New Continuation Cobras

[aaron]

quote:Originally posted by nikbj68
   
AC Legacy Edition on display at the MACAU MOTORSHOW.
   
   

   
   They were still replicas !

[rstainer]

Rob,

My understanding is that the project's originators hoped that their "fortunate few" target market would have nine members, that any other than the first car would be built to order, that the target market hope has not been realised and that 'few', to date, is fewer than two.

I may be wrong: any authoritative correction would be welcome.

RS



 

[Spantik]

I fear that AC Automotive is no longer an active company. Let's see what come out of the ashes, Mr. Lubinsky is relentless about the brand AC.

[rstainer]

Emmanuel refers to AC Automotive GmbH (Straubenhardt, Germany), the Jürgen Mohr/Laurent Abert company that may have ceased physical existence.

A glossy motor magazine could at some stage spot a rising Phoenix but the UK Lubinsky companies do not appear to prosper:
   AC Car Group Ltd:                          A dormant £2 company
   AC Cars Ltd:                                  A dormant £1 company
     AC Cars Manufacturing Ltd:             A dormant £1 company
   AC Cars (England) Ltd:                   A dormant £1 company
   AC Cars (Eu) Ltd:                           No evident activity - shareholder funds minus £153,651
   Autokraft (UK) Limited:                   A dormant £1 company
   Autokraft Advanced Technology Ltd: No evident activity - shareholder funds minus £120,182
   Zenos Cars Ltd:                              A dormant £1 company
   Zenos Cars (Europe) Ltd:                 A dormant £1 company.

RS

[rstainer]

Rob,

ACEDES Holdings LLC was a Malta company (PO Box 103, Silema) that ceased operations in 2008: "The owner of a sports car manufacturing company who in 2005 was granted half a million Euros in government aid to transfer his factory to Malta, abandoned the factory and fled the island, without paying anything back to Maltese authorities" (the Malta Star, 18 March 2008).

It appears the 'company' was then transferred to another country not normally associated with car manufacturing, St Kitts-Nevis.

Is AC still in business? Taking the conventional meaning of business (operations, markets etc) the evidence suggests NO.

RS

[rstainer]

Rob,

The AC Mk VI GTs, Mk VI GT BIG BLOCKs, Mk VI GTSs and Mk VI GTSRs (not, please note, 'Cobras') were manufactured by AC Automotive GmbH (Straubenhardt, Germany), the Jürgen Mohr/Laurent Abert company that may have ceased physical existence (see Spatnik post above).

Is someone, somewhere, still manufacturing these cars? The evidence would suggest not.

RS

[rstainer]

Rob,

This should really be addressed to Constant Wagner, but I'll have a stab at an answer.

All vehicles sold as manufactured vehicles need a manufacturer of record - under ISO 3779 it's the world manufacturer identifier, the first three digits of the VIN/car number. ACOC Registers only list cars where AC (or Shelby American for Shelby contract ACs) is the manufacturer of record and AC has advised us, or we've had reliable information from other impartial sources, about the VINs and dates of cars sold or ready for sale.

AC hasn't provided us with any information for almost twenty years and we've received no reliable information from impartial sources, so no register for cars made this century. You may put me right, but I don't know of any current AC company that is a manufacturer of record.

The ACOC defines an original car as one having continuous history as a complete vehicle since manufacture. 'Fake' (a thing that is claimed to be other than what it is) is a more nebulous term; for example, some would call FIA HTP Cobras built this century fakes, but if they're properly described they're genuine but not ACs. I would describe them as genuine replicas if they replicate the performance and behaviour of the period and non-genuine replicas if they don't. Genuine unless defined is as nebulous as fake unless defined.

RS

[rstainer]

Rob,

Even if less than 500 there must be a known 'manufacturer of record' for it to be classed as an AC. If an owners' club doesn't know who made the vehicle, the owners' club can't include it in its register.  Not one of the AC companies in the 3rd March post above lists its 'Nature of Business' as 'Manufacture of Motor Vehicles' (SIC 29100).

However, I'm only the Thames Ditton Cobra Registrar and not on the Club's Council. Any proposed changes to Club policy need to be put to Council via Constant Wagner or Andy Shepherd.

RS

[rstainer]

Rob,

Our registrar's efforts are not in vain.

Until, I believe, the 70s the AC Car Number and UK VIN were the same. For example, the Vehicle Registration Document for my 62 Cobra has VIN: CSX2042. When the UK vehicle registration authorities and motor manufacturers adopted ISO 3779 VINs, most EU manufacturers took the whole 17 digits to be the car number but a small number, producing low-volume retro vehicles, kept the same retro-format car number but incorporated their car number (or enough of it to identify the vehicle) in digits 10 to 17 to provide clear identification of the particular vehicle.

All our registrars have the AC Car Number from the Factory Ledger or other authoritative sources and potential purchasers, the main register users, can easily check that the VIN incorporates the manufacturer's car number.

If you are able produce an ACOC-policy-compliant register for ACs other than those currently listed the Club will gladly appoint you registrar for those vehicles. As regards Club policy, member recommendations for clearly-thought-through change are always welcome.

RS   

[rstainer]

Rob,

As you rightly observe, 10 to 17 provide a wealth of 'clear identification of the particular vehicle'  information that is of much use to registrars.

There is no alternative register suggestion whatsoever and I apologise if I wasn't clear – my suggestion was that you might like to become ACOC registrar for more recently constructed ACs.

RS

[nikbj68]

...
Is someone, somewhere, still manufacturing these cars? The evidence would suggest not.
RS

Well, it would appear that the Boss Motor Company are taking orders for the "AC COBRA 378" on EBAY!

Quote:
AC Cobra 378 - New Cars To Order PETROL MANUAL 2019/19
white 10 miles Genuine AC Cobra New Model £89,950.00

As the official partner of AC Cars, Boss Motor Company are delighted to announce that orders are now being taken for 2019 factory built AC COBRA 378 and Superblower Models.
This car is a genuine AC Cars Product and will come with a certificate of authenticity and a designated 'COB' chassis number on the correct 'AC Cars Ltd' Chassis Plate.

A very high specification includes:
Original style 4inch round tube ladder frame chassis, 6.2 litre 440bhp V8 Engine, 6 speed gearbox, Aluminum radiator and header tank with Electric Cooling Fan, High Performance - Servo Assisted Race Specification Calipers with Ventilated Disc Brake System, 3.45:1 Ratio - Limited Slip Differential, Front and Rear Multi-Link Suspension with Coil Over Shock Absorbers, Front and Rear Anti-roll bars, Pin Drive 8" x 16" Front - 10" x 16" Rear Wheels, Hand Crafted Interior Finished in Black Leather, Glovebox in Leather, Door Map Pockets, Deep Pile Carpets, Leather Covered Instrument Panel with AC Branded Instruments, 13" Motor Litre Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel, Heater/Defroster with Air Conditioning, Chrome Plated Over-ride Bumpers Front and Rear, Side Wind Wings and Sun Visors, Dual Chrome Plated Roll Bar - With the Optional Passenger Side Roll Bar, Full Weather Equipment Including; Hood, Frame, Tonneau Cover and Side Screens, bespoke colour options.

LIST PRICE - £89950
Supply is limited so please contact us today to secure your build slot

AC COBRA 378 SUPERBLOWER (550BHP) AVAILABLE TO ORDER - LIST PRICE - £104950.