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Auto Blog
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
AC GT SuperSport coming in 2027 with 1,025 horsepower
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. New Ace Replica Launches AC Cars' American Division The Shelby Cobra and its progenitor, the AC Ace, have spawned countless replicas, some manufactured by the modern incarnation of AC Cars itself. That company is about to deliver one of the most extreme examples yet. Coinciding with the launch of AC Cars America, the company's dedicated United States division, the AC GT SuperSport will offer up to 1,025 horsepower from a 'specifically tuned V8 powertrain,' AC Cars said in a press release. All that power won't come cheap, as AC plans to charge $550,000 for each of the 25 examples it will build. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2027. Previous Pause Next Unmute 0:00 / 0:09 Full screen Chevrolet says a next-gen Camaro is still possible. What could it look like? Watch More Recognizable Shape With Aero Upgrades Source: AC Cars Source: AC Cars The GT SuperSport retains the overall shape of the AC Ace, which Carroll Shelby famously imbued with a Ford V8 to create the Cobra. It appears to be an evolution of the AC Cobra GT, a modernized version that's actually a bit larger than the original Ace. To that base, the GT SuperSport adds a larger grille opening, widened track and what AC promises are a 'raft of aerodynamic enhancements,' including a prominent rear spoiler. This new model will likely need all the aero help it can get to keep from sliding off whatever road or track the owner chooses to unleash its 1,025 hp on. That's a big increase from the Cobra GT, which is available with naturally-aspirated and supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engines making 460 hp and 663 hp, respectively. AC claims the more powerful version will do zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 172 mph. Keeping The Conversation Going Source: AC Cars Source: AC Cars Cobra replicas have been around long enough that the concept risks getting stale, especially as younger buyers who don't have firsthand experience of the original Cobras make up a larger share of the market. That's why it's important for AC to continue devising new variations on the theme. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. In addition to the V8-powered Cobra GT and the new GT SuperSport, AC offers a modern interpretation of the Ace with more traditional styling and less-intense powertrains. Current options include Ford's 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four, rated at 320 hp, and an electric powertrain rated at 301 hp with a claimed 200 miles of range. These cars will now be sold in the U.S. through AC Cars America, a new division headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, that will serve as a central hub for sales and customer relations. AC Cars itself remains headquartered in the United Kingdom, and also has facilities in Germany. About the Author Stephen Edelstein View Profile
Miami Herald
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
AC GT SuperSport coming in 2027 with 1,025 horsepower
The Shelby Cobra and its progenitor, the AC Ace, have spawned countless replicas, some manufactured by the modern incarnation of AC Cars itself. That company is about to deliver one of the most extreme examples yet. Coinciding with the launch of AC Cars America, the company's dedicated United States division, the AC GT SuperSport will offer up to 1,025 horsepower from a "specifically tuned V8 powertrain," AC Cars said in a press release. All that power won't come cheap, as AC plans to charge $550,000 for each of the 25 examples it will build. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2027. The GT SuperSport retains the overall shape of the AC Ace, which Carroll Shelby famously imbued with a Ford V8 to create the Cobra. It appears to be an evolution of the AC Cobra GT, a modernized version that's actually a bit larger than the original Ace. To that base, the GT SuperSport adds a larger grille opening, widened track and what AC promises are a "raft of aerodynamic enhancements," including a prominent rear spoiler. This new model will likely need all the aero help it can get to keep from sliding off whatever road or track the owner chooses to unleash its 1,025 hp on. That's a big increase from the Cobra GT, which is available with naturally-aspirated and supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engines making 460 hp and 663 hp, respectively. AC claims the more powerful version will do zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 172 mph. Cobra replicas have been around long enough that the concept risks getting stale, especially as younger buyers who don't have firsthand experience of the original Cobras make up a larger share of the market. That's why it's important for AC to continue devising new variations on the theme. In addition to the V8-powered Cobra GT and the new GT SuperSport, AC offers a modern interpretation of the Ace with more traditional styling and less-intense powertrains. Current options include Ford's 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four, rated at 320 hp, and an electric powertrain rated at 301 hp with a claimed 200 miles of range. These cars will now be sold in the U.S. through AC Cars America, a new division headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, that will serve as a central hub for sales and customer relations. AC Cars itself remains headquartered in the United Kingdom, and also has facilities in Germany. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Car
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Pride of the Valkyries: inside Aston Martin's Le Mans 24hr return
Aston Martin returned to Le Mans' top tier after 14 years away and finished the race with plenty to feel positive about Open gallery Astons were up against Porsche, Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot, BMW, Alpine… Valkyrie #007 came 14th, six laps down, and #009 finished 12th, four laps back Track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro tops 1000bhp; LMH racer is limited to 670bhp Aston Martin is in its first hypercar season; many rivals are in their third Basing the race car on the Valkyrie road car was not the easiest option Close Thanks to the glorious wail of a non-hybridised Cosworth V12, the pair of Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH racers sounded utterly glorious as they powered through the French countryside. So while the British firm was never going to win the Le Mans 24 Hours on its return to the endurance classic's top class for the first time in 14 years, it simply couldn't be ignored. There are no prizes for fielding the best-sounding cars on the grid but this year wasn't about trophies. It was about proving that a racing hypercar based on a road-going version could work. Some patience was always going to be required: the performance-balancing measures of Le Mans' current rules make it nearly impossible for a new team to be a contender straight away. Then again, Aston Martin has had to learn patience when it comes to Le Mans. The British marque first entered the race in 1928 but it wasn't until 1959 that Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby took victory in a DBR1/300. And it's still waiting for overall victory number two. There has been success at the Circuit de la Sarthe more recently. Aston Martin triumphed in the GT1 class with a DBR9 in 2007 and it has won the top GT class on four more occasions. But its most recent bid for outright victory came with the best-forgotten Lola-Aston Martin B09 project from 2009 until 2011. The current hypercar regulations in endurance racing's top flight have made Le Mans hugely appealing for manufacturers and this year Aston Martin joined a very full paddock. But by choosing to turn the Valkyrie into a Le Mans Hypercar (LMH), the British firm has made life hard for itself. It is the only entrant in the hypercar class to be based on a road-legal vehicle, and the Adrian Newey-designed 'Formula 1 car for the road' is so extreme the road car's engine had to be detuned and its aerodynamics blunted to fit the rules. Aston Martin could, like Ferrari, Toyota and Peugeot, have designed its LMH as a pure race car; or, like Porsche, BMW and Alpine, made life even easier by using a spec chassis and hybrid system as the basis for a cost-controlled Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) racer. But as Aston Martin endurance racing boss Adam Carter says: 'If we did that, it wouldn't be an Aston Martin.' 'We developed the Valkyrie because it was the ultimate hypercar,' adds Carter, who works for Aston Martin Performance Technologies, which is based alongside the F1 team. 'The Valkyrie was born to race; its foundations came from racing. Aston Martin is a sports car company. We build sports cars. And there's nothing better than when a sports car goes to race at Le Mans.' The Valkyrie's road to Le Mans hasn't been straightforward. In fact, it has taken four years longer than first planned. In a press conference to launch the forthcoming LMH rules at Le Mans in 2019, Aston joined Toyota in announcing that it would begin racing the Valkyrie in the 2020/2021 World Endurance Championship. The delay is partly because of Aston Martin's financial struggles, the takeover by Lawrence Stroll and a subsequent restructuring. But it's also because of changes in the hypercar rules. When the firm initially committed, the LMH rules were for cars based on road-going hypercars. But as part of an agreement to equalise performance between the World Endurance Championship LMH and LMDh cars, that requirement was dropped, prompting Aston Martin to scrap its plans. But the Le Mans 24 Hours has a way of pulling people in and the project was revived in October 2023 with the help of US-based motorsport team The Heart of Racing and manufacturing experts Multimatic. The race car was built and run by a squad consisting of staff from those firms. '[Aston Martin owner Lawrence] Stroll asked me about turning the Valkyrie into a hypercar so I went and looked at the regulations, spoke to officials and said: 'Yeah, absolutely it's possible.' But it's been a journey for everyone involved, including the regulatory bodies. A good journey, but a long journey,' says Carter. The base car is technically the track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro, which shortcuts some of the development. But that car produces more than 1000bhp from its hybridised 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 Cosworth, whereas the LMH rules peg output at 670bhp. But as Carter says: 'The Valkyrie would not be the Valkyrie without that V12. It's absolutely the heart of the car.' He adds: 'It's got way more capacity than we need so we can run it very lean burn, and it's a great, efficient demonstration of future sustainable fuels.' So the hybrid element was ditched – anyway it drives the rear wheels on the road car yet LMH rules require it to power the front axle – and the Cosworth unit was effectively detuned, although Carter says that helps to offset any loss of torque resulting from the lack of electrification. The challenge of LMH is that to emphasise efficiency, the cars are essentially set torque-based energy output parameters that they must stick within. Hybrids can help with that, which perhaps explains why every hypercar on the grid bar the Aston Martin runs one. 'Every race car is a collection of compromises and always will be,' says Carter. 'Having a hybrid presents some opportunities around torque filling, but the V12 has a very high torque response. If you have a hybrid, you have to synchronise it with the combustion unit, whereas our response is all built into one unit.' The bodywork of the Valkyrie racer has also been revised to fit the LMH class's aero rules (remember, Newey's joy in crafting the Valkyrie was not having to work to a rulebook…) while also ensuring the bodywork at the front and rear met motorsport safety rules and could be quickly changed if required. The Heart of Racing has run a pair of Valkyries in both the IMSA and WEC series this year. The results haven't been spectacular, but they were never going to be because of the Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations. This is where the story gets a little tricky to tell, because the first rule of BoP is you don't talk about BoP. Okay, it's technically not the first rule, but race organisers want to keep the focus on the track rather than a verbal fight club in the paddock, so competitors are banned from moaning about BoP. But you can read between the lines, and because it is calculated on reference data and new entrants have none, they start with the worst possible BoP. The calculations for the high-speed Le Mans track are also done separately from other events. So the unspoken belief is that the Valkyrie should be more competitive next year when any BoP measures are based on actual past performance. But that's fine, because the team still needed to learn. The hypercar programme was deliberately staffed without impacting the ongoing GT project and Carter says: 'It's a learning year and we need to learn and refine our processes as a team. It's a new group of people with vast experience brought together. We need to learn the car, and about the regulations, and how to get the most out of the car. We've focused on race pace and reliability, but we need to learn more about one-lap pace. 'A number of our competitors have been through two cycles of learning, and they're now in their third. We're on our first. Our learning curve is steeper from theirs.' And there was more promise in the results than the numbers might suggest. Getting one of the Valkyries into the 'hyperpole' qualifying session for the top 15 cars was a mighty achievement, and in the race both cars ran reliably and consistently to 12th and 14th places, four and six laps down on the winning Ferrari respectively. But it was an unusual year, with relatively little attrition among the hypercars. The most important thing, though, is that Aston Martin was in the race and the unusual non-hybrid hypercar based on an actual road car held its own against bespoke competition. The concept has been proven and the future is bright. The current hypercar field is too large and deep to suggest that Aston is on track for that elusive second Le Mans victory, but it's undoubtedly closer than it has been for decades. And even if Aston Martin has to wait a few more years, we can enjoy that glorious engine note while it does. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here. Next Prev In partnership with
Motor Trend
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
His Own Snake: Driving Carroll Shelby's Personal 289 Cobra—The Last One Ever Made
[This story first appeared in the Spring 2012 issue of MotorTrend Classic] CSX2589, the last 289 Cobra, uniquely features an automatic transmission. Originally owned by Carroll Shelby, it underwent modifications but was later restored to near-original specs by Mike McCluskey. It's now a display piece, highlighting Cobra's historical significance. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next Sitting in CSX2589 is a unique experience. Really, sitting in any original Cobra—just 655 were built—is a unique experience, but this one even more so. It's not just that this very car was the last 289 Cobra to roll off the production line before Shelby made the switch to 427s. It's not even that the very seat I'm sitting in is the same seat Carroll Shelby has sat in for nearly five decades (Carroll is the car's first and only owner). What really catches my attention is that automatic transmission lever jutting vertically from its plastic housing on the center tunnel. Yes, the last 289 Cobra ever made (built in 1965, the same year that the slippery-profiled Cobra Daytona Coupe won the FIA manufacturer's championship for sports cars) was equipped with a slushbox. Now, that's an unusual transmission to find factory-installed in a Cobra, but it might not be quite as rare as you'd think. The actual number of factory-built automatic Cobras varies, depending on whom you ask. Original Shelby American shipping invoices seem to point at 16 cars built with an automatic transmission, while others insist that as many as 20 289s were built without clutch pedals. The gearbox itself was a beefed-up variant of Ford's new-for-1964 three-speed C4 automatic, the aluminum-cased transmission first designed for use in the Ford Mustang and its Fairlane stablemate. The Hi-Po version that served in the Cobra was also used in the 1965 Fairlane (this stronger C4 wouldn't come to the Mustang until 1966). The special transmission necessitated several small changes to specification. For one, a unique Autolite carburetor was fitted with an automatic choke (four-speed cars got a manual choke). According to Cobra historians, automatic-equipped Cobras were also given slightly different engines than their four-speed counterparts': Manual transmission bellhousings were attached with five bolts, but the new automatic required six, necessitating a different engine block. According to the Shelby American Automobile Club registry, original invoices show that CSX2589 was the last 289 Cobra roadster to be shipped to Shelby American from AC Cars Ltd., departing in late October 1964. It arrived at Shelby's Los Angeles headquarters with Iris Rouge paint (think metallic maroon) and a black interior, and the car received its six-bolt 289 and C4 transmission. Immediately, the Cobra entered service as a company demonstrator. It shuttled automotive journalists, potential customers, and other Shelby clients for almost a year, racking up nearly 1400 miles by early 1965. Carroll, perhaps recognizing the car's significance, purchased CSX2589 in May 1966, making him the Cobra's first (and only) registered owner. One change was made to the car right off the bat. Shelby ditched the original single four-barrel Autolite for twin two-barrel Weber carburetors. Much more extensive changes were to come. Enter Mike McCluskey. Today, Mike is the owner of McCluskey Ltd. restoration services, a Cobra specialist shop that has worked with Shelby American on several occasions. In 1971, McCluskey was just a car-crazy college kid wrenching on his Sunbeam Alpine. Shelby happened to live in the same part of Playa del Rey, and the two struck up a neighborly friendship. Shelby was impressed with McCluskey's work on the Alpine, and asked if he'd like to take on another project, namely, giving CSX2589 a cosmetic refresh, along with some serious modifications. 'What he had me do was build it with a 351 Cleveland motor and also strip it and do the body and paint,' McCluskey recalls. 'About that time, he was making wheels, so we put some different knockoff rims on it. He said to 'paint it blue' and do whatever else I wanted to do to it.' In the intervening months, the original 289 was replaced with the considerably heavier cast-iron Cleveland engine (though the automatic was retained), a hood scoop was added, and the body was treated to a respray in Targa Blue, a Corvette color, with gold center stripes. The black interior was freshened, a full-width rollbar was fitted, and a set of Shelby's slotted aluminum alloy wheels replaced the original wire-spoked rims. 'We wouldn't do it that way now, but that's how things were in the '70s,' says McCluskey with a hint of regret in his voice. In those days, to Carroll Shelby, at least, CSX2589 was mostly just an old Cobra. As with many other important sports cars of the day, preserving originality wasn't a foremost concern. Shelby drove the car with its 351 for roughly a decade, until giving McCluskey another call in the early 1980s. 'Shelby didn't like the engine; he was never totally happy with it,' McCluskey recalls. 'It was just a pig. For that size car, with the weight of the 351 and the heat it gave off, it just wasn't worth the effort.' By this time, collector cars such as the Cobra were also gaining steam in the marketplace, with values growing and collectors beginning to place strong importance on originality. McCluskey told Shelby that the 351 swap had devalued the car, but fortunately he had just the solution. 'Shelby had just wanted to throw away the original 289, but I kept it in my shop. About 10 years later, when he decided to go back to stock, I was able to pull it out of storage, rebuild it, and swap it back out.' So back went CSX2589 to McCluskey's shop, where the original 289 was rebuilt to stock configuration and reinstalled, along with the original wire wheels, and the rollbar was removed. McCluskey wanted to take things a step further by repainting the car its original color, but Shelby thought the non-factory blue-and-gold combination was just fine the way it was. Since the last work was completed, according to McCluskey, the Cobra has done more sitting than driving, largely serving as a display piece in Shelby American's Las Vegas headquarters. 'He didn't drive it much. You'd normally see him in one of the Mustangs or even some of the Chrysler stuff,' McCluskey explains. 'For his size and stature, the 289 Cobra just wasn't very comfortable.' Of course, that didn't stop us from taking a turn behind the wheel when Shelby American gave us the approval. There were stipulations, of course, as you might expect of a car said to be valued in the multi-millions of dollars (Shelby's personal 1966 Super Snake Cobra, also automatic equipped, sold at a 2007 auction for more than $5 million). We couldn't drive it on public roads, for one. And the car couldn't be driven over 40 mph. Nevertheless, we trailered up CSX2589 as quick as we could and headed to the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California. Significantly, the dragstrip is located on the grounds of the Pomona Fairplex, once home to SCCA races where a Cobra scored one of its early victories in 1963. When we first view the CSX2589 in the dimly lit garage space of Shelby's Gardena, California, shop, the car looks old and tired—as if it's been hibernating. But as the Cobra rolls off its enclosed trailer, the sun glinting off its blue and gold paint, it suddenly seems reinvigorated, full of life. McCluskey's restoration has survived well these past few decades—the paint is still shiny and the interior is patina'ed, but not worn out. The wooden steering wheel's varnish is worn; the brightwork isn't quite as shiny as it might have once been; and the driver-side windwing is cracked near its hinge. Other than that, the car is hard to fault. Dash plaques bear testament to Carroll Shelby's ownership and McCluskey's restoration work; look closely and you'll still see the rollbar mounting points located behind the seats. The biggest question on everyone's mind: Will it start? We've been assured it will, but we know better than to take such things for granted on vintage cars that do more sitting than driving. Carefully, a gallon of premium is funneled into the aluminum fuel filler aft of the Cobra's cabin, and the lid is latched closed with a metallic clink! We're ready for ignition. We flick the dash-mounted switch to engage the fuel pump, hold the throttle to the floor, twist the rather short key, and the Cobra fires into life with a growl, then settles into a lumpy 2500-rpm idle, as indicated on the Smiths tachometer (the speedometer is also a British Smiths unit, but the rest of the gauges are American Stewart Warner equipment). Slipping the automatic gearshift (man, this is strange!) through reverse, neutral, then drive brings a lurch and a chirp from the rear tires. Best to keep the brake firmly engaged until you're really ready to go. This snake is rearing to strike. Moving off, the steering is initially heavy, but lightens up by 20 mph, around the speed where the Cobra decides to shift into second gear with another lurching chirp, despite accelerating gently. Having just driven a modern CSX8000 continuation car with a five-speed, it seems strange not to be reaching for the notchy shift lever and stabbing at a clutch pedal that feels like a piece of gym equipment. There's a definite transformation in feel, from would-be canyon racer to boulevard cruiser or, even better, Saturday night Stoplight Grand Prix champion. That's not a bad thing, just different. Still, the question remains. Why the automatic? McCluskey offers his interpretation. 'Shelby was always a fan of automatics. A Cobra with an automatic isn't really what you think of today, but he was sort of pushing for that. He built a few 427s that way also.' Hey, if a slushbox is good enough for Carroll, it's good enough for us. Our Take Then: 'It has everything a sports car should have. The power is tremendous, and it has brakes and handling to match. Very impressive.'—Jim Wright, MotorTrend, September 1963 Now: As the decades pass, the Cobra continues to assert itself as an important addition to any serious sports car collection. While the ride and handling can be charitably described as 'vintage,' the Cobra is still very driveable even with today's roads and traffic. It's Not Too Late! If you only have mega bucks and not the mega, mega bucks you'd need to purchase an original Cobra from the 1960s, you do have options. And while several companies sell Cobra replicas, there's only one company still selling cars with that respected CSX identification number: Shelby American. Shelby American is currently building three variations of the timeless Shelby Cobra: a 289 Street Cobra, a 289 FIA Cobra, and a 427 S/C Cobra (CSX8000, CSX7000, and CSX4000, respectively). Each is available in fiberglass or aluminum construction and comes complete except for engine and transmission which are available from Ford Racing. While the design and build of the cars remains mostly authentic to those built in the 1960s, Shelby makes a few changes to these continuation series cars in the name of safety and performance with some uprated materials and chassis specifications. We got a day behind the wheel of a 50th Anniversary CSX8000 demonstrator, part of a limited 50-car run that is sold out, but identical to the standard CSX8000 cars save for some cosmetic additions. Attention to detail is fantastic on these continuation cars, and, besides the fact that our car was made of fiberglass and was in near-pristine condition, it was nearly impossible to tell that it wasn't made in the 1960s. The ride is rough and the steering not the most precise, but the driving experience is purely a vintage one—exactly as it should be. Listening to the sound of the 289 as it runs through its rev range, with the smell of exhaust heavy in the air, while bumping along a twisty bit of backroad, it's tough not to be transported back in time. —R.J. Want one? Fire up your Web browser and head to to learn more.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Prototype Shelby Cobra Among Highlights at Broad Arrow's 2025 Monterey Jet Center Auction
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious One of the earliest Shelby Cobras ever built, chassis CSX 2003, will headline Broad Arrow's Monterey Jet Center Auction this August, joining a slate of rare American performance cars in one of the year's most anticipated collector car events. The 1962 Shelby Cobra, CSX 2003, is considered among the most historically significant Cobras in existence. Built before Shelby American was fully operational, it was completed at the Pittsburgh-based dealership of Ed Hugus—an early backer of Carroll Shelby's plan to combine British chassis with American V8 power. The car is one of the initial prototypes produced before Ford formally backed Shelby's effort. Hugus' shop played a key role in assembling the first Cobras, with CSX 2003 being the fourth example ever built. It retains its original Ford 260 cubic-inch V8, four-speed transmission and red interior, preserved by its longtime Virginia owner, Dr. Richard McAdam, who acquired the car in 1989 and drove it regularly before storing it in climate-controlled care. Shelby himself reportedly praised the car's condition after seeing it in person during a Ford-hosted tribute event in Washington, D.C. Estimated to sell for $1.5 million to $2 million, CSX 2003 will be joined on the auction block by modern American performance icons, including a 2011 Hennessey Venom GT (chassis 03 of 13) and six cars from The American Performance Collection. Among them are two rare 2017 Dodge Viper ACR models and a 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. The Monterey Jet Center Auction runs August 13–14 and will offer up to 150 vehicles. The annual event, held during Monterey Car Week, attracted $71.5 million in sales last year. More information is available at
