This article will cover everything you need to know about AC Cars, from important dates, locations, and even current and discontinued models.
AC Cars should not be mistaken for Shelby, who made the AC Cobra, but AC does have the license to build AC Cobra Replicas as they were the body suppliers to Shelby.
So here is everything you need to know about AC Cars:
Table of Contents
Who Was The Founder Of AC Cars?
AC was founded in 1904 by Weller Brothers in West Norwood, United Kingdom.
Back then, the cars displayed the name Weller in 1903, and in 1904 the name changed to Auto-Carrier or AC abbreviated.
Where Is the AC Cars Headquarters Location?
The headquarters of AC is currently in Thames Ditton, Surrey, England.
Thames Ditton is a small village with a population of around 9,400 right next to the River Thames.
Who Owns AC Cars?
David Conza, a private individual, owns AC.
AC was a big company in the 30s to 50s and today only produces a small number of hand-built sports cars.
Sales And Revenue Of AC Cars
Annual Sales Figures Of AC Cars
The total sales of AC during the last recorded update were below 1000 vehicles.
This is due to the vehicles being hand built by a small team, and the pricing of said vehicles is also very high.
AC Cars Latest Revenue Figures
AC made less than $1,000,000 in the fiscal year of 2022.
How Many Employees Does AC Cars Have?
According to their Linkedin account, AC has 11-50 employees as of 2023.
Who Is The Current CEO Of AC Cars?
David Conza is the current owner and CEO of AC Cars.
Models
Top Current AC Cars Models
- MK VI
- MK II Classic
- 378 GT Zagato
Top Discontinued AC Cars Models
- Ace
- Cobra 427/428
- MK III S/C
- Shelby AC 427 Cobra
- Shelby AC FIA Cobra
Here is a Replica Cobra from the United States with the same Coyote engine as AC Cars used, just with an extra 300HP on tap, making the Cobra produce over 900 HP, and it sounds amazing:
AC In Motorsport
AC Cars have a very long history in motorsport, starting in 1922 when they set the world speed record for the first 4-cylinder car to reach over 100 MPH (160.9 KPH) with an average speed of 101.39 MPH (163.2 KPH) around Brooklands Circuit.
They won multiple trophies, close to 50, in the 1925 season in numerous motorsport events.
In 1926 Victor Bruce was the first UK winner of the Monte Carlo Rally and the Mont des Mules hill climb in his AC Six.
In 1958 the AC ACE finished 1st in the GT2.0 LTR class in Le Mans and 7th overall.
In 1962 the partnership with Carroll Shelby started, which had massive success in motorsport and sales, the collaboration ended in 1968, but AC Cars kept producing the original Cobra till today.
In 1963 the first Cobra’s competed in Le Mans with the 289cu in (4.7 liters) V8 and was so fast compared to the competitors it ended the race with a 27-lap lead.
1964 with the introduction of the 427 AC Cobra, held the world record for the fastest production car in the world, which they had for many years.
1965 there was one mission between Shelby and AC: to be the fastest GT class racing car in Europe, which meant beating Ferrari; then, they made six Shelby Daytona Coupes and won the Sports Car World Championship.
Final Thoughts On AC Cars
There are hints shown by AC cars of a new AC Cobra that will be unveiled.
Hopefully, in the next year or so, we will have more information about it, but let’s hope AC Cars will be with us for many years.
Hopefully, you enjoyed and learned a lot about AC Cars and now know everything about them.
FAQs
Does AC Still Make Cars?
Yes, while the recipe for the Cobra has changed over the years, you can still buy a current AC Cobra with a Ford Coyote Supercharged V8.
What Does AC Stand For In Cobra?
AC stood for Acedes from 1927 to 1985 and was a collaboration with the British sportscar manufacturer AC Cars and Shelby.
How Fast Can A AC Cobra Go?
The original 1964 427 AC Cobra could reach a top speed of 164 MPH (264 KPH).
The new version, the AC Cobra GT Roadster with the supercharged Ford Coyote 5.0 V8, has a top speed of 172.7 MPH (278 KPH) and does 0-60 in 3.6 seconds.