cars. More details and advance registration will be available here.
The AC Ace Classic electric and AC Ace Bristol Classic electric are a new chapter for one of the all-time great British sports car companies. Capturing the halcyon days of roadsters, it uses cutting edge construction techniques to deliver benchmark ride and handling. An original-type chassis, carbon-fibre bodywork and a modern powertrain blend seamlessly with the iconic styling to deliver an unmatched driving experience.
Throughout the company’s 123-year history, no other model from AC Cars’ past has the same significance as the AC Ace. With an innovative chassis for its time, and a lightweight aluminium body it gained the respect of enthusiasts and racers alike for its everyday drivability and competition pace. This is the car that would eventually transform into AC Cobra of legend.
The AC Ace was no stranger to racing success in the US, and proved highly effective at the SCCA National Championships. Very popular amongst private owners, it dominated the E Production class – winning three years running at the Sebring 12-Hour race. The AC Ace was clearly highly respected, and in 1958 influential magazine Sports Car Illustrated declared the car: “…as close to a racing sports car you can get and still have a ‘streetable’ machine.”
The new electrified AC Ace will be available in two distinct personalities of car – reflecting the evolution of the original AC Ace over its 10-year production run 1953-1963.
For fans of the later cars the AC Ace Classic electric uses the open grille design of the AC Ace before its transformation into the famed AC Cobra, while the AC Ace Bristol Classic electric employs the earlier ‘smiling face’ that graced the model for its launch in 1953.
The precision carbon-fibre bodywork will be crafted at the company’s facility on the UK’s south coast. Immensely strong, yet light, the work employs the same techniques as AC Cars’ flagship model, the AC Cobra GT Roadster.
The new AC Ace Classic electric and AC Ace Bristol Classic electric will be delivered as brand new, road registered cars. Priced at $275,000 before tax and any personalisation or bespoke options, they will be available as left-and-right-hand drive and intended for US as well as UK clients. Each car will bear an official chassis number, denoting it as a true AC and a descendent of the historic AC Ace.
I love to see iconic classics being brought up to date. But with prices starting at $275 000 I can think of a number of other ways to spend less money to achieve the same result. I suspect many of the cars will disappear into the collections of the wealthy never to be seen again.
For more information on AC Cars and its vehicles visit ac.cars