Launched at the 1999 London Motor Show, the AC Cobra MkIV Carbon Road Series (CRS) was the result of a collaboration between Brooklands-based AC Car Group Ltd, makers of the legendary 1960s AC Cobra, and Kid Jensen Racing, owners of a leading Formula 3000 team.
Modelled from the original AC Cobra wooden jigs, the car's bodywork consisted of a Formula 1-style one-piece carbon fibre tub that weighed just 49lbs less doors, bonnet, and boot. This was supported on a rigid tubular steel chassis with independent front and rear suspension (adjustable for both damping and ride height), rack and pinion steering, Hydratrak limited slip differential and disc brakes all round (AP Racing 4-pot callipers at the front and single-pot, floating callipers at the rear).
Power came from a Ford 5-litre V8 producing 225bhp and 300lb/ft of torque driving through a five-speed gearbox. In a car weighing just 1,080kg, this equated to a power-to-weight ratio of 225bhp per ton. Performance was electrifying with 0-60 mph reached in 5.3 seconds on the way to a top speed of 145mph. With so much torque lugging so little weight, pick-up was instantaneous in any gear, one road tester commenting that, if you were feeling lazy, you could drive the car all day using just two gears, second and fifth, and still have enough grunt to blow every other car into the weeds.
First registered in July 2000, this car is No. 6 of only about 30 CRS cars produced before the Brooklands company fell into receivership. With just two owners from new and currently stored in an Air Chamber, it has never been out in the rain and has covered just 12,500 miles, backed up by all its old MOTs. Riding on Hallibrand wheels with polished bronze knock-off spinners, it has both inertia reel and 4-point competition harnesses and has recently been corner balanced for optimum handling. It comes with a tonneau cover, hood and sidescreens, all unused and still in their bag in the boot.
The history file includes photos of the car being made at the factory, the original factory build sheets and a bill of sale from June 2000 when the car cost £43,664. The last of the proper AC-built Cobras made by experienced AC craftsmen, this car is an instant classic that must surely have more investment potential than any of the replica Cobras that are more commonly seen on the market. Buy now while you can still afford it!
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