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AC Cobra GT gets new 390bhp 2.0-litre engine

AC Cars will “broaden the appeal” of modernised sports car icon

AC Cobra GT - hardtop and softtop

The AC Cobra is synonymous with having a hulking great American V8 lurking beneath its elegant bonnet, but the iconic British sports car is getting a new powertrain - available from 2026. 

Back in 2023 we saw the AC Cobra GT revived with 5.0-litre V8 suitably sourced from Ford, but AC Cars has announced a ‘high-performance’ 2.0-litre engine will join the line up, too. While there are few technical details yet, AC Cars expects the 2.0-litre to produce up to 390bhp - judging by this it’s almost certainly a four-cylinder turbocharged unit. 

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“Working in conjunction with a global leader in hybrid and internal-combustion powertrain solutions, AC Cars will develop the engine to suit the characteristics and potential that its GT platform delivers,” the company said in a statement. Whatever engine it is, it’ll be paired with either a new dual-clutch automatic gearbox or a six-speed manual transmission. 

AC Cobra GT - front 3/4 static

Two states of tune for the engine will be available, and AC Cars adds the 2.0-litre will be ‘inherently lighter’ than the 1,500kg V8 models. The 2.0-litre will get the same underpinnings as the V8s however, with a new chassis made from carbon fibre and aluminium that is designed to meet European safety homologation. 

The exterior of the 2.0-litre models are pretty much identical to the V8s, with a slightly different inset grille design the only noticeable difference thus far. We expect to see the same modernised interior, with a retro-style oval dashboard and analogue dials plus carbon-backed bucket seats and a contemporary steering wheel equipped with an airbag.

Pricing for the 2.0-litre AC Cobra will undercut the £285,000 V8, with AC Cars expecting it to start from £235,000. 

AC Cars CEO David Conza said: “Offering clients a wider choice of performance engines will broaden the appeal for our exclusive sports cars, and means we can reach the markets that impose higher taxation on large-displacement engines.”

Now check out the new £295k Ford Escort RS from Boreham Motorworks...

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Senior news reporter

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now, as our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews.

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