New AC MkVI Gullwing

[nikbj68]

Well, I would say 'Hats off to Michael!'...but that`s not quite in keeping, is it?!

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by AC Heritage
   
Ac-tions speak Louder than words .....Give the company a chance to evolve  , We would certainly assist if it helped the brand back into the premiership of Auto production and give you guys something to be proud of ...... Our Ac Heritage Brooklands venture 'Project New Era'.... will ADD value to all things AC. We must look through the telescope from the other end [:D]
   

   I agree totally with half of what you are saying. [;)]
   The AC Heritage Project(which I will visit this year) is a fantastic Showcase for AC, and a venture of which to be rightly proud,
   but personally I don`t see re-badging a German-built Kitcar does anything positive for the AC name, history or future.
   There are a number of you in the industry (Brooklands Motor Company, Gerry Hawkridge, Lawrie Kett, Robin Woolmer etc.{apologies for ommisions})
   who truly carry the torch for AC, but until there are significant changes at the highest level, I can`t see 'the current AC' being worthy of that,
   even when viewed from the correct end of the Hubble telescope [:(].
   
   It saddens me to say it, as a life-long enthusiast of the marque, and I am by no means knocking for knocking`s sake, but the company named AC bears so little resemblance to the 'real' AC we know and love as to be unrecognisable, and I can`t see a way to bring it back. [xx(]

[Gus Meyjes]

Correction:
   
   Shelby did not name it the King Cobra, that term was coined by the public and/or press.
   
   It's been an interesting read! Have any of you ever considered inviting comment from either Lubinsky or Ac Heritage? Or has commentary been invited, but not granted? I can appreciate all of the laughter and comments, but there is only one owner of the brand, factory included or not and I believe Steve Grey is the owner of the "official" outlet and repair facility. I can appreciate the skepticism, there is definitely a nice "paper trail" online of questionable past events. But, as a club, representing the brand, is it not better to try to embrace and collaborate?
   
   Gus

[TLegate]

You'd think. However, the modern expression 'public relations' has not filtered through to a lot of folk. Sometimes the silence can be deafening....

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by Gus Meyjes...Have any of you ever considered inviting comment from either Lubinsky or Ac Heritage?...Gus

   
   The posts on this site from user "AC Heritage", such as this one:
   

quote:Originally posted by AC Heritage - 11 May 2009 : Ac-tions speak Louder than words .....Give the company a chance to evolve , We would certainly assist if it helped the brand back into the premiership of Auto production and give you guys something to be proud of ...... Our Ac Heritage Brooklands venture 'Project New Era'.... will ADD value to all things AC. We must look through the telescope from the other end

...Are indeed from Steve Gray, for and as AC Heritage, as you describe.
   As for 'Factory' input or comment...John Owen posted on a few occasions regarding the Malta 'era', but other than that, .

[cobham cobra]

The latest (August) edition of Octane magazine announces two "new" Cobras. Pages 12 to 13 announce the Carroll Shelby sanctioned South African built Superormance MkIII and the AC Cars MkVI.
   Pages 58 to 62 have a road test on the MkVI a write-up of the factory in Heyda near Dresden and an interview with Jurgen Mohr - AC Car's commercial director.
   I have also spoken with Keith Adams today, he's the assistant editor with Octane and he sounded very impressed with the company, the factory set-up and the car he drove.
   
   Cheers - John.

[terry3000me]

quote:It saddens me to say it, as a life-long enthusiast of the marque, and I am by no means knocking for knocking`s sake, but the company named AC bears so little resemblance to the 'real' AC we know and love as to be unrecognisable, and I can`t see a way to bring it back.

   
   What's a 'real'AC, because I'm sure my idea/interpretation will differ from many other owners. Do you consider cars made by AC (Scotland) plc as 'real' ACs? Don't compare the compaines just the term a real AC. I consider the cars built in Malta and those from Germany as real ACs
   
   Terry

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by terry3000me:

quote:It saddens me to say it, as a life-long enthusiast of the marque, and I am by no means knocking for knocking`s sake, but the company named AC bears so little resemblance to the 'real' AC we know and love as to be unrecognisable, and I can`t see a way to bring it back.

What's a 'real'AC, because I'm sure my idea/interpretation will differ from many other owners. Do you consider cars made by AC (Scotland) plc as 'real' ACs? Don't compare the compaines just the term a real AC. I consider the cars built in Malta and those from Germany as real ACs
   Terry

   Hi Terry.
   I certainly do consider Scottish built ME`s to be 'real' AC`s, as they were basically a shift of production of the 'then' current AC designed product.
   As AC moved from the Hurlock era, via Autokraft to Frimley, there was still a tangible 'bloodline', but by the time we get to the Frimley/Normandy stage, that link has become watered down, albeit that AC was still (but only just!) a manufacturer at this point, which to me makes these cars 'Real' AC`s...Even the Maltese MkV`s were (To a greater or lesser degree, in my humble opinion.)still an AC product, just made somewhere else. Since the closure of the Maltese factory unit, AC is a name, on paper, but not a manufacturer.
   But now, we have a well-established Cobra replica being built by (by all accounts) an excellent and respected firm, being rebadged as an AC, in much the same way that the Smart Roadster was intended to be several years ago.(What ever happened to Project Kimber?)
   Carroll Shelby now endorses the Superformance Daytona Coupé and Cobra Roadster, but just because he puts his name to them, does that make them a 'Shelby' product? Personally, I say, No. It`s a paper exercise, as is Badging a Mohr(Gullwing GmbH) Cobra replica as an AC.
   Should, for example, AC have entered into this partnership not with Gullwing GmbH in Heyda, but instead with Pilgrim in Sussex, who make the 'Sumo' Cobra replica, would we recognise that from henceforth as a 'real' AC?
   Again, Personally, I say no.
   In a similar vein, The Brabham family took exception to their name being used for the "Formtech" GmbH (formerly Super Aguri) entry into the 2010 Formula 1 championships.
    but each to their own, and whilst I`m happy to defend my opinion, I have no desire to force it upon anyone, and can happily agree to disagree.[:D]

[TLegate]

I casting my vote in favour of the above posting - and then some!! Not that I'd ever make that public knowledge of course :-)
   
   I also favour erasing the 'Malta/Mk5' two-step from history as that was nobodys finest hour. The '5' thing was only classified as a car as it had a wheel at each corner, albeit temporarily....
   
   And badge engineering is just badge engineering.

[cobham cobra]

Nik,
   Nicely put.
   John.

[jbottini]

and well thought out!

[ANF289]

quote:Originally posted by Trevor Legate
   

   I casting my vote in favour of the above posting - and then some!! Not that I'd ever make that public knowledge of course :-)
   
   I also favour erasing the 'Malta/Mk5' two-step from history as that was nobodys finest hour. The '5' thing was only classified as a car as it had a wheel at each corner, albeit temporarily....
   
   And badge engineering is just badge engineering.
   

   Hmmmm...   What about slapping an AC badge on a Kirkham?  Now that would be the closest thing to the Angliss era that you can get these days.  Oh, hasn't Shelby already done that?   I guess badge engineering is badge engineering no matter who does it.

[TLegate]

There's a lot of engineering about!

[Clive Sutton]

Originally posted by Trevor Legate
   

   There's a lot of engineering about!
   
   This is a note I have sent to the editor of Octane today.
   
   
   Dear Mr Coucher,
   
   The latest AC Mk V1 and the curse of the Cobra.
   
   I read your recent article about the AC Mark V1 and was surprised that there was no mention of the most recent predecessor the AC Mk V. In fact you speak of predecessors and refer to the mark IV but nothing about the Mark V.
   
   Whilst the prospect of another 'new AC' is of course exciting, you have done your readers a disservice by omitting any overview or the history and in particular the recent past, i.e. the Malta period. As the official distributor and UK dealer for the Mark V I am well qualified to fill you in on this troubled chapter in the chequered history of the AC and the Cobra. From the various company failures to the legal wrangles even with the great Carroll Shelby personally.
   
   Back in 2005 there were similar fanfares when having gone bust in the UK , Alan Lubinsky brought about the transfer of the old presses to Malta where with the help of the government of Malta a 40,000 square foot factory was the base were the Mark V was to be built. As a petrol head motor dealer and a genuine Cobra enthusiast I went out to Malta to find that there was much promise and seemingly the resources to build a modern Cobra. The Mk V also had more legroom and power steering. Notwithstanding the very public chequered past I agreed to become the UK distributor. Regretfully after bringing just 3 of these cars into the UK it became clear that there would be much remedial work to bring these up to a condition that we could contemplate selling on as a functional motorcar. It has taken me 2 years and many thousands of pounds with established Cobra specialists to enable all 3 cars to be sold. The factory seemed always underfunded and closed down. It was reported in the Maltese Star that Alan Lubinsky had fled the country and was being pursued for 500K Euros lost by the Maltese government. I was told that the AC brand was warehoused in an American company. So it figured that it would be reapplied to another 'Cobra'. I never heard from Lubinsky again until  I bumped into him and the Gull Wing crew at the recent Top Marques show in Monaco. The car you have road tested was there also not with the Gull Wing roof . That does look like a great idea and would love to see one in the flesh.
   
   Most Cobra aficionados would agree that it was the Mark III that was the finest hour for the Cobra and it is this that most replica Cobras and most iconic with the side exhausted 427. In your short leader article you refer to the 'Superformance Cobras'. Globally there are two Cobra replica bodies that are well regarded, the Superformance and the Kirkham.
   
   Certainly the Superformance body and rolling chassis is first class and is manufactured in South Africa in a factory led by enthusiast Jimmy Price. This high quality composite body is now used by Carroll Shelby in the US to install the drive train and sell as a Shelby continuation Cobra. Equally the Superformance rolling chassis is completed into a turn key car in many countries. We are in the throws of selling one for a client at present and it is a solid well built body. New Superformance Cobras imported from the USA can be bought from around £60K LHD and the UK RHD supplied cars from £69K.
   
   Kirkham manufacturer a very high quality pressed aluminium body in a former Polish military aircraft factory. Most of these bodies go the USA. These end up in finished cars from around £70K
   
   Finally a UK Cobra manufacturer Gardner Douglas should not be forgotten. They make their own excellent get coat body and fit the same Corvette LS 6.2 motor that Gull Wing are going to fit to the new AC. Gardener Douglas actually carried out essential works to one of the AC Mk V's we had  and they are a first class organisation. They offer finished cars from £50K.
   
   We will continue to sell Cobras either classic original cars or some of these very high quality replicas. We are yet to hear formally about the Mark V1 but  the suggested price of £93500 seems to represent over £30K more that an excellent replica which seems a high price to pay for a stick on AC badge . Then that is I suppose the royalty for the brand.   Let's hope that the Gull Wing team are well enough funded for the car to be built and succeed although I am not sure how many takers there will be at that price point.
   
   For details of Cobras we have sold recently see
   http://www.clivesutton.co.uk/carsavailable/cobra.php
   
   
   Any queries please call.
   
   Kind Regards
   Clive

[Mark IV]

Mr. Sutton,
   
   May I say you are rather more diplomatic in the description of your dealings with "AC" than say, Duncan Hamilton was. Or for that that matter, the aforementioned Mr. Price who's quote regarding Mr. Lubinsky to the New York Times was "I would never, ever recommend him to anyone for anything" after being burned twice.....