- Used by AC Cars Ltd. as a presentation model
- Registered for road use
- Eligible for historic motorsport

Founded in Great Britain in 1901 by the Weller brothers, the famous English car maker changed its name to Auto Carriers Ltd. and then to AC Cars in 1922. During the 1950s, the make grew strongly, thanks to its involvement in major motorsport events, in particular the Le Mans 24 Hours race from 1957. The results were there for all to see, and in 1961 a certain Carroll Shelby entered into negotiations with AC Cars to install a 3.6-litre V8 Ford engine into an AC Ace chassis. The first AC Ace Cobras were soon renamed the AC Cobra; they were sent to the States in February 1962 and almost immediately received a completely new 4.2-litre V8. Soon afterwards, Shelby officially entered CSX2002 – the third Cobra chassis to come off the production line – in competition. Very quickly, the Cobras delivered a succession of good results and were fitted with a custom Shelby kit to improve their performance. Of the 100 cars included in the initial contract between AC and Shelby, the last 25 were equipped with a version of the 4.2-litre V8 bored out to 4.7 litres or 289 ci.

In the spring of 1964, Shelby had no doubt that his cars were capable of winning the prestigious World GT Championship, until then dominated by Ferrari, which had won it on 9 occasions during the 11 years of its existence. The official Shelby American team was made up of four Cobras, recognisable by their Viking Blue paint scheme. The equal of the Ferrari 250 GTOs, the Cobras hoped to claim the ultimate prize until the very last race of the season, but in 1965 Shelby’s dreams came true when a Cobra Daytona coupé swept to victory, so consecrating one of the most remarkable GTs of its generation.

The AC which we are offering for sale is a worthy successor to the famous Cobras which competed in the FIA GT Championship in 1964 and 1965. The only model in existence built by AC Cars Ltd. in 1996, chassis number COB1001 was officially presented at the NEC Motor Show in 1998. Called the AC 289 MKII FIA, it wears the colours of the official Shelby American team and corresponds to the technical specifications of that period, as is confirmed by the original certificate produced in 2001 by the company, which had become the AC Car Group Ltd. at the very beginning of 1997.

Eligible for the most important events on the historic racing calendar, COB1001 has moreover taken part in several races, including the 10th edition of the 6 Hours of Spa in 2002. Its German registration papers also mean that it can be driven on the open road! Offering high performance and fully compliant with FIA regulations, it has aluminium bodywork, while under the hood sits the legendary 4.7-litre Ford V8 equipped with four Weber carburettors and developing 380bhp at 5800rpm. The interior too follows the period specifications, with six Smiths dials in front of the driver and a Heuer stopwatch fitted to the dashboard. It has everything it takes to immerse its occupants in the atmosphere of the legendary GT World Championship, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the twisty roads of the Targa Florio or the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The AC was first owned by the famous car dealer Adrian Hamilton before joining the collection of its second owner, who registered it in Germany in 2001. COB1001 now belongs to a discerning collector who is well known to us and is maintained by a workshop which specialises in preparing Cobras and GT40s for historic motorsport.

With tremendous performance and eligible for the finest events on the historic racing calendar, this AC Cobra today represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a part of the history of this famous marque.