AC Cobra

Marketed as the Shelby Cobra in the United States, the AC Cobra is a sports car of Anglo-American descent. It features a Ford V8 engine which was produced in the United States and the United Kingdom alike and has been done so intermittently since the year 1962. The Cobra, unlike many other manufacturers in Britain, had been taking advantage of a Bristol straight-6 engine and used a hand-built steel tube frame with aluminum body panels when its small volume production first began. The engine used was designed by BMW pre-World War II, and in 1961, the engines shifted over to being Chrysler 313 cubic inch V8 engines.

The Cobra has undergone many other engine changes since its origins and has come out with several new models. Production changed as well overall and included inboard brakes that were moved to the outboard in order to remain cost effective. The filler for the fuel tank was moved from the fender and placed in the center of the trunk, causing the lid to be shortened in order to accommodate it. AC sent out their painted and trimmed vehicles to Shelby who then took the time to finish them up in Los Angeles, California. Most recently, the AC Cobra is seen in the form of its 50th Anniversary body, which is a limited edition and quite a rare vehicle. Even with all of its changes and models, it has always been a car that has never quite gone out of style or stopped being heavily lusted after.