AC Cobra GT Coupé revealed with V8 power and 730 hp

A big engine. A small body. Rear-wheel drive. Noise, danger and almost zero interest in subtlety.

For the first time, AC Cars is turning the Cobra into a proper production coupé. Meet the AC Cobra GT Coupé, a fixed-roof V8 grand tourer with a carbon-fibre body, a double-bubble roof, a Kamm-tail rear end and up to 730 hp.

The first production Cobra coupé

AC Cars calls this the first production Cobra coupé ever. That sounds strange, because the idea of a closed-roof Cobra feels almost obvious. The proportions were always there: long bonnet, short rear deck, swollen arches and that muscular stance. But the Cobra legend was built around roadsters, not coupés.

The new GT Coupé changes that. It keeps the essential Cobra silhouette, but adds a fixed roofline with a double-bubble roof and a sharply cut Kamm-tail rear. That rear treatment is not random. It nods to the AC A98 Le Mans racer from 1964, a car from a time when aerodynamic thinking was still wonderfully raw and dangerous.

Carbon body, aluminium spaceframe, proper GT intent

Under the skin, the Cobra GT Coupé shares around 75 percent of its engineering with the AC Cobra GT Roadster. That means an extruded aluminium spaceframe, a full carbon-fibre body and a modern take on the classic front-engined, rear-wheel-drive performance formula. AC says this is not meant to be a stripped-out track weapon, but a proper grand tourer.

Of course, “grand tourer” is a slightly funny description when the supercharged version can sprint from 0 to 96 km/h in under 3.5 seconds. But that is also the charm. This is a GT in the same way a thunderstorm is atmospheric.

Two V8 flavours: sensible and completely unnecessary

Power comes from a 5.0-litre V8, offered in two versions. The naturally aspirated model produces 456 hp and 555 Nm of torque. That is already more than enough for a rear-wheel-drive Cobra with a carbon body and a short temper.

But the real headline is the supercharged version. That one delivers 730 hp and 820 Nm. Both versions can be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, which is exactly what a car like this deserves. A 10-speed automatic with paddle shifters is also available for buyers who want the speed without the old-school commitment.

Bigger than the original, but still serious

The new GT Coupé is a much larger and more mature machine. It measures 4.23 metres long, 1.98 metres wide and sits on a 2.57-metre wheelbase. Weight is expected to stay around 1,600 kg, which is not featherweight, but perfectly acceptable for a modern V8 grand tourer with luxury, safety and carbon construction.

The weight distribution is close to 50:50, and the lower roofline plus Kamm-tail should make the coupé more aerodynamically efficient than the roadster.

Old-school emotion, modern cabin

Inside, AC is trying to combine Cobra character with the things modern buyers actually expect. That means air conditioning, electric windows, infotainment, leather, custom trim, exposed carbon fibre and enough space for drivers over 1.83 metres tall. There are analogue instruments, a digital display behind the steering wheel, milled toggle switches and AC’s recognisable pedal layout.

So yes, it is still emotional. But it no longer asks you to suffer for the privilege. That is probably a good thing when prices start at around £234,300 before taxes for the naturally aspirated version, and around £256,300 before taxes for the supercharged model. In European money, that is roughly €270,000 to €295,000 before local tax pain begins.

AutoNext Take

The AC Cobra GT Coupé understands what makes heritage powerful. It does not simply copy the past. It takes the emotional ingredients (stance, sound, proportion, danger, simplicity) and rebuilds them with modern materials and just enough usability.

The result feels more interesting than yet another electric hyper-SUV, another limited-edition paint package or another nostalgic badge on a compromised product.

Expensive? Absolutely. Necessary? Not even slightly. But desirable? Completely.