It’s hard to dissociate the AC Cobra with Carroll Shelby. The legendary designer is credited for the success of the Cobra by dropping in a big V8 in the AC Ace chassis and making it one of the most competitive race cars of its time. In fact, it is often referred to as the Shelby Cobra in the US.

Unfortunately, there are only a few original examples left (be it restored, maintained, or resto-moded). As a result, the prices of AC Cobras around the world have skyrocketed and continue to increase to this day.

With prices costing more than an arm and a leg (and other body parts), it has become nearly impossible to buy one. Fortunately, you can now buy a brand new Cobra straight from AC Cars themselves. There is one catch though – it comes with a different powertrain. And no, it’s not a V8 motor.

Officially called the AC Cobra Series 1 Electric, as the name implies, it is an electric vehicle. On the outside, the design remains faithful to that of the original Cobra. However, under the hood,  the iconic roadster now packs an electric motor powered by a 54kWh battery in place of Ford’s legendary V8 engine. Despite now being an EV, it is no slouch. It can even match the original’s power figures.

According to, AC Cars the reborn Cobra EV is rated at 313 horsepower and 500 Nm torque, allowing it to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.7 seconds. A single charge is also good for 241 km. To handle the power, the suspension, steering, brakes, and other mechanical bits have been upgraded.

If an all-electric Cobra isn’t your cup of tea, AC Cars does offer a Ford-sourced powerplant. However, the engine is a lot smaller as it is the same turbocharged 2.3-liter mill from the EcoBoost Mustang. Called the AC Cobra 140 Charter Edition, it will be identical to the Series 1 Electric apart from the powertrain.

58 examples of the Cobra Series 1 Electric and another 58 units of the Cobra 140 Charter Edition will be built by AC Motors. Unlike an original example from the 60s, these reborn models won’t break the bank as much. The electric version is priced at £138,000 (Php 8.5 million) and the EcoBoost version a more affordable £85,000 (Php 5.3 million).