BRISTOL CARS

Bristol Cars, Bristol England 1945-present

Bristol Cars

Type	Private limited company
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1945 (Bristol)
Headquarters	Bristol, England
Key people	Sir George White Tony Crook
Products	Cars
Parent	Kamkorp
Website	www.bristolcars.co.uk

Bristol Cars is a manufacturer of hand-built luxury cars headquartered on Kensington High Street, London, England.

Bristol Cars is the last remaining descendant that retains the original name of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, a major aircraft manufacturer that at one point employed well over 50,000 people. After the Second World War, the Car Division of the Bristol Aeroplane Company was formed, later becoming Bristol Cars Limited.

Unlike most speciality automakers, Bristol does not court publicity and has only one showroom, on Kensington High Street in London. Nevertheless, the company maintains an enthusiastic and loyal clientele.

Bristol has always been a low-volume manufacturer; the most recent published official production figures were for 1982, which stated that 104 cars were produced in that year.

The company suspended manufacturing in March 2011, when administrators were appointed and 22 staff were made redundant. In April 2011, the company was purchased by Kamkorp. Since 2011, the company has been restoring and selling all models of the marque while a new model was being developed. The company returned to the automotive business in 2015 with an all-new model, called the Bullet, initially dubbed “Project Pinnacle”. The car was first revealed to the public on 26 July 2016, and production will begin the following year.

History

The Bristol Cars showroom on Kensington High Street

The British aircraft industry suffered a dramatic loss of orders and great financial difficulties following the Armistice of 1918. To provide immediate employment for its considerable workforce, the Bristol Aeroplane Company undertook the manufacture of a light car (the Bristol Monocar), the construction of car bodies for Armstrong Siddeley and bus bodies for their sister company, Bristol Tramways.

On the outbreak of World War II, Sir George Stanley White, managing director of the Bristol Aeroplane Company from 1911–1954, was determined not to suffer the same difficulties a second time. The company now employed 70,000 and he knew he must plan for the time when the voracious wartime demand for Bristol aircraft and aircraft engines would suddenly end. The company began working with AFN Ltd, makers of Frazer Nash cars and British importer of BMWs before the war, on plans for a joint venture in automotive manufacture.

Sir George Stanley White with Bristol the Bristol 450 Le Mans cars

As early as 1941, a number of papers were written or commissioned by George S. M. White, Sir Stanley’s son, proposing a post-war car manufacturing division. It was decided to purchase an existing manufacturer for this purpose. Alvis, Aston Martin, Lagonda, ERA and Lea-Francis were considered.

Beginning

A chance discussion took place in May 1945, between D. A. Aldington, a director of Frazer Nash then serving as an inspector for the wartime Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP), and Eric Storey, an assistant of George White at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It led to the immediate take-over of Frazer Nash by the Aeroplane Company.

Aldington and his two brothers had marketed the Fraser Nash BMW before the war, and proposed to build an updated version after demobilisation. This seemed the perfect match for the aeroplane company’s own ambitions to manufacture a high quality sports car. With the support of the War Reparations Board, H. J. Aldington travelled to Munich and purchased the rights to manufacture three BMW models and the 328 engine.

By July 1945, BAC had created a car division and bought a controlling stake in AFN. A factory was established at Filton Aerodrome, near Bristol.

1952 Bristol 401

George White and Reginald Verdon-Smith of the Aeroplane Company joined the new Frazer Nash Board, but in January 1947, soon after the first cars had been produced, differences between the Aldingtons and Bristol led to the resale of Frazer Nash. The Bristol Car Division became an independent entity.

Independence

Bristol Cars was sold after its parent joined with other British aircraft companies in 1960 to create the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), which later became part of British Aerospace.

The car division originally merged with Bristol Siddeley Engines, and was marked for closure, but was bought in September 1960 by George S.M. White the chairman and effective founder. White retained the direction of the company, but sold a forty per cent shareholding to Tony Crook, a leading Bristol agent. Crook became sole distributor.

New ownership

In September 1969, only a month before the unveiling of the new Bristol 411 at the Earl’s Court Motor Show, Sir George White (as he had become) suffered a serious accident in his Bristol 410. The car was only superficially damaged, but he suffered severe trauma.

As time passed it became clear that he would never regain his health sufficiently to return to full-time work. To safeguard the future of his workforce, he decided in 1973 to sell his majority shareholding to Crook. As the ties with the White family were severed, British Aerospace (successors to the Bristol Aeroplane Company) requested the company to move its factory from Filton Aerodrome and it found new premises in nearby Patchway. The showroom on Kensington High Street became the head office, with Crook shuttling between the two in Bristol’s light aircraft.

Under Crook’s direction the company produced at least six types, the names of which were largely borrowed from Bristol’s distinguished aeronautical past: the Beaufighter, Blenheim, Britannia and Brigand.

End of the second era

In February 1997, Crook, then aged 77, sold a fifty per cent holding in Bristol Cars to Toby Silverton, with an option to take full control within four years. Silverton, then son-in-law of Joe Lewis of the Tavistock Group and son of Arthur Silverton of Overfinch, joined the board with his father.

Crook and Toby Silverton produced the Speedster, Bullet and 411 Series 6, though 2002 saw the transfer of Bristol Cars fully into the ownership of Silverton and the Tavistock Group, with Silverton in the chair and Crook remaining as managing director. Together they developed a two-seater V10 named after the first Sir George White’s world-famous First World War two-seater aircraft, the Bristol Fighter.

Crook finally relinquished his connection with Bristol Cars in August 2007. In March 2011, it was announced that Bristol Cars had been placed into administration. Rescue came in April 2011, in the form of Frazer-Nash Research.

Pre-war BMW designs, Aldington brothers and early cars

Bristol 400, 1946–50

HJ Aldington, a director of the Bristol Aeroplane Company affiliated AFN (BMW’s pre-war concessionaire in the UK), used his British Army connections to visit the bombed BMW factory in Munich several times post-war. In 1945 he took plans for BMW cars back to Britain, and BMW chief engineer, Dr. Fritz Fiedler was also employed. Its first car was the Bristol 400, prototyped in 1946 and introduced at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show. Derived from immediately pre-WW2 BMW products (thanks to a connection to BMW through Frazer Nash), the chassis was based on the BMW 326, the engine on the 328, and the body on the 327. Even a variation on the famous double-kidney BMW grille was retained. Bristol, however, did a thorough examination of the car’s handling and ended up with performance “only matched by outright purpose-built competition cars”. Seven hundred of the Bristol 400 were built, 17 of which received “handsome” drophead bodywork from Pininfarina.

In 1949, the 400 was joined by the five-place 401. Bodied by Touring, it was aerodynamically sleeker, accelerated better, and had higher top speed. It was joined by the drophead 402, of which just 24 examples were built.

The 403 followed in 1953, which featured improved brakes, gearbox, dampers, heater, and engine (a detuned racing motor, in fact). Bristol would use this same engine in the

450, entered at Le Mans in 1953; it broke its experimental crankshaft, but despite being less than aerodynamically ideal proved fully five seconds a lap quicker than the competition. Bristol withdrew from racing two years later.

Along with the 403 was the

Bristol 404 two door saloon at the Adelaide Botanic GardensBristol 405 four-door saloon

404, on a shorter wheelbase, with a more powerful engine and styling reminiscent of the 450. The 404 introduced a concealed front wing-mounted spare wheel and battery. It was built to extremely exacting standards, and the price reflected it; this, plus newly introduced “punitive taxation”, meant only 40 were produced.

Bristol’s traditional wing-mounted spare wheel on a Bristol 410

The 405, which entered production in 1954, was much more successful, not least for being Bristol’s only four-door. It remained in production until 1958, with 297 saloons and 43 drophead coupés produced in all.

Bristol debuted the

406 in 1958, and it remained in production until 1961.

V8 cars

The 406’s replacement, the 407, was powered by a 5.2 litre V8 provided by Chrysler of Canada.

It was followed in 1963 by the

408, with drastic restyling as well as improved suspension. This was succeeded by the409. Many buyers preferred the crisp steering and gearbox of the earlier six-cylinder cars.The 410, introduced in 1966, was a return to the high-performance touring tradition, offering the same top speed as the 409, and superior acceleration, with the same powerplant. It also saw Bristol become a private company and marked a return to quality to the exclusion of output: no more than three cars a week were to be made.

1968 Bristol 410

In 1969, the Bristol 411 appeared, with a new 6.2 litre Chrysler V8 (still rebuilt and modified by Bristol, as before) delivering higher top speed and even better acceleration.

1970 Bristol 411 Series 1

Engines

Until 1961, all Bristol cars used Bristol-built derivatives of the BMW M328 2-litre six-cylinder engine. These engines also powered a number of sports and racing cars, including all post-war Frazer Nashes (apart from a few prototypes), some ACs, some Lotus and Cooper racing cars, and several others.

In 1961, with the launch of the Bristol 407, the company switched to larger Chrysler V8 engines, which were more suitable for the increasingly heavy cars. All post-1961 Bristols, including the later Blenheim and Fighter models, used Chrysler engines.

Kamkorp era (2011–)

Administration and purchase

On 3 March 2011 it was announced that Bristol Cars had gone into administration, with the immediate loss of 22 jobs.^[18] On 21 April 2011 the company was purchased by Kamkorp, which also owns Frazer-Nash Research, a manufacturer of electric vehicles. The acquisition could thus be presented as a reunion of two great names of British motoring, despite there being no connection with the original Frazer Nash car company.

Bristol Bullet

Bristol Bullet and a Bristol 405 Drophead coupé on display at Salon Prive’

Main article: Bristol Bullet (car)

In 2014 Bristol Cars announed the development of a new model codenamed “Project Pinnacle”. Initial reports indicated it would be a petrol-electric hybrid with a petrol engine from BMW. However a later media report and a May 2015 press release indicated that the car would have non-hybrid V8 power.

2016 Bristol Bullet

The car, a 2-seater roadster, made its first public appearance, slightly camouflaged, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June 2016. In July the car was shown undisguised, technical details were announced, and its name given as Bristol Bullet. It is powered by a normally aspirated BMW V8 engine of 4.8 litres and 370 bhp driving the rear wheels, has a body of carbon fibre, weighs 1130 kg, and will cost £250,000. The planned production run is 70. The company states that the car is a precursor of future range-extender electric vehicles.

Models

1956 Bristol 405 Drop Head Coupe, coachwork by Abbots of Farnham

1974 Bristol 411 Series 4

Bristol 407 Zagato the inspiration and forerunner to the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato

Bristol Fighter, 2004

Bristol-engined cars

Type 400 (1946–50)Type 401 (1948–53)Type 402 (1949–50)

Type 403 (1953–55)Type 404 (1953–55) Type 404X Arnolt Bristol (1954–58)Type 405 (1954–58)Type 406 (1958–61) Type 450 (1953–55)

Chrysler-engined cars

Type 407 (1961–63)

Bristol 408 MkII. Introduced in 1965, the MkII gained a larger 5211cc V8 engine with a cast alloy gearbox

Type 408 (1963–65)

Type 409 (1965–67)

Bristol 410

Bristol 410 1969. Introduced in 1967 the 410 evolved the 409 and was given a 5211cc V8 engine and revised grille and lighting.

Type 410 (1967–69) Type 411 (1969–76)

Type 412/Beaufighter (1975–93) Beaufort Type 603 (1976–82) Britannia Brigand (1982–93) Blenheim (1993–2011)Blenheim 2 Blenheim 3, 3S and 3G Blenheim 4 Series 6 (2000–2011)

Blenheim Roadster/Speedster (2003–11) Fighter (2004–11)

BMW-engined cars

Bullet (2016–)

See also

• Bristol Commercial Vehicles
• List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom

References

1. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} “Die wundersame Welt von Bristol”. Auto Bild (in German). 6 January 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
2. Jump up^ “Supercar Supermarket: BRISTOL FIGHTER – Feature”. Car and Driver. January 2001. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
3. Jump up^ Lösch (1984), p. 402.
4. Jump up^ “Bristol Cars announces 22 staff redundancies”. BBC News. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
5. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} “Bristol Cars bought by Kamkorp Autokraft”. BBC News. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
6. Jump up^ “Bristol Cars”. Bristol Cars. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
7. Jump up^ Jenkins, Alex (18 July 2016). “Bristol Cars to make comeback with new Bristol Bullet”. Auto Express. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
8. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} Lawrence (1991), p. 58.
9. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} “The Bristol Cars Story”. Bristolcars.co.uk. Retrieved13 March 2015.
10. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} Rob de la Rive Box. “Encyclopaedia of Classic Cars: Sports Cars 1945-1975”. Books.google.com. p. 64. Retrieved2016-08-17.
11. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d} Setright (1978), p. 233.
12. Jump up^ “Farewell Tony Crook: Racing driver and ex-Bristol Cars owner dies at 93”. Bristol Post. 19 February 2014. Retrieved13 March 2015.
13. Jump up^ Setright (1978), p. 232.
14. Jump up^ Setright (1978), pp. 232–3.
15. Jump up^ Setright (1978), pp. 233–4.
16. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c} Setright (1978), p. 234.
17. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d} Setright (1978), p. 235.
18. Jump up^ “Bristol Cars goes into administration”. BBC News. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
19. Jump up^ Pollard, Tim (2015-06-02). “Bristol Cars is back with new 2015 Pinnacle model by CAR Magazine”. Carmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
20. Jump up^ “Bristol previews new Project Pinnacle anniversary car”.Autocar.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
21. Jump up^ “PRESS RELEASE : BRISTOL CARS CONFIRMS POWERTRAIN FOR 70th ANNIVERSARY PROJECT PINNACLE” (PDF). Bristolcars.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
22. Jump up^ “Bristol Bullet to be precursor of electrified models”.Autocar.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-17.

Other sources

• Lawrence, Mike (1991). A to Z of Sports Cars. Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-81-8.
• Lösch, Annamaria, ed. (1984). World Cars. Herald Books.
• Setright, L. J. K. (1978). Northey, Tom, ed. Bristol: A Quiet Touch of Class. World of Automobiles. 2. Phoebus.

External links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O_SsV7CgiY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R38EyGePqiE

• Bristol Cars Official Site
• Bristol Owners Club (UK)
• Bristol Owners & Drivers Association

MG Automobiles photographs only

MG CARS Photographs Only

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MG Magnette MkIII. The 1489cc B-series engine was given Twin SUs for the MG (and the Riley 4/68) when launched in 1959.

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source Profile Publicationsa #86

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MG Racing at Snetterton

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MG Automobiles

MG Cars

 This article is about the MG marque and its manufacturer pre-2005. For the present day manufacturer of MG cars, see MG Motor.

MG marque

Owner	MG Motor (since 2009)
Country	United Kingdom
Markets	Automotive
Previous owners	1924–1935: William R Morris 1935–1952: Morris Motors Limited 1952–1967: British Motor Corporation 1967–1968: British Motor Holdings 1968–1986: British Leyland 1986–1988: Rover Group 1988–1994: British Aerospace 1994–2000: BMW 2000–2005: MG Rover Group 2006–2008: NAC MG
Website	www.mg.co.uk

The MG Car Company Limited

Industry	Automotive industry
Fate	Merged
Founded	1924
Founder	Cecil Kimber
Headquarters	Longbridge, Birmingham (Previously Abingdon, Oxfordshire)
Products	MG Automobiles
Website	mgcars.com

MG WA 2.6-litre sports saloon 1939

MG is a British automotive marque registered by the now defunct MG Car Company Limited, a British sports car manufacturer begun in the 1920s as a sales promotion sideline within W R Morris’s Oxford city retail sales and service business by the business’s manager, Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés. Kimber was an employee of William Morris; MG are the initials for Morris Garages.

The MG business was Morris’s personal property until 1 July 1935 when he sold MG to his holding company, Morris Motors Limited, restructuring his holdings before issuing (preference) shares in Morris Motors to the public in 1936. MG underwent many changes in ownership starting with Morris merging with Austin in The British Motor Corporation Limited in 1952. MG became the MG Division of BMC in 1967 and so a component of the 1968 merger that created British Leyland Motor Corporation. By the start of 2000 MG was part of the MG Rover Group which entered receivership in 2005 and the assets and the MG brand were purchased by Nanjing Automobile Group (which merged into SAIC in 2008) for GB£53 million. Production restarted in 2007 in China, and later at Longbridge plant in the UK under the current manufacturer MG Motor. The first all-new model from MG in the UK for 16 years, the MG 6, was officially launched on 26 June 2011.

Overview

The original MG marque was in continuous use, except for the duration of the Second World War, for 56 years following its inception in 1923. The production of predominantly two-seater sports cars was concentrated at a factory in Abingdon, some 10 miles (16 km) south of Oxford. The British Motor Corporation (BMC) competition department was also based at the Abingdon plant, producing many winning rally and race cars, until the Abingdon factory closed and MGB production ceased in the Autumn of 1980.

Between 1982 and 1991, the MG marque used to badge-engineer sportier versions of Austin Rover’sMetro, Maestro, and Montego ranges. The MG marque was not revived in its own right until 1992, with the MG RV8 – an updated MGB Roadster with a Rover V8 engine, which was previewed at the 1992 Birmingham Motor Show, with low-volume production commencing in 1993.

A second revival came in the summer of 1995, when the high-volume MG F two-seater roadster was launched.

The MG marque, along with the Rover marque, went to the MG Rover group in May 2000, when BMW “broke up” the Rover Group. This arrangement had the return of MG badges on sportier Rover-based cars such as the MG ZT in 2001, along with a revised MG F model, known as the MG TF, launched in 2002; however, all production ceased in April 2005 when MG Rover went into administration.

The assets of MG Rover were bought by Chinese carmaker Nanjing Automobile in July 2005, subsequently bought by SAIC in December 2007, which now operate a UK subsidiary, MG Motor.

History

The Morris Garage

Morris’s 1910 building on his site in Longwall Street, Oxford

The company’s name supposedly originated from the initials of Morris Garages, W R Morris’s (Lord Nuffield’s) original retail sales and service business in Longwall Street, Oxford, when the business’s manager, Cecil Kimber, began promoting sales by producing his own versions. Kimber had joined the company as its sales manager in 1921. He was promoted to general manager in 1922, a position he held until 1941, when he fell out with Lord Nuffield over procuring wartime work. Kimber died in 1945 in a railway accident. The site of the garages was redeveloped in 1980, retaining the original frontage, and is now used as student accommodation by New College.

Debate remains as to when the MG Car Company started, although the first cars bore both Morris and MG badges, in addition to reference to MG with the octagon badge appears in an Oxford newspaper from November 1923, the MG Octagon was registered as a trademark by Morris Garages on the 1 May 1924, with its 90th anniversary being widely celebrated in 2014. Others dispute this and believe that MG only properly began trading in 1925. The explanation may lie in the distinction between the MG business and the company of that name which may have come to own it later.

1935 MG NB Magnette Airline coupé

The first cars which were rebodied Morris models used coachwork from Carbodies of Coventry and were built in premises in Alfred Lane, Oxford. Demand soon caused a move to larger premises in Bainton Road in September 1925, sharing space with the Morris radiator works. Continuing expansion meant another move in 1927 to a separate factory in Edmund Road, Cowley, Oxford, near the main Morris factory and for the first time it was possible to include a production line. In 1928, the company had become large enough to warrant an identity separate from the original Morris Garages and the M.G. Car Company Limited was established in March of that year, and in October for the first time a stand was taken at the London Motor Show. Space again soon ran out and a search for a permanent home led to the lease of part an old leather factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in 1929, gradually taking over more space until production ended there in 1980. The MG Car Club was founded in 1930 for owners and enthusiasts of MG cars.

Nuffield Organisation

Originally owned personally by William Morris, MG was sold in 1935 to Morris Motors (itself a member of the Morris Organizations later called the Nuffield Organisation), a change that was to have serious consequences for MG, particularly its motor-sport activities.

BMC

1966 MG Magnette Mark IV, a typical badge-engineered BMC saloon car

MG was absorbed with Morris into The British Motor Corporation Limited, created in 1952 to merge Morris Motors Limited and The Austin Motor Company Limited. Long-time service manager John Thornley took over as general manager, guiding the company through its best years until his retirement in 1969. Under BMC, several MG models were no more than badge-engineered versions of other marques, with the main exception being the small MG sports cars. BMC took over Jaguar Cars in September 1966 and that December BMC changed its name to British Motor Holdings. BMH joined with Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968 to form British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC).

BL

Following partial nationalisation in 1975, BLMC became British Leyland (later just BL). British Leyland’s management and engineering staff were predominantly from the former Leyland organization, which included MG’s historical close rival Triumph. Triumph was grouped into BL’s Specialist Division, alongside Rover and Jaguar, while MG was retained with the other former BMC marques in the Austin-Morris Division which otherwise made mass-production family cars. While new Triumph models such as the TR7 and the Dolomite were launched during the ‘Seventies no new MG models were introduced apart from the limited-production V8 version of the MGB. While the MG operations was profitable these profits were entirely offset by the huge losses accrued by the rest of the Austin-Morris division and any funding to the Division within BL was allocated to urgently required mass market models, leaving MG with limited resources to develop and maintain its existing model range, which became increasingly outdated. Amidst a mix of economic, internal and external politics, the Abingdon factory was shut down on 24 October 1980 as part of the drastic programme of cutbacks necessary to turn BL around after the turbulent times of the 1970s. The last car to be built there was the MGB, and after the closure of the Abingdon plant, the MG marque was temporarily abandoned.

Though many plants were closed, none created such an uproar among workers, dealers, clubs, and customers as this closure did. Years later, Sir Michael Edwardes expressed regret about his decision.

In 1982, the marque was revived and the Austin Rover Group built high-performance versions of their saloon and hatchback models built at Longbridge (Metro) or Cowley (Maestro and Montego). The MG Metro continued until 1990, with the Maestro and Montego versions being suspended a year later.

BAe then BMW

In 1995, the MG F became the first all-new MG since the MGB

After BL became the Rover Group in 1986, ownership of the MG marque passed to British Aerospace in 1988 and then in 1994 to BMW. The MG name was revived in 1993 with the launch of the MG RV8, followed by the mid-engined MG F in 1995.

MG Rover

BMW sold the business in 2000 and the MG marque passed to the MG Rover Group based in Longbridge, Birmingham. The practice of selling unique MG sports cars alongside badge-engineered models (by now Rovers) continued. The Group went into receivership in 2005 and car production was suspended on 7 April 2005. As of 2003, the site of the former Abingdon factory was host to McDonald’s and the Thames Valley Police with only the former office block still standing. The headquarters of the MG Car Club (established 1930) is situated next door.

In 2006, it was reported that an initiative called Project Kimber, led by David James, had entered talks with Nanjing to buy the MG brand to produce a range of sports cars based on the discontinued Smart Roadster design by DaimlerChrysler. No agreement was reached, which resulted in the AC Cars marque being adopted for the new model, instead. As of 2009, the project appears to be dormant.

MG Motor

MG Motor UK HQ – SAIC UK Technical & Design Centre

Morris Garages

Main article: MG Motor

On 22 July 2005, the Nanjing Automobile Group purchased the rights to the MG brand and the assets of the MG Rover Group (except the production line for the ZS model) for £53 million, creating a new company called NAC MG UK. This was later renamed MG Motor, after the merge of Nanjing Automobile with Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation (SAIC). In 2011, MG launched a new model, the MG 6 in GT (hatchback) and Magnette (saloon) versions which became the first new-generation MG available in the UK since the MG TF. The MG range is now sold in China, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, South Africa and the United Kingdom, availability of models depending on market.

The first all-new model from MG for 16 years, the MG 6, was officially launched on 26 June 2011 during a visit to MG Motor’s Longbridge plant by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

By March 2012, SAIC had invested a total of £450 million in MG Motor. Sales in the UK totalled 782 vehicles in 2012. The new MG 3 went on sale in the United Kingdom in September 2013.

MG Motor was voted third place for the ‘Best Manufacturer’ category in the Auto Express 2014 Driver Power survey. MG celebrated its 90th birthday in 2014, and enjoyed further celebrations with a record-breaking year that had the company lead UK car-industry growth in 2014. The MG brand’s sales rose by 361% during 2014 thanks in part to the introduction of the MG 3 to the product range.

Car models

The earliest model, the 1924 MG 14/28 consisted of a new sporting body on a Morris Oxford chassis. This car model continued through several versions following the updates to the Morris. The first car which can be described as a new MG, rather than a modified Morris was the MG 18/80 of 1928 which had a purpose designed chassis and the first appearance of the traditional vertical MG grille. A smaller car was launched in 1929 with the first of a long line of Midgets starting with the M-Type based on a 1928 Morris Minor chassis. MG established a name for itself in the early days of the sport of international automobile racing. Beginning before and continuing after World War II, MG produced a line of cars known as the T-Series Midgets which, post-war, were exported worldwide, achieving greater success than expected. These included the MG TC, MG TD, and MG TF, all of which were based on the pre-war MG TB, and updated with each successive model.

MG departed from its earlier line of Y-Type saloons and pre-war designs and released the MGA in 1955. The MGB was released in 1962 to satisfy demand for a more modern and comfortable sports car. In 1965 the fixed head coupé (FHC) followed: the MGB GT. With continual updates, mostly to comply with increasingly stringent United States emissions and safety standards, the MGB was produced until 1980. Between 1967 and 1969 a short-lived model called the MGC was released. The MGC was based on the MGB body, but with a larger (and, unfortunately, heavier) six-cylinder engine, and somewhat worse handling. MG also began producing the MG Midget in 1961. The Midget was a re-badged and slightly restyled second-generation Austin-Healey Sprite. To the dismay of many enthusiasts, the 1974 MGB was the last model made with chrome bumpers due to new United States safety regulations; the 1974½ bore thick black rubber bumpers that some claimed ruined the lines of the car. In 1973, the MGB GT V8 was launched with the ex-BuickRover V8 engine and was built until 1976. As with the MGB, the Midget design was frequently modified until the Abingdon factory closed in October 1980 and the last of the range was made. The badge was also applied to versions of BMC saloons including theBMC ADO16, which was also available as a Riley, but with the MG pitched as slightly more “sporty”.

The marque lived on after 1980 under BL, being used on a number of Austin saloons including theMetro,Maestro, andMontego. In New Zealand, the MG badge even appeared on the late 1980s Montego estate, called the MG 2.0 Si Wagon. There was a brief competitive history with a mid-engined, six-cylinder version of the Metro. The MG Metro finished production in 1990 on the launch of a Rover-only model. The MG Maestro and MG Montego remained on sale until 1991, when production of these models was pruned back in order for Rover to concentrate on the more modern 200 Series and 400 Series. High performance Rover Metro, 200 and 400 GTi models had gone on sale in late 1989 and throughout 1990 as the MG version of the Metro was discontinued in 1990 and the versions of the Maestro and Montego were axed in 1991.

The Rover Group revived the two-seater with theMG RV8 in 1992. The all-new MGF went on sale in 1995, becoming the first mass-produced “real” MG sports car since the MGB ceased production in 1980.

Following the May 2000 purchase of the MG and Rover brands by the Phoenix Consortium and the forming of the new MG Rover Group, the MG range was expanded in the summer of 2001 with the introduction of three sports models based on the contemporary range of Rover cars. TheMG ZR was based on the Rover 25, the MG ZS on the Rover 45, and the MG ZT/ZT-T on the Rover 75.

The MG Rover Group purchased Qvale, which had taken over development of the De Tomaso Bigua. This car, renamed theQvale Mangusta and already approved for sale in the United States, formed the basis of the MG XPower SV, an “extreme” V8-engined sports car. It was revealed in 2002 and went on sale in 2004.

Motorsport

From its earliest days MGs have been used in competition and from the early 1930s a series of dedicated racing cars such as the 1931 C-Type and 1934 Q-type were made and sold to enthusiasts who received considerable company assistance. This stopped in 1935 when MG was formally merged with Morris Motors and the Competition Department closed down. A series of experimental cars had also been made allowing Captain George Eyston to take several world speed records. In spite of the formal racing ban, speed record attempts continued with Goldie Gardner exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h) in the 1100 cc EX135 in 1939.

After World War II record breaking attempts restarted with 500 cc and 750 cc records being taken in the late 1940s. A decision was also taken to return to racing and a team of MGAs was entered in the tragedy-laden 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the best car achieving 12th place.

Prior to the use of the Toyota Tundra silhouette in the Craftsman Truck Series, MG was reported as the last foreign brand to be used in NASCAR. It was driven in 1963 by Smokey Cook.

In 2001 MG re-launched their motor sport campaign to cover the 24 Hours of Le Mans (MG-Lola EX257), British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) (MG ZS), British and World Rally Championships and MG Independent British Rally Championship (MG ZR). The Le Mans team failed to win the endurance race in 2001 and 2002 and quit in 2003. MG Sport+Racing raced in the British Touring Car Championships with the MG ZS between 2001 and 2003 as a factory team. In 2004 WSR raced the MG ZS as a privateer team. After three years without a major sponsor, WSR teamed up with RAC in 2006 and the team was called Team RAC. In 2007 an MG ZR driven by BRC Stars Champion Luke Pinder won class N1 on Britain’s round of the World Rally championship. Wales Rally GB. The MG British Rally Challenge still runs today despite the liquidation in 2005.

In 2004 plans to race in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) with a heavily modified V8 powered ZT supertouring car were cancelled due to MG Rover’s liquidation in April 2005.

MG / Triple Eight British Touring Cars 2012 – 2014.

In January 2012, MG Motor announced that it would enter the 2012 British Touring Car Championship through the newly established MG KX Momentum Racing team. In its debut season the team ran two MG6s driven by Jason Plato and Andy Neate. Jason ended the season in third place, with the car yet to find its foot in wet conditions.

MG / Triple Eight British Touring Cars 2015.

The team returned in 2013 with Sam Tordoff driving, who performed well in his debut year having joined through the KX Academy scheme. Plato once again came third, with Tordoff sixth.

MG won the 2014 Manufacturer’s Championship to break Honda’s four-year reign. After just three years of competition, the MG6 GT sealed the title by 95 points at the season finale at Brands Hatch. Drivers Plato and Tordoff racked up seven wins and 20 podiums in the 30-race calendar. Plato finished the Driver’s Championship in second place, behind Colin Turkington, while Tordoff finished seventh. The 2014 season also saw a third MG6 GT was on the grid, driven by Marc Hynes. Also maintained by Triple Eight but in a new livery which didn’t resemble the other two MG cars. MG came second in the Constructors Championship in 2015, with Andrew Jordan leading the MG team by finishing the season fifth.

List of models

The (1954) MG TF is the last traditional MG

The MG TF was “the last of the traditionally-styled MGs”, with a wood-framed body, separate wings, and running boards.

The MG MGB

MG MGB GT. The “winter appeal” of the MGB was widened with the arrival of the “GT” in 1965.

 

MG MGB GT.

 

The MG MGB.

For 1975 Larger wheels raised the car slightly which with new bumpers ensured compliance with increasingly prescriptive safety requirements in (primarily, at this stage) the US.

The MG Rover owners club was set up to preserve the Marque (www.mgr-forums.com)

Sports cars

1924–1927: MG 14/281927–1929: MG 14/401928–1933: MG 18/801929–1932: MG M-type Midget1931–1932: MG C-type Midget1931–1932: MG D-type Midget1931–1932: MG F-type Magna1935 MG F Magna. Dit is een originele racewagen die destijds al 230 km-h1932–1934: MG J-type Midget advertisement1932–1934: MG K-type Magnette1933–1934: MG L-type Magna1934–1936: MG N-type Magnette1934–1936: MG P-type Midget1936–1939: MG TA Midget1939–1940: MG TB Midget1945–1950: MG TC Midget1950–1953: MG TD Midget1953–1955: MG TF Midget1955–1962: MG MGA1961–1979: MG Midget

MG MGB

MG MGB 78

1962–1980: MG MGB1967–1969: MG MGC1973–1976: MGB GT V81992–1995: MG RV8

1995–2002: MG F2002–2005 and 2007–2009: MG TF

Subcompact cars1982–1990: MG Metro

 

 

 

 

 

MG Racing at Snetterton2001–2005: MG ZR 2013–Present:

MG 3

Compact cars (Small saloons)

1933–1934: MG KN1972 BMC ADO16 Amalgamated Drawing Office project number 16

1962–1968: MG 11001967–1973: MG 1300

Midsize cars (Medium saloons)

1924–1927: MG 14/28 1927–1929: MG 14/40

1928–1933: MG 18/80 1937–1939: MG VA

MG Y

1947–1953: MG Y-type 1953–1956: MG Magnette ZA + 1956–1958: MG Magnette ZB

1959–1961: MG Magnette Mk. III1961–1968: MG Magnette Mk. IV 1983–1991: MG Maestro 1985–1991: MG Montego

mg zs

2001–2005: MG ZS 2011–Present: MG 6 2012–Present: MG 5

Full-size cars (Large saloons) 1936–1939: MG SA

1938–1939: MG WA 2001–2005: MG ZT2007–2013: MG 7

Supercars

2005 MG XPower SV AMI

2002–2005: MG XPower SV

Racing cars

1930–1931: MG 18/100 “Tigress”1934: MG Q-type 1935: MG R-type

Concept cars

1985: MG EX-E

Vans1980s: MG Metro van

2003–2005: MG Express

SUVs 2015-present: MG GS

Notes

1. Jump up^ The M.G. Car Company Limited, incorporated 21 July 1930. Dissolved 15 June 2010. Company No. 00249645

References

1. Jump up^ Adams, Keith. “MG: A potted history”. AROnline. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
2. Jump up^ Wolseley And M.G. Companies. The Times, Friday, Jun 14, 1935; pg. 20; Issue 47090.
3. Jump up^ Bristow, Grahame (2002). Restoring Sprites and Midgets. Brooklands Books. p. 5.
4. Jump up^ Motor Sport, February 1932, Pages 168, 171.
5. Jump up^ Smith, Craig S. (2007-03-13). “The Classic British Sports Car From China”. The New York Times. Longbridge. Retrieved 2012-03-17.
6. Jump up^ MG? Not In America! Auto Trends, September 2, 2008. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
7. Jump up^ http://www.mgnuts.com/mgname/
8. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e f} Green, Malcolm (1997). MG Sports Cars. Godalming, UK: CLB. ISBN 1-85833-606-6.
9. Jump up^ Jenkins, Stephanie. “Old Morris Garages, 21 Long Wall Street”. Oxford History. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
10. Jump up^ Motor Sport, December 1930, Page 80.
11. Jump up^ “Leyland builds the last MG”. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
12. Jump up^ [7][8]
13. Jump up^ [9]
14. Jump up^ [10]
15. Jump up^ [11][12]
16. Jump up^ [13]
17. Jump up^ [14]
18. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c} Culshaw, David; Horrobin, Peter (2013) [1974]. “MG”. The complete catalogue of British Cars 1895 – 1975 (Paperback ed.). Poundbury, Dorchester, UK: Veloce Publishing. pp. 212–213. ISBN 978-1-874105-93-0. Retrieved 2013-12-06. The TC Midget was … announced in 1945, and its successor, the TD of 1950, though at first received with horror by enthusiasts on account of its specification, which actually included independent front suspension and even bumpers, is now … revered and sought after…. The last of the traditionally-styled MGs, the TF, came in 1953 and was built in both 1 ¹⁄₄– and 1 ¹⁄₂– litre form.
19. Jump up^ “Smokey Cook Career Statistics”. Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
20. Jump up^ “MG makes a return to racing”. The Telegraph. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
21. Jump up^ “MG WINS FIRST BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP MANUFACTURER TITLE”. MG Motor UK. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
22. Jump up^ “MANUFACTURER – CONSTRUCTOR STANDINGS”. BTCC. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
23. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} “Austin Rover Online”. Austin-rover.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-01-06.

External links

• MG Cars Official Website (Archive)
• Discussion forums for all types of classic and modern MGs
• Rovertech – The MG and Rover Enthusiast Community
• MG Car Club
• MG Owners Club
• BBC photos: MG Heritage Day in Windsor
• Classic MG Magazine Website – a magazine covering all types of MG

MG Motor

This article is about the current manufacturer of the MG automobiles. For the marque and the original manufacturer pre-2005, see MG Cars.

MG Motor UK Limited

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Automotive
Founded	2006
Headquarters	Longbridge, Birmingham,United Kingdom
Key people	William Wang (Managing Director)
Products	Automobiles
Brands	MG (Introduced 1923)
Operating income	£15.7 million (2012)
Net income	-£4 million (2012)
Owner	SAIC Motor
Number of employees	Approx 540
Parent	SAIC Motor UK
Website	mg.co.uk

MG Motor UK Limited (MG Motor) is a Chinese car manufacturing company headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, and a subsidiary of SAIC Motor UK, which in turn is owned by the Shanghai-based SAIC Motor. It designs, develops, assembles and markets cars sold under the MG marque. The marque returned to competitive motorsport in 2012, and won the 2014 British Touring Car Manufacturers Championship.

History

Following the collapse of MG Rover in 2005, the Chinese automaker Nanjing Automobile acquired the Longbridge plant and the MG marque for GB£53 million (US$97 million). Nanjing Automobile formally established NAC MG UK Limited as a holding company for the plant and marque on 12 April 2006. In March 2007, Nanjing Automobile unveiled the first MG vehicles manufactured in China, the MG TF, MG 3 and MG 7.

Assembly of cars restarted at Longbridge in August 2007, with production of the MG TF LE500.

In 2007, Nanjing Automobile was acquired by SAIC Motor, and in early 2009 NAC MG UK Limited was renamed MG Motor UK Limited.

The first all-new model from MG for 16 years, the MG6, was officially launched on 26 June 2011 during a visit to MG Motor’s Longbridge plant by Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. This car was imported briefly into the UK, but it was not a sales success and was withdrawn from sale in 2016.

By March 2012, SAIC had invested a total of £450 million in MG Motor. Sales in the UK totalled 782 vehicles in 2012.

The MG3 went on sale in the United Kingdom in September 2013.

MG Motor was voted third place for the ‘Best Manufacturer’ category in the Auto Express 2014 Driver Power survey. 2014 also saw MG celebrated its 90th birthday. MG enjoyed further celebrations with a record-breaking year that saw the company lead UK car industry growth in 2014. The brand’s sales rose by 361% during 2014 part thanks to the introduction of the MG3 to the product range, with a total of 2,326 cars sold in the UK.

Operations

MG Motor UK HQ – SAIC UK Technical & Design Centre.

MG Piccadilly

MG Motor operates the historic Longbridge plant. Currently the majority of MG vehicles sold in Europe are principally manufactured in China before being shipped to Longbridge as semi-knock-down kits for final assembly. There is also a major research and development facility at the Longbridge site which employs around 500 people.
MG announced in 2015 that it will open a GB£30million flagship dealership in the heart of London’s Piccadilly. MG Piccadilly opened in July 2015. Its location is 47-48 Piccadilly, London(opposite Fortnum & Mason).

Products

Current

Currently the majority of MG vehicles are principally manufactured in China. For the UK market, vehicles are shipped to Longbridge for final assembly. Since the merger of NAC with SAIC, some MG models have Roewe-badged equivalents.

MG GS

MG GS

Main article: MG GS

The MG GS is MG’s first production SUV launched in 2015, with sales in the UK commencing June 2016. The MG GS starts at £14995, with a 1.5 liter turbo petrol engine delivering 166 PS and 250NM Torque. The top of the range model also comes with the option of a 7 speed automatic transmission.

MG 6

Main article: MG 6

MG6 2015 Facelift.

The MG 6 hatchback was announced in April 2009. It is based on the Roewe 550.

The MG6 went on sale in Europe in May 2011. The model is assembled at Longbridge using complete knock-down kits produced in China.

The MG6 GT received mixed reviews, although the initial one engine choice (1.8 litre petrol) received some criticism. A 1.9 diesel engine was added in December 2012. It has also had mixed reviews from some in the media as regards the quality of the lower dash plastics though reviewers say the drive and handling make up for it.

A saloon version of the MG6, the MG6 Magnette, went on sale in July 2011 after making its debut in June 2011.

The MG6 won the What Car? 2012 Security Award. In the Auto Express Driver Power survey in 2014 it won the ‘Best Handling Award’ and came 6th overall in the ‘Best Car to Own’ category. In 2016 the MG6 won 3 awards: Auto Express Driver Power Best Family Car Bronze Winner, Auto Express Driver Power Road Handling Silver Winner and The Caravan Club Tow Car of the year class winner under £17500.

The MG6 Facelift was launched in 2015, with an updated look, improved interior design including EPB. Enhancements were also made including a 75 kg (165 lb) reduction in weight to assist in reducing the emissions and improving fuel economy.

The MG6 was withdrawn from sale in the UK in 2016.

MG 5

Main article: MG 5

The MG5

The MG 5 was originally unveiled at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show as a concept model. It is a FordFocus sized hatchback using the same base as the Roewe 350. It was released for sale in China in 2012 but has never been exported to the UK.

MG 3

Main article: MG 3

An MG3.

In 2010, MG unveiled the all new MG 3, which was shown in concept car form as the MG Zero. The car was initially launched in China with a choice of 1.3L or 1.5L petrol engines, and underwent a facelift in 2013, with sales in the UK following in September 2013.
During 2014 MG Motor UK was the fastest growing brand in Britain as shown by official figures issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Currently MG has the fastest growing network of dealers in the UK.
The MG3 was voted the 10th ‘Best Car To Own’ in the Auto Express Driver Power survey 2015.

Concepts

MG Icon

MG unveiled the MG Icon concept car at the Beijing Auto Show in 2012.

MG CS

Main article: MG GS

The MG CS concept car on display at Auto Shanghai 2013

The MG CS is a SUV concept that was unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show 2013. The CS previews MG’s first production SUV. The design team was led by MG’s Global Design Director, Anthony Williams-Kenny.

MG EV

The MG EV concept car was unveiled in 2014 based on the Roewe E50 to celebrate the marque’s 90th anniversary. The EV has a claimed acceleration 0-50 kph – 5.3 seconds and 0–100 km/h – 14.6 seconds with a top speed – 130 km/h. The LFP battery generates 52 kW and working in conjunction with the regenerative braking system enables a range of over 100 km. The battery retains more than 80% capacity after 2,000 charging cycles, equivalent to approximately ten years of typical use. The battery takes six hours to fully charge on a standard charge (220–240V), while a fast charge (380–400V) takes just 30 minutes.

MG EV.

MG3 Trophy

MG unveiled the MG3 Trophy Championship concept car at the MG90 event at Silverstone in June 2014.

The MG3 Trophy Championship concept, based on the current MG3 production vehicle platform and created to highlight in-house engineering, design and calibration capabilities by SMTC UK at Longbridge, continues the MG tradition of club racing.

MG3 Trophy.

The racing concept was created solely by a team of engineers, managed by Vehicle Engineering Specialist Adrian Guyll, and based at SAIC Motor’s European Design and Technical Centre (SMTC), located alongside MG Motor UK at the Longbridge site in Birmingham.

Former

MG TF

Main article: MG F / MG TF

The MG TF brand was relaunched in Britain during 2007. An updated MG TF model produced in a limited edition of 500, called the TF LE500, was assembled at the Longbridge plant by NAC MG UK. This was followed by a TF 135 model and a further limited edition TF 85th Anniversary, of which only 50 were produced. Production of the TF at Longbridge was suspended again in October 2009 and finally ended in March 2011. MG have said that they will first concentrate on building passenger cars, and have not given a release date for the TF’s successor.

MG3 SW

Main article: MG3 SW

The MG3 SW, a car similar to that of the Rover Streetwise, was sold in China between 2008 and 2011.

Sales numbers

Calendar Year	UK sales
2008	133
2009	374
2010	282
2011	363
2012	782
2013	504
2014	2326
2015	3152

Motorsport

MG / Triple Eight British Touring Cars 2012 – 2014.

In January 2012, MG Motor announced that it would enter the 2012 British Touring Car Championship through the newly established MG KX Momentum Racing team. In its debut season the team ran two MG6s driven byJason Plato and Andy Neate. Jason ended the season in third place, with the car yet to find its foot in wet conditions.

MG / Triple Eight British Touring Cars 2015.

The team returned in 2013 with Sam Tordoff driving, who performed well in his debut year having joined through the KX Academy scheme. Plato once again came third, with Tordoff sixth.

MG / Triple Eight British Touring Cars 2016.

In 2014, MG won the Manufacturer’s Championship to break Honda’s four-year reign. After just three years of competition, the MG6 GT sealed the title by 95 points at the season finale at Brands Hatch.

Drivers Plato and Tordoff racked up seven wins and 20 podiums in the 30-race calendar. Plato finished the Driver’s Championship in second place, behind Colin Turkington, while Tordoff finished seventh. The 2014 season also saw a third MG6 GT was on the grid, driven by Marc Hynes. Also maintained by Triple Eight but in a new livery which didn’t resemble the other two MG cars. Hynes finished his debut season in 18th.

For the 2015 campaign MG fought to regain the Manufacturers / Constructors title with a new driver line up. 2013 Champion Andrew Jordan and young gun Jack Goff pair up in the MG6 to fight against Honda, BMW and Infiniti for the title. MG finished 2nd in the Manufacturers / Constructors title challenge, with Andrew and Jack in 5th and 9th respectively in the drivers standings.

MG announce a new three-year contract extension with Triple Eight Racing for the 2016 BTCC campaign. The team plan was to bring in young and up-and-coming drivers with an intention to grow its own champion over the duration of the contract. Josh Cook, a former 2014 Renault UK Clio Cup Vice-Champion, and BTCC 2015 Jack Sears Trophy winner(award for the top rookie) and Ashley Sutton, graduating to BTCC after leaving the Renault Clio Cup as reigning 2015 champion, were announced as the new line up for MG.

References

1. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d} “China ‘can get MG back up to speed'”. Birmingham Mail. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
2. Jump up^ “New lease of life for Longbridge”. BBC. 2006-02-22. Retrieved2009-07-26.
3. ^ Jump up to:^{a b} “Nanjing Auto Rolls Out First `Made-in-China’ MG Cars”. Bloomberg. 27 March 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
4. Jump up^ “Production resumes at Longbridge”. BBC. 2008-08-01. Retrieved2009-07-25.
5. Jump up^ “SAIC merges with Nanjing”. CAR Magazine. Bauer Media. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
6. Jump up^ “Longbridge workers laid off”. Birmingham Post. 2009-01-21. Retrieved2009-07-26.
7. Jump up^ “China’s £1bn business deal with UK”. The Telegraph. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
8. Jump up^ “China’s premier promotes Sino-UK trade synergies”. Reuters. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
9. Jump up^ “Chinese owners plan more investment into MG Motor UK at Longbridge”. The Birmingham Post. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 1 August2012.
10. Jump up^ “2012 new car market tops two million units, a four-year high”. SMMT. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
11. Jump up^ “MG3 review”. The Telegraph. 4 September 2013. Retrieved20 October 2013.
12. Jump up^ “MG 3 UK first drive review”. Autocar. 4 September 2013. Retrieved20 October 2013.
13. Jump up^ “Best car manufacturers 2014”. Auto Express. 30 April 2014. Retrieved9 February 2015.
14. Jump up^ “MG records 361 per cent growth in UK registrations during 2014”. AR Online. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
15. Jump up^ “New £5m MG design studio unveiled at Longbridge site”. BBC News. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
16. Jump up^ “MG opens four more dealerships including flagship central London outlet”. Birmingham Post. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
17. Jump up^ “MG unveils new super-mini at Longbridge”. Express & Star. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
18. Jump up^ Holloway, Hilton (2009-04-20). “MG6 to go on sale in the UK”. Autocar. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
19. Jump up^ “China-Developed MG6 Will Be Built in U.K.”. Edmund’s Inside Line. 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
20. Jump up^ “Magnette’s back as MG 6 saloon”. Auto Express. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
21. Jump up^ “MG6 Magnette TSE review”. Autocar. 7 June 2011. Retrieved 3 May2012.
22. Jump up^ “Shanghai motor show: MG5 Concept”. The Telegraph. 19 April 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
23. Jump up^ “MG’s Focus rival unveiled in Shanghai”. Auto Express. April 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
24. Jump up^ Bird, Guy (2008-08-29). “MG TF LE500 (2008) CAR review”. CAR magazine. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
25. Jump up^ “Press Report : MG making 85th Anniversary model at Longbridge”.http://www.aronline.co.uk. AROnline. 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
26. Jump up^ “BBC News: No car production ‘until spring'”. news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 2009-10-17. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
27. Jump up^ “MG ‘wants a new sports car'”. Autocar. 23 March 2011. Retrieved2011-03-26.
28. Jump up^ “MG makes a return to racing”. The Telegraph. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
29. Jump up^ “MG WINS FIRST BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP MANUFACTURER TITLE”. MG Motor UK. 14 October 2014. Retrieved14 October 2014.

External links

• MG Motor UK
• MG global site

ELVA Automobiles

Elva (car manufacturer) Bexhill, Hastings and Rye, East Sussex, England, UK

Elva Engineering Co Ltd

Type	British Sports and racing car manufacturer
Industry	Automobiles
Founded	1955
Founder	Frank G. Nichols
Headquarters	Bexhill, Sussex, England, UK
Products	Elva racing cars Elva Courier

Elva was a sports and racing car manufacturing company based in Bexhill, then Hastings and Rye, East Sussex, United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1955 by Frank G. Nichols. The name comes from the French phrase elle va (“she goes”).

Racing cars

 Late Elva Mk IIa (#100/49, 1957), a transition model which shares much of the Mk III’s design

Frank Nichols’s intention was to build a low-cost sports/racing car, and a series of models were produced between 1954 and 1959. The original model, based on the CSM car built nearby in Hastings by Mike Chapman, used Standard Ten front suspension rather than Ford swing axles, and a Ford Anglia rear axle with an overhead-valve-conversion of a Ford 10 engine. About 25 were made. While awaiting delivery of the CSM, Nichols finished second in a handicap race at Goodwood on March 27, 1954, driving a Lotus. “From racing a Ford-engined CSM sports car in 1954, just for fun but nevertheless with great success, Frank Nichols has become a component manufacturer. The intermediate stage was concerned with the design of a special head, tried in the CSM and the introduction of the Elva car which was raced with success in 1955.” The cylinder head for the 1,172 c.c. Ford engine, devised by Malcolm Witts and Harry Weslake, featured overhead inlet valves.

On May 22, 1955 Robbie Mackenzie-Low climbed Prescott in the sports Elva to set the class record at 51.14 sec. Mackenzie-Low also won the Bodiam Hill Climb outright at the end of the season.

The 1956 Elva MK II works prototype, registered KDY 68, was fitted with a Falcon all-enveloping fibreglass bodyshell. Nichols developed the Elva Mk II from lessons learnt in racing the prototype: “That car was driven in 1956 races by Archie Scott Brown, Stuart Lewis-Evans and others.” The Elva Mk II appeared in 1957: “Main differences from the Mark I are in the use of a De Dion rear axle as on the prototype, but with new location, inboard rear brakes, lengthened wheelbase, and lighter chassis frame.” The car was offered as standard with 1,100 c.c. Coventry-Climax engine. This went through various changes up to the Mark IV of 1958.

 Elva BMW Mk VIII.

Carl Haas, from Chicago, was Elva agent in the midwest of the United States from the mid-fifties through the nineteen sixties. In 1958 he was invited to England to drive an Elva in the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood, where he finished twelfth overall. With the Mark IV: “The major change is an all-new independent rear suspension utilizing low-pivot swing axles. The body is entirely new with close attention to aerodynamics and a reduced frontal area.” At the Sebring 12 Hours sports car race in 1959 the #48 Elva Mark IV driven by Frank Baptista, Art Tweedale and Charley Wallace finished first in Class G, and 19th overall.

On June 21, 1959, Arthur Tweedale and Bob Davis won the Marlboro Six Hour Endurance Race in Maryland driving the #37 Elva Mk IV. Arthur Tweedale repeated the win in the Marlboro Six Hours in 1960. Teamed with Ed Costley he covered 337.75 miles in an Elva Mk V sports car. This was the final iteration of the Elva front-engined sports racing car. The last Mk V chassis won a number of important races in the midwest driven by Dick Buedingen, including the 1961 Elkhart Lake 500 teamed with Carl Haas. At this time Elva Cars Limited was operating from premises at Sedlescombe Road North, Hastings, Sussex, England.

 Elva FJ 100

 Elva FJ 200

Elva produced a single-seater car for Formula Junior events, the FJ 100, initially supplied with a front-mounted B.M.C. ‘A’ series engine in a tubular steel chassis. “ELVA CARS, Ltd., new Formula Junior powered by an untuned BMC ‘A’ Series 948cc engine. Price of this 970 lb. car is $2,725 in England. Wheelbase: 84″, tread: 48″, brake lining area: 163″ sq. The 15″ wheels are cast magnesium. Independent suspension front and rear with transverse wishbones, coil springs, and telescopic shock absorbers. The car is 12 feet, four inches long.” Bill de Selincourt won a race at Cadours, France, in an Elva-B.M.C. FJ on September 6, 1959. Nichols switched to a two-stroke DKW engine supplied by Gerhard Mitter. In 1959 Peter Arundell won the John Davy Trophy at the Boxing Day Brands Hatch meeting driving an Elva-D.K.W. “Orders poured in for the Elva but when the 1960 season commenced Lotus and Cooper had things under control and disillusioned Elva owners watched the rear-engined car disappearing round corners, knowing they had backed the wrong horse.”  Sporadic success continued for Elva in the early part of that year, with Jim Hall winning at Sebring and Loyer at Montlhéry.

Elva produced a rear-engined FJ car, with B.M.C. engine, at the end of the 1960 season. Chuck Dietrich finished third at Silverstone in the BRDC British Empire Trophy race on October 1. In 1961 “an entirely new and rather experimental Elva-Ford” FJ-car debuted at Goodwood, making fastest lap, driven by Chris Meek.

After financial problems caused by the failure of the US distributor, Frank Nichols started a new company in Rye, Sussex in 1961 to continue building racing cars. The Elva Mk VI rear-engined sports car, with 1,100 c.c. Coventry Climax power, made its competition debut at Brands Hatch on Boxing Day, 1961, driven by Chris Ashmore, finishing second to the 3-litre Ferrari of Graham Hill. The car was designed by Keith Marsden.

On September 8, 1963, Bill Wuesthoff and Augie Pabst won the Road America 500, round 7 of the United States Road Racing Championship, at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin driving an Elva Mk.7-Porsche. “The Elva-Porsche is based on the Mark VII Elva, but redesigned aft of the front section to take the 1,700 c.c. Porsche air-cooled flat-four unit and its horizontal cooling fan.”

Edgar Barth won the opening round of the European Hill Climb Championship on June 7, 1964, at Rossfeld in southern Germany in an Elva-Porsche flat-8 sports car. The cars were placed throughout the seven-round series with Herbert Muller winning at the final round at Sierre Montana Crans in Switzerland on August 30, 1964.

Around 1964-1966 Elva made a very successful series of Mk 8 sports racers mostly with 1.8 litre BMW engines (modified from the 1.6 litre by Nerus) and some with 1.15 litre Holbay-Ford engines. The Mk8 had a longer wheelbase and wider track compared to the Mk7, which was known for difficult handling due to a 70-30 weight bias to the rear. Following the success of the McLaren in sportscar racing, Elva became involved in producing cars for sale to customers:

“Later a tie-up with Elva and the Trojan Group was arranged and they took over the manufacture of the McLaren sports/racer, under the name McLaren-Elva-Oldsmobile.”

At the 1966 Racing Car Show, held in London in January, Elva exhibited two sports racing cars – the McLaren-Elva Mk.II V8 and the Elva-BMW Mk. VIIIS. The McLaren-Elva was offered with the option of Oldsmobile, Chevrolet or Ford V8 engines. The Elva-BMW Mk. VIIIS was fitted with a rear-mounted BMW 2-litre four-cylinder O.H.C. engine.

Luki Botha campaigned an Elva-Porsche in southern Africa from 1966.

Elva Courier

Elva Courier
Overview
Manufacturer	Elva
Production	1958-1969 500 approx made
Body and chassis
Class	sports car
Body style	2-door convertible 2-door coupe
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90 in (2,286 mm)
Length	154 in (3,912 mm)
Width	60 in (1,524 mm)

The main road car, introduced in 1958, was called the Courier and went through a series of developments throughout the existence of the company. Initially all the cars were exported, home market sales not starting until 1960. Mark Donohue had his first racing successes in an Elva Courier winning the SCCA F Prod Championship in 1960 and the SCCA E Prod Championship in 1961.

The Mk 1 used a 1500 cc MGA or Riley 1.5 litre engine in a ladder chassis with Elva designed independent front suspension. The engine was set well back in the chassis to help weight distribution, which produced good handling but encroached on the cockpit making the car a little cramped. The chassis carried lightweight 2-seater open glassfibre bodywork. It was produced as a complete car for the US and European market and available in kit form for the UK market. After about 50 cars were made it was upgraded to the Mk II which was the same car but fitted with a proprietary curved glass windscreen, replacing the original flat-glass split type, and the larger 1600 cc MGA engine. Approximately 400 of the Mk I and II were made.

The rights to the Elva Courier were acquired by Trojan in 1962, and production moved to the main Trojan factory in Purley Way, Croydon, Surrey. Competition Press announced: “Elva Courier manufacturing rights have been sold to Lambretta-Trojan in England. F-Jr Elva and Mark IV sports cars will continue to be built by Frank Nichols as in the past.”

With the Trojan takeover the Mk III was introduced in 1962 and was sold as a complete car. On the home market a complete car cost £965 or the kit version £716. The chassis was now a box frame moulded into the body. Triumph rack and pinion steering and front suspension was standardised. A closed coupé body was also available with either a reverse slope Ford Anglia-type rear window or a fastback. In autumn 1962: “Elva Courier Mk IV was shown at London Show. New coupe has all-independent suspension, fiberglass body, MG engine. Mk III Couriers were also shown. Though previously equipped with MG-A engines, new versions will be equipped with 1800cc MG-B engine.” Later the Ford Cortina GT unit was available. The final version, the fixed head coupé Mk IV T type used Lotus twin-cam engines with the body modified to give more interior room. It could be had with all independent suspension and four wheel disc brakes. 210 were made.

Ken Sheppard Customised Sports Cars of Shenley, Hertfordshire acquired the Elva Courier from Trojan in 1965 but production ended in 1968.

• 

  1960 Elva Courier

• 

  Elva Courier front/side view

GT160

GT160
Overview
Manufacturer	Elva
Production	1964
Body and chassis
Class	sports car
Dimensions
Wheelbase	93 in (2,362 mm)
Length	150 in (3,810 mm)
Width	60 in (1,524 mm)

There was also a GT160 which never got beyond production of three prototypes. It used a BMW dry sump engine of 2 litre capacity with bodywork styled by Englishman Trevor Frost (also known as Trevor Fiore, and who also designed the Trident) and made by Fissore of Turin. It weighed 11 long hundredweight (559 kg) and had 185 bhp (138 kW; 188 PS) so would have had very impressive performance but was deemed too costly to put into series production. The car was shown at the London Motor Show in 1964. One of the cars was purchased by Richard Wrottesley and entered in the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans. Co-driven by Tony Lanfranchi, the car retired early in the race.

An Elva GT160 at the 2014 Le Mans Classic

 Other ELVA’s from my collection after searching the WWW.

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That’s it

ELVA Race Cars on Facebook

Other companies

There was another Elva car company that lasted for one year, 1907, and was based in Paris, France.

See also

• Stuart Lewis-Evans
• Archie Scott Brown
• Archie Butterworth
• Tony Lanfranchi
• Trojan (racing team)

AUTO CARRIER CARS Surrey England UK 1901- still going strong

AutoCarrier CARS GROUP Ltd.

I found more information about AC and more than 100 extra pictures, so that’s the reason most of this Blog will look the same as the one before, but keep looking, there is lots more.

Hot

AC Cars Group Ltd.

AC Cars
Type	Private
Industry	Automotive
Founded	West Norwood, London,United Kingdom (1901)
Founder	The Weller Brothers
Headquarters	Thames Ditton, Surrey, United Kingdom
Key people	Alan Lubinsky, current owner
Products	Automobile
Parent	ACEDES Holdings
Website	AC Cars official page

A.C. Royal Roadster 1924

A.C. 16/70 Sports Drophead Coupé 1935

A.C. 2-Litre 1947-1956. The four-door configuration and the wider 6.75 × 16 inch wheels identify this as a later example. The flashing indicators will have been retro-fitted.

Seven of the 28 Southend Pier Railway cars, built by AC-Cars in 1949

1957 AC Aceca Bristol prepared for the “Carrera Panamericana” Mexican road race

1958 AC Ace, AC engined

A.C. Greyhound Saloon 1962

While the company’s sporting cars won plaudits from many enthusiasts, it was the long-running contract with the UK government for the production of three-wheeled invalid carriages that may have most impressed those concerned for the company’s financial stability.

1999 Cobra Replica

1971 AC Frua

1979 AC 3000ME

AC Cars Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd., is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car makers founded in Britain.

History

The first car from what eventually became AC was presented at the Crystal Palace motor show in 1903; it was a 20 HP touring car and was displayed under the Weller name. The Weller Brothers of West Norwood, London, planned to produce an advanced 20 hp (15 kW) car. However, their financial backer and business manager John Portwine, a butcher, thought the car would be too expensive to produce and encouraged Weller to design and produce a little delivery three-wheeler. Weller did so, called it the Auto-Carrier, and a new company was founded and named Autocars and Accessories; production started in 1904. The vehicle caught on quickly and was a financial success. In 1907, a passenger version appeared, called the A.C. Sociable. It had a seat in place of the cargo box. The A.C. Sociable was described in a review of the 1912 Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Show asone of the most popular cycle cars on the road, both for pleasure and business, and A.C. displayed eight vehicles on their stand, six for pleasure and 2 for business. The single rear wheel contained a two-speed hub, and the single cylinder engine was mounted just in front of it, with rear chain drive.

The company became Auto Carriers Ltd. in 1911 and moved to Ferry Works, Thames Ditton, Surrey—at this time they also began using the famed “AC” roundel logo. Their first four-wheeled car was produced in 1913; it was a sporty little two-seater with a gearbox on the rear axle. Only a few were built before production was interrupted by the first World War.

During the Great War, the Ferry Works factory produced shells and fuses for the war effort, although at least one vehicle was designed and built for the War Office. At the end of the First World War, AC Cars started making motor vehicles again, designing and building many successful cars at Ferry Works, as well as expanding into an old balloon factory on Thames Ditton High Street.

After the war, John Weller started on the design of a new overhead-cam 6-cylinder engine. The first versions of this design were running by 1919. The Weller engine would be produced until 1963; it is possibly the second-longest-lived production motor in history after the Volkswagen boxer. In 1921, Selwyn Edge (who had been with Napier & Son) bought shares in the company and was appointed governing director. He did not get along with Weller or Portwine, who resigned less than a year later. In 1922, the name changed again to AC Cars Ltd.

In customary fashion Edge sought publicity for the company through motoring competition. In 1921 Sammy Davis joined A.C. as a driver, competing in the Junior Car Club 200-mile (320 km) race, for cars up to 1,500 c.c., at Brooklands. In 1923  and 1924 J.A. Joyce won the Brighton Speed Trials driving an A.C. In May 1924, at Montlhéry, near Paris, T. G. Gillett broke the continuous 24-hour record in a 2-litre A.C., fitted with special streamlined bodywork, covering a distance of 1,949.3 miles. In 1926 the Honourable Victor Bruce, an AC employee, won the Monte Carlo Rally in his 2-litre AC. In 1927, Victor Bruce, with his wife Mildred (The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce), assisted by J.A. Joyce, set a 10-day endurance record at Montlhéry, driving an AC Six.

Selwyn Edge bought the company outright for £135,000 in 1927 and re-registered it as AC (Acedes) Ltd but sales, which had been falling, continued to decline. The company was caught by the crash of 1929 and went into voluntary liquidation. Production ceased for a time, and the company was sold to the Hurlock family who ran a successful haulage business. They wanted the High Street factory only as a warehouse (Ferry Works was not acquired), but allowed the service side of AC to continue.

A single car was made for William Hurlock in 1930. He liked it and agreed to restart very limited production, mainly using components left over from previous models. An agreement was reached with Standard to supply new chassis, the ancient three-speed transaxle was replaced by a modern four-speed gearbox (built in unit with the engine), and by 1932 a new range of cars was finally launched. Production continued on this small scale, averaging less than 100 vehicles per year, until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. The final pre-war car was delivered in June 1940, after which the factory was fully involved with war production.

After the Second World War

Production of cars restarted in 1947 with the 2-Litre and also a large contract with the government to produce the fiberglass-bodied, single seat, Thundersley Invacar type 57 invalid carriages with BSA engines. The 2-Litre used an updated version of the pre-war underslung chassis fitted with the AC straight-six and traditional ash-framed and aluminium-panelled saloon or convertible coachwork. The invalid carriages continued to be built until 1976 and were an important source of revenue to the company. They also built an aluminum-bodied three-wheeled microcar, the Petite. They also produced “Bag Boy” golf carts (with independent suspension to the two wheels!). In 1949, AC Cars also produced four trains, each consisting three power cars and four coaches, for the Southend Pier Railway in Essex. These remained in use until 1976.

In 1953, the firm began production of the AC Ace, a lightweight chassis designed by John Tojeiro with the venerable Weller-designed 2-Litre engine. Soon after, car dealer and racing driver Ken Rudd fitted his own competition Ace with a pre-war BMW-designed, Bristol-produced 135 bhp (101 kW) six-cylinder engine. This combination was put into production as the AC Ace-Bristol in 1957. In this form, the car raced at Le Mans in 1957 and 1958.

For 1954, a new aluminum-bodied closed coupe was unveiled at Earls Court, the AC Aceca. It was only slightly heavier than the convertible Ace, and because of better aerodynamics was actually slightly faster (128 mph (206 km/h) top speed). Only 328 Acecas were produced, and they were equipped with either of the Ace’s engines. There was a demand from some customers for a larger four-seater car, for whom AC produced the Greyhound. This was built on a stretched Ace chassis with coil suspension all around and a 2.2-litre Bristol engine.

In 1961, Bristol stopped producing their own engines—and once again, Ken Rudd came to the rescue, suggesting that AC use a 6-cylinder engine from the Ford Zephyr. These engines when fitted with the Raymond Mays twelve-port alloy head and Weber carburetors could be made to produce a safe 170 bhp (127 kW) and a 125 mph (201 km/h) top speed. The AC Ace 2.6 (as it is latterly known today) is for many people the prettiest Ace of all—and undoubtedly the rarest, with only 37 such cars built. To fit the Zephyr engine, AC had to modify the frame, relocate the steering box and completely change the nose of the car. These changes are often mistakenly attributed to Carroll Shelby.

Today, Acecas are popular at historic racing events. Arch McNeill, a factory Morgan racer from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s told fellow Texan and Aceca owner Glenn Barnett that “the Morgan team spent two years campaigning to beat the factory AC Acecas and finally did in the late 1950s”. Though more valuable than comparable AC or Shelby replicas, the Aceca is still a bargain when compared to a Shelby CSX Cobra, while maintaining similar performance.

The company also ventured briefly into railway rolling stock business, building five four-wheel railbuses for British Rail in 1958.

Carroll Shelby and the Cobra

In 1962, AC was approached by Carroll Shelby to use a small block Ford V8 engine in the Ace chassis, producing the AC Cobra. Shelby needed a car that could compete with the Chevrolet Corvette in US sports car racing. The resulting Cobra was a very powerful roadster, and it is commonly blamed for the introduction of the 70 mph (110 km/h) limit on British motorways. While this was a major factor in the decision, after a coupe version was caught doing 196 mph (315 km/h) during a test run, a then-recent spate of accidents under foggy conditions also helped the introduction of the limit.

At the end of the 1964 racing season, the Cobra was being outclassed in sports car racing by Ferrari. Carroll Shelby decided he needed a bigger engine. A big block Ford FE series 390 V8 was installed in a Cobra and the result was scary—the car was virtually undrivable. It was decided that a completely new chassis was needed. With the combined help of Ford’s computers and the experience of the AC engineers, the new MKIII was born with 4-inch (100 mm) main tubes instead of 3-inch (76 mm) for the chassis, huge cross-braced shock towers and coil springs all around. This, along with a bigger 427 ci version of the FE, made the new AC Cobra MKIII an absolutely unbeatable 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) race car. Specifically, the engine that was installed in the car was Ford’s famed 427 FE NASCAR “Side-Oiler” V8, a power-house engine developing 425 bhp (317 kW) in its mildest street version. Unfortunately, the car missed homologation for the 1965 season and was not raced by the Shelby team. However, it was raced successfully by many privateers and went on to win races all the way into the 1970s. The AC 427 Cobra, although a commercial failure when in production, has now become one of the most sought-after and replicated automobiles ever.

It was produced in two versions: a street model with a tamer motor, optional dual carburetors, a glove box, and exhaust running under the car, and a competition version with a stripped interior, no glove box, different instrument layout and revised suspension. The competition version also had a more powerful motor with only one carburetor, side exhausts, a roll bar and wider fenders to accommodate racing tires. At the end in 1966, Shelby was left with 31 unsold competition cars; he decided to sell them to the general public under the name of Cobra 427 S/C or Semi-Competition. Today these S/C cars are the most sought after models and can sell in excess of 1.5 million dollars.

Carroll Shelby sold the Cobra name to Ford in 1965 and went on to develop the famed racing Ford GT40.

Meanwhile, AC went on producing a milder version of the 427 MK III Cobra for the European market fitted with the small block Ford motor. The car was called the AC 289 and 27 were produced.

AC 428 or Frua and AC 429

AC 428 Frua

At the same time, the company realized they needed a grand tourer model that could appeal to wealthy customers. AC contacted the famed Italian coach builder Pietro Frua to design an appealing GT body that could be fitted on a MKIII Cobra chassis stretched by 6 inches (150 mm). The new car was shown at the 1965 Turin show. A few early models were fitted with the famed 427 Ford FE motors. In 1967 the long-stroked 428 motor became available and the car was known as the AC Frua. Built out of steel rather than AC’s usual aluminum, the Frua is heavier than a Cobra at slightly under 3,000 lb (1,400 kg). That said, it is still a light and very fast automobile built on a racing chassis. The car was never fully developed and the cost of sending chassis from England to Italy and back for final assembly made it so expensive that only a few were produced. Production ended in 1973 after only 80 cars (29 convertibles and 51 coupes) were finished.

In 1970, a special version of the coupé was built. It was based on an extended bodyshell that Frua built for Monteverdi which was supposed to become the second Monteverdi 375/L. After the alliance of Monteverdi and Frua split off in Summer 1969, that bodyshell remained in the Frua works in Turin. A year or so later Frua changed some details on front and rear, including some semi-hidden headlamps which had been seen on the Iso Lele and the Iso Grifo, second series, before. The car was called AC 429; it remained a one-off.

3000ME

The 1970s were not a good period for luxury car manufacturers and Derek Hurlock went searching for a totally new smaller car. Mid-engined designs were in fashion at the time and in 1972 the Diablo, a prototype with an Austin Maxi engine and transaxle, was built by privateers Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables. In much the same way as they had taken up the Tojeiro prototype and turned it into the Ace, AC acquired the rights and at the 1973 London Motor Show showed their own version, the mid-engined ME3000 with the 3.0-litre Ford Essex V6 engine installed transversely over a bespoke AC-designed gearbox. Development was virtually complete in 1976 when new Type Approval regulations were introduced. A prototype failed the 30 mph (48 km/h) crash test, and the chassis had to be redesigned. On the second attempt, the car passed with flying colours. This was a huge achievement for a tiny firm—Vauxhall had to make several attempts before the contemporary Chevette passed. For AC, such delays meant that the first production cars (now renamed 3000ME) were not delivered until 1979, by which time they were in direct competition with the Lotus Esprit. Although comfortable, brisk, nicely built and practical, AC’s ambitions of selling 250 cars per year were a distant memory. After just 71 cars were sold, Hurlock called a halt to production as his health was suffering and the company was struggling in the teeth of a recession. In 1984, production stopped at Thames Ditton and the car and the AC name were licenced to a new company registered as AC (Scotland) plc run by David McDonald in a new factory in Hillington, Glasgow. Here, 30 cars were built, including a development car tested with Alfa Romeo‘s 2.5-litre V6 engine and a nearly complete Mark 2 prototype of the same. Regardless (or possibly because) of these developments, AC Scotland called in the receivers in 1985. After selling the historic High Street works for redevelopment, AC themselves soldiered on as a service operation in the “21st Century” works on Summer Road until the Hurlock family finally sold their holdings in 1986 to William West. After some complex machinations the company was split between property interests and the car brand; the former was renamed and the latter was acquired by Brian Angliss.

Brian Angliss era

In 1982 Brian Angliss was running Autokraft, a Cobra restoration shop, parts supplier and replica manufacturer. To further such pursuits, he acquired some of the tooling from Thames Ditton and created the MKIV; the car had US-spec 5 mph (8.0 km/h) bumpers, a federalized motor, and a larger interior with modern switchgear. About 480 cars were produced in his factory at Brooklands. He also produced a lightweight model which was more in tune with the original Cobra spirit, though it could not be imported to the US due to Federal regulations.

Early cars were sold as the Autokraft MKIV but eventually Angliss acquired the rights to use the AC name. Derek Hurlock had been strongly protective of the name, but Angliss’ high standards of craftsmanship won him over. When the Hurlock family finally sold up in 1986 Angliss fully acquired the AC trademark rights and set up a new AC company as a joint venture with Ford, who had also recently bought Aston Martin. A big conflict followed over the future direction for AC, but Angliss eventually won his independence as well as Ford’s continuing and essential cooperation as an engine and parts supplier.

Also interested in aircraft, Angliss restored a Hawker Hurricane XIIB at Brooklands as well as acquiring two ex–Indian Air Force Hawker Tempest IIs as future projects. The Hurricane was registered as G-HURR and was destroyed in a fatal accident at the Shoreham air show in 2007.

Angliss looked for a new car to complement and perhaps replace the MKIV. At the 1993 London Motor Show, he introduced a new vehicle that he named the AC Ace. It was a modern automobile with a stainless steel chassis and an aluminum body, but was expensive to develop and build. The costs hit Angliss hard and he sold his large motor bike collection, vintage Bentley and other assets to try to make ends meet. The receivers were called in by 1996 after approximately 50 “new” Aces had been built.

AC (1996–present)

In March 1996, largely due to the cost of developing the new Ace, Angliss’ company went into receivership and was eventually sold to Pride Automotive in December 1996, who continued car production in Weybridge, Surrey under the name of AC Car Group Ltd. The AC trademarks and intellectual property were transferred to Acedes Holdings, LLC. Both the Cobra Mk IV and the Ace were made, and soon a ‘CRS’ version of the Mk IV was announced with a carbon fibre body shell, a 212 S/C version with Lotus twin turbo V8 power, as well as the AC Superblower with a supercharger Ford V8. Two or three closed Aceca coupe versions of the Ace were also made.

In 2003, Carroll Shelby International and AC Motor Holdings, Ltd. announced production of an authentic Shelby/AC Cobra, with the production vehicle arriving at dealers in July 2004. Initially, available models included Shelby AC 427 S/C Cobra and Shelby AC 289 FIA Cobra, which would be branded as the CSX 1000 and CSX 7500 Series, respectively. In February 2004, the first handcrafted aluminum body shell was built.

Due to rising costs in the UK, AC relocated to Malta in 2005 and started production of the carbon-fibre bodied AC MkV. Due to problems with the factory building, production ceased in 2007.

In 2007, AC announced a joint venture with Brooklands Motor Company (the spiritual successor of Autokraft) in Weybridge, Surrey, UK and confirmed plans for the continuation of the traditional AC designed tubular chassis and aluminium bodied models.

AC Heritage seem to be the owners of certain models, as their website lists two, both of the original design. More importantly, because their models are made in the “origin” country of where AC Cars started over a century ago, then the heritage of these cars is retained. Whereas, the model made in Germany would not follow the heritage of company, and so would not be an “authentic” AC branded car, much like a Ferrari would not be seen as a “genuine” Ferrari if it were made in China. Their website reveals their adherence to the history of the company.

In April 2009, a joint venture in Germany was announced to manufacture the new AC MKVI. Following a supply deal with GM, the AC MKVI had a totally new spaceframe chassis, 6.2 litre V8 engine and 6-speed manual transmission, and new Corvette brakes, retaining the original shape in lightweight composite material with the moulds taken from an original AC MKIII body. Following extensive development the car went into series production in July 2012 after two years of intense prototyping.

In 2010, AC announced a joint venture with the USA-based company Iconic which resulted in the design of the ultimate “Cobra”: the “Iconic AC Roadster”.

Acedes Holdings, LLC is the current owner of AC Cars.

At the Geneva Motor Show in 2012, AC Cars showed three different models: the AC MK VI, AC MK II, and AC 378 GT Zagato.

Car models

The AutoCarrier 648 cc

single-cylinder air-cooled 1904–1914Three-wheeler goods carrier with single wheel at rear and driver behind the load. Chain drive to rear wheel via two-speed epicyclic gearbox.

AC Sociable

648 cc single-cylinder air-cooledPossibly 1800 1907–1914 Passenger version of the Auto Carrier from 1907 with driver and passenger side by side (2-seater) or driver behind (3-seater).

AC Ten

1096 cc four-cylinder water-cooled About 100 1913–1916 Engine made by Fivet of France. Transmission by Transaxle (combined rear axle and gearbox). Two-seater and dickey or Sports two-seater. Optional 1327 cc engine pre war, standard post war.

The AC 12 hp

1478/1992 cc four-cylinder water-cooledApprox 850 including six-cylinder models to 19291920–1927 Engine made by Anzani or later Cubitt in Aylesbury. Transmission by three-speed transaxle. Two- or four-seater bodies.

The AC Six (16/40, 16/56 and 16/66)

1478/1991 cc six-cylinder water-cooledApprox 850 including 12 hp models to 1929 plus 50 assembled from parts 1930–33.1920–1929Engine made by A.C. Larger capacity from 1922. 16/66 had triple SU carburetors. Transmission by 3-speed transaxle. Two- or four-seater bodies.

The AC Six (16/60, 16/70, 16/80 and 16/90)

1991 cc six-cylinder water-cooled 618 1932 to 1940 1932–1940 Engine made by AC; 16/90 was supercharged with an Arnott blower. Transmission by four-speed ENV, Moss synchromesh or Wilson pre-selector gearbox. Longer and wider than previous Six. Chassis overslung 1932-33, underslung 1933-1939, overslung 1939-1940.

 

The AC 2-Litre

1284 1947–1958 Engine made by A.C. Two- and four-door saloons, drophead coupé and tourer bodies.

The AC Petite

350 cc single-cylinder two-stroke Approx 4000 1952–1958 Engine made by Villiers. Four-speed gearbox. Three-wheeler with single front wheel. Two/three-seater.

The AC Aceca

Aceca
1958 AC Aceca.
Overview
Manufacturer	AC Cars
Production	1954–1963
Body and chassis
Class	Grand tourer
Related	AC Ace
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 or 2.6 L I6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90 in (2,286 mm)
Length	153.5 in (3,899 mm)
Width	61 in (1,549 mm)
Curb weight	2120 lb (962 kg)

The Aceca (pronounced “A-See-Ka”) is a closed coupé from the British AC Cars company, produced from 1954 until 1963. The car originally had an AC engine but the similar Bristol-engined Aceca-Bristol was also available alongside the original from 1956 to 1963 when production of the engine ceased. A few cars were built from 1961 to 1963 with a 2553 cc tuned Ford Zephyr engine and sold as the Aceca 2.6.

Based on the open two-seat AC Ace, the Aceca was a hand-built grand tourer in the British tradition, with ash wood and steel tubing used in their construction. One notable feature was the hatchback at the rear, making the Aceca only the second car, after the 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4, to incorporate this element.

151 Acecas, 169 Aceca-Bristols and 8 Ford-engined models had been built when production halted in 1963.

The main difference between the Aceca and Aceca-Bristol was the engine. Both used a straight-6 unit, but the Aceca shared its 90 hp (67 kW), 1,991 cc (121.5 cu in) overhead camshaft AC engine with the lighter AC Ace, while the Aceca-Bristol used a 125 hp (93 kW) “D-Type” 2.0 L (1971 cc/120 in³) unit sourced from Bristol Cars. The Aceca-Bristol was also available with a milder “B-Type” Bristol engine of 105 hp (78 kW). The Bristol specification added $1000 to the Aceca’s $5,400 price tag in the United States. In the UK, the basic car cost £1722.

The front-end styling of the Ace and Aceca reportedly traces back to a design done by Pinin Farina for AC in the late 1940s. The car is rather light owing to a tubular frame, aluminium engine block and aluminium body panels. Large 16″ spoked road wheels and near 50/50 weight distribution allowed exceptional handling on substandard pavements. Later Acecas feature front-wheel disc brakes (added in 1957), while all share transverse leaf spring IRS, articulated rear half-axles, worm-gear steering, an optional overdrive on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, curved windshield, and leather-covered bucket seats. The suspension is independent at the front and rear using transverse leaf springs.

Aceca-Bristol

Bristol-engined AC Aceca (1957)

The in-line six Bristol engine fitted to the Aceca-Bristol was based on a design from BMW with cast iron block and aluminium cylinder head. It has a single camshaft with pushrods running vertically to a rocker shaft on the inlet side of the engine and further horizontal pushrods running in 6 tubes over the top of the engine in order to reach the exhaust rockers. The two inclined rocker covers give the engine a similar appearance to an overhead – camshaft arrangement. Three inline Solex downdraft carburettors bolted directly to the cylinder head casting via small adaptor plates.

Driving

The car has a fairly hard ride owing to the stiff suspension and holds the road well in corners, with some oversteer. The narrow wheelbase is noticeable, though. On the downside, the 90 hp (67 kW) engine is best at higher rpm, so the 0-60 mph time is not exceptional. Other weaknesses include inadequate rear mirrors, even though the hatchback window affords a large rear view, a heating system that isn’t suited for cold winters, and inadequate soundproofing for easy passenger conversation when cruising above 75 mph (121 km/h). The gear-shift is more solid than smooth and has synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, only.

AC Greyhound 1959 – 1963

AC Greyhound
Overview
Manufacturer	AC Cars
Production	1959–1963 83 made
Body and chassis
Class	Coupé
Powertrain
Engine	2.0/2.2/2.5 litre I6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	100 in (2,540 mm)
Length	175 in (4,445 mm)
Width	65.5 in (1,664 mm)
Height	53 in (1,346 mm)
Curb weight	2185 lb (991 kg)

The AC Greyhound (1959-1963) was a 2+2 version of the Ace and Aceca automobiles made by AC Cars of Thames Ditton, Surrey, England. The Greyhound, of which 83 examples were built, had a two-door, four-seater aluminium body, and inherited most of the technical components of the Ace and Aceca:

• ladder-frame chassis
• independent coil spring suspension front and rear. Unlike the Ace and Aceca the rear suspension used semi-trailing arms.
• 4-speed manual gearbox, overdrive optional
• rack and pinion steering;
• 11.75 in (298 mm) disc brake front, 11 in (279 mm) drum brake rear

Various straight-six engines were fitted:

• 1.991-litre AC Cars OHC (75 bhp @ 4500 rpm; 1000 kg)
• 1.971-litre Bristol 100D2 OHV, (125 bhp @ 5750 rpm; 1015 kg)
• 2.216-litre Bristol (105 bhp @ 4700 rpm; 1093 kg)
• 2.553-litre Ford Zephyr (up to 170 bhp @ 5500; 1040 kg)

Three Greyhounds were left-hand drive; the rest were right-hand drive.

1962

A 2 litre Bristol engined car with overdrive tested by The Motor magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 110 mph (180 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 11.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of 21.8 miles per imperial gallon (13.0 L/100 km; 18.2 mpg_-US) was recorded. The test car cost £3185 including taxes.

The AC Cobra

AC Cobra
AC Cobra MkIII
Overview
Manufacturer	AC Cars
Also called	Shelby Cobra
Production	1962–1967
Assembly	Thames Ditton, Surrey, England Los Angeles, California, USA
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door roadster
Layout	FR layout
Chronology
Predecessor	AC Ace
Successor	AC MK IV

MkI
CSX2000 – The first Cobra completed by Shelby
Overview
Production	1962–63
Powertrain
Engine	260 or 289 cu in (4.3 or 4.7 L) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90 in (2,286 mm)
Length	151.5 in (3,848 mm)
Width	61 in (1,549 mm)
Height	49 in (1,245 mm)
Curb weight	2,019 lb (916 kg)

MkII
1963 MkII 289 (FIA Roadster)
Overview
Production	1963–65
Powertrain
Engine	289 cu in (4.7 L) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90 in (2,286 mm)
Length	151.5 in (3,848 mm)
Width	61 in (1,549 mm)
Height	49 in (1,245 mm)
Curb weight	2,315 lb (1,050 kg)

MkIII
1966 AC Cobra 427 (North America)
Overview
Production	1965–67
Powertrain
Engine	427 or 289 cu in (7.0 or 4.7 L) V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90 in (2,286 mm)
Length	156 in (3,962 mm)
Width	68 in (1,727 mm)
Height	48 in (1,219 mm)
Curb weight	2,355 lb (1,068 kg)

The AC Cobra, sold as the Ford/Shelby AC Cobra in the United States and often known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in that country, is an American-engined British sports car produced intermittently since 1962.

History and development

Like many British specialist manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace two-seater roadster. This had a hand-built body with a steel tube frame, and aluminium body panels that were made using English wheeling machines. The engine was a pre-World War II design of BMW which by the 1960s was considered dated. Bristol decided in 1961 to cease production of its engine and instead to use Chrysler 331 cu in (5.4 L) V8 engines. AC started using the 2.6 litre Ford Zephyr engine in its cars. In September 1961, American automotive designer Carroll Shelby wrote to AC asking if they would build him a car modified to accept a V8 engine. AC agreed, provided a suitable engine could be found. Shelby went to Chevrolet to see if they would provide him with engines, but not wanting to add competition to the Corvette they said no. However, Ford wanted a car that could compete with the Corvette and they happened to have a brand new engine which could be used in this endeavor: Ford’s 260 in³ HiPo (4.2 L) engine – a new lightweight, thin-wall cast small-block V8 tuned for high performance. Ford provided Shelby with two engines. In January 1962 mechanics at AC Cars in Thames Ditton, Surrey fitted the prototype chassis CSX2000 with a 260 ci Ford V8 borrowed from Ford in the UK; the 221 ci was never sent. However, early engineering drawings were titled “AC Ace 3.6”. After testing and modification, the engine and transmission were removed and the chassis was air-freighted to Shelby in Los Angeles on 2 February 1962. His team fitted it with an engine and transmission in less than eight hours at Dean Moon‘s shop in Santa Fe Springs, California, and began road-testing.

Production

Production proved to be easy, since AC had already made most of the modifications needed for the small-block V8 when they installed the 2.6 L Ford Zephyr engine, including the extensive rework of the AC Ace’s front end bodywork. The most important modification was the fitting of a stronger rear differential to handle the increased engine power. A Salisbury 4HU unit with inboard disk brakes to reduce unsprung weight was chosen instead of the old ENV unit. It was the same unit used on the Jaguar E-Type. On the production version, the inboard brakes were moved outboard to reduce cost. The only modification of the front end of the first Cobra from that of the AC Ace 2.6 was the steering box, which had to be moved outward to clear the wider V8 motor.

AC exported completed, painted and trimmed cars (less engine and gearbox) to Shelby who then finished the cars in his workshop in Los Angeles by installing the engine and gearbox and correcting any bodywork flaws caused by the car’s passage by sea. A small number of cars were also completed on the East Coast of the USA by Ted Hugus in Pennsylvania.

The first 75 Cobra Mark I (including the prototype) were fitted with the 260 cu in (4.3 L). The remaining 51 Mark I model were fitted with a larger version of the Windsor Ford engine, the 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8. In late 1962 Alan Turner, AC’s chief engineer completed a major design change of the car’s front end to accommodate rack and pinion steering while still using transverse leaf spring suspension. The new car entered production in early 1963 and was designated Mark II. The steering rack was borrowed from the MGB while the new steering column came from the VW Beetle. About 528 Mark II Cobras were produced to the summer of 1965 (the last US-bound Mark II was produced in November 1964).

Since late 1962 when the new GM Stingray was shown up briefly by the Mk1 Cobra (until hub failure intervened) the development of the Grand Sport Corvette program had continued at a pace and was thought to be going for a build series of 125 cars. This would allow GM to compete directly in the FIA GT class of racing. Just to compound this Enzo Ferrari was trying to pull another “fast one” on the FIA with the request for the homologation of the 250LM. The FIA had not forgotten the serious lack of production of the 250GTO, which it had granted homologation in advance of Enzo’s assured 100 minimum per year. Just thirty-six were produced over three years with two very different chassis, neither of which were too similar to the 250 GT which was supposed to form the basis of the vehicle. In an effort to prepare for the task ahead alternative engines were considered. The 289 cu in (4.7 L) leaf-spring Cobra dominated the US domestic race series (USRRC), with only one race lost in three years. The results in the FIA GT class were different. This was mainly due to the number of circuits that had much higher sustained speeds. Aerodynamics were more important and put the roadster at a disadvantage. As a result, coupe versions were built.

A stroker 289 (325),and the larger 390/427 up to the “cammer” 427 was considered. Shelby was told at the eleventh hour to use the iron 427 cu in (7.0 L). There was little time to fully develop a competition vehicle. The coil spring Cobra production was slow and an insufficient number made to meet FIA’s GT homologation. Therefore the S/C (Semi – Competition) was produced by making available to the general production the full race options for the street. By now Enzo was having races recategorised in Italy to prevent the almost inevitable defeat on home soil as the 250LM was not homologated as a GT and would have to run as a prototype. GM had pulled the plug on the Grand Sport and so the five chassis that were built had to run as prototypes and so were placed in a difficult position to say the least.

Shelby had earlier in 1964 fit a larger Ford FE engine of 390 cubic inches (6.4 L) in to CSX2196. Unfortunately the car was not able to receive the development it needed as resources were aimed at taking the crown from Ferrari in the GT class. Ken Miles drove and raced the FE-powered Mark II at Sebring and pronounced the car virtually undriveable, naming it “The Turd”. It failed to finish with the engine expiring due to damper failure. A new chassis was required developed and designated Mark III. CSX2196 was revised for the show down at Nassau which allowed a more relaxed class division of racing. This allowed the GT cobras to run with prototype Ford GT, GM Grand Sport Corvettes and Lola Mk.6. The first meeting that the GS Corvettes turned up to in 1963. It was for this event in 1964 that the Fliptop cobra was used. An aluminium 390 cubic inches (6.4 L) engine was used. However, the car failed to finish.

The new car was designed in cooperation with Ford in Detroit. A new chassis was built using 4 in (102 mm) main chassis tubes (up from 3 in (76 mm)) and coil spring suspension all around. The new car also had wide fenders and a larger radiator opening. It was powered by the “side oiler” Ford 427 engine (7.0 L) rated at 425 bhp (317 kW), which provided a top speed of 164 mph (262 km/h) in the standard model and 485 bhp (362 kW) with a top speed of 185 mph (298 km/h) in the competition model. Cobra Mark III production began on 1 January 1965; two prototypes had been sent to the United States in October 1964. Cars were sent to the US as unpainted rolling chassis, and they were finished in Shelby’s workshop. Although an impressive automobile, the car was a financial failure and did not sell well. In fact to save cost, most AC Cobra 427s were actually fitted with Ford’s 428 cubic inches (7.01 L) engine, a long stroke, smaller bore, lower cost engine, intended for road use rather than racing. It seems that a total of 300 Mark III cars were sent to Shelby in the USA during the years 1965 and 1966, including the competition version. 27 small block narrow fender versions, which were referred to as the AC 289, were sold in Europe. Unfortunately, The MK III missed homologation for the 1965 racing season and was not raced by the Shelby team. However, it was raced successfully by many privateers and went on to win races all the way into the 1970s. The remaining 31 unsold examples were detuned and fitted with wind screens for street use. Called S/C for semi-competition, an original example can currently sell for 1.5 million USD, making it one of the most valuable Cobra variants.

Cobra 289 Dragonsnake (CSX 2427) showing drag slicks at rear

Shelby wanted the AC Cobras to be “Corvette-Beaters” and at nearly 500 lb (227 kg) less than the Chevrolet Corvette, the lightweight roadster accomplished that goal at Riverside International Raceway on 2 February 1963. Driver Dave MacDonald piloted CSX2026 past a field of Corvettes, Jaguars, Porsches, and Maseratis and recorded the Cobra’s historic first-ever victory. Later, Shelby offered a drag package, known as the Dragonsnake, which won several NHRA National events with Bruce Larson or Ed Hedrick at the wheel of CSX2093. Only five Dragonsnake Cobras were produced by the factory, with three others (such as CSX2093) prepared by customers using the drag package.

An AC Cobra Coupe was calculated to have done 186 mph (299 km/h) on the M1 motorway in 1964, driven by Jack Sears and Peter Bolton during shakedown tests prior to that year’s Le Mans 24h race. A common misconception is that this incident persuaded the British Government to introduce the 70 mph (110 km/h) maximum speed limit on UK motorways, which up until that year had no speed restrictions, although government officials have cited the increasing accident death rate in the early 1960s as the principal motivation, the exploits of the AC Cars team merely highlighting the issue.

The AC Cobra was a financial failure that led Ford and Carroll Shelby to discontinue importing cars from England in 1967. AC Cars kept producing the coil-spring AC Roadster with narrow fenders, a small block Ford 289 and called the car the AC 289. It was built and sold in Europe until late 1969. AC also produced the AC 428 until 1973. The AC Frua was built on a stretched Cobra 427 MK III coil spring chassis using a very angular steel body designed and built by Pietro Frua. With the demise of the 428 and succeeding 3000ME, AC shut their doors in 1984 and sold the AC name to a Scottish company. The company’s tooling, and eventually the right to use the name, were licensed by Autokraft, a Cobra parts reseller and replica car manufacturer owned by Brian A. Angliss.

Chassis numbering

The Ace chassis numbers read AEX… “A” being the car series and “X” being for export with left-hand drive. Later with the introduction of the Bristol engine the chassis numbers ran “BEX…” When switching to the Ford 2.6 engine the Ace chassis numbers ran “RS…” for Ruddspeed as Ken Rudd may have been influential in the choice of engine. The first Cobra chassis was left hand drive and given the next letter in the alphabet,i.e. C. Then “SX” for “Shelby eXport” i.e. exported to USA. Therefore the numbers ran CSX… for all the US export Cobras. The four following numbers ran from 2000 sequentially. When the MKIII Cobra was built the identification ran from CSX3000, the 3 signifying coil spring suspension. For the European market the cars were built wholly by AC cars in Thames Ditton using engines and transmissions imported from Ford USA. These cars were given chassis numbers beginning “COB….” for “Cobra Britain” i.e. RHD home market and “COX…” for “Cobra Export” i.e. RHD export other than to USA. COB/COX cars had chassis numbers beginning with a 6 and then either a 0 to signify a leaf sprung chassis or a 1 to signify a coil sprung chassis.

Autokraft era

Autokraft manufactured an AC 289 continuation car from 1982 as the Autokraft Mk IV, basically a Mk III with a 302 cubic inches (4.95 L) Ford V8 and Borg Warner T5 Transmission. The Mk IV also received an independent suspension. Shortly thereafter, Carroll Shelby filed suit against AC Cars and Brian A. Angliss, in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The ensuing settlement resulted in Shelby and AC Cars/Angliss releasing a joint press release whereby AC/Angliss acknowledged that Carroll Shelby was the manufacturer of record of all the 1960s AC Cobra automobiles in the United States and that Shelby himself is the sole person allowed to call his car a Cobra. Nonetheless, production of the Mk IV continued, from 1987 as a joint venture with Ford as the AC Mk IV with a 250 hp (186 kW) at 4,200 rpm, 4,942 cc Ford V8 which provided a top speed of 215 km/h (134 mph) and 0–100 km/h in 5.2 seconds. At the 1990 Geneva Salon the Lightweight version was presented: weight was down to 1,070 kg (2,360 lb) (compared to 1,190 kg or 2,620 lb) and power was up to 370 hp (276 kW) at 5,750 rpm thanks to alloy heads, a Holley four-barrel carburettor, and no catalytic converter. While the Lightweight did not meet US federal regulations, the Mk IV did, and 480 cars of all versions were built until 1996.

Post Autokraft era

Brian Angliss left AC Cars in 1996 and the company was restructured under new management. Two new ‘Cobra’ style cars were launched in 1997, the ‘Superblower’, an aluminium-bodied car with a supercharged 4,942cc Ford V8 providing 320 bhp and the cheaper ‘Carbon Road Series’ (CRS) with a carbonfibre body and a 225 bhp version of the Ford V8 engine. 22 Superblowers and 37 CRSs were built between 1997 and 2001.

A further variant, ‘the 212 S/C’ with a 3506 cc 350 hp twin-turbocharged Lotus V8 engine was introduced in 2000, but only 2 examples were built.

In 2006, AC closed its UK factory and moved to Malta. However only 3 right-hand drive carbon-fibre AC Mk Vs powered by 340 bhp 5-litre Ford V8 engines were built before the Maltese operation closed. Since 2009, AC has licenced Gullwing GmbH in Germany to produce the AC MK VI, with an aluminium coated composite body and powered by a 6.2 litre 440 hp LS3 Chevrolet engine, or a 550 hp supercharged version. In the UK, AC Heritage based at Brooklands, is licenced by AC to produce traditional 289 and 427 continuation ACs.

Coupé

Main article: Shelby Daytona

1964 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe(CSX2299)

1965 Willment/Ghia Coupe (CSX3055)

In an effort to improve top speed along the legendary Mulsanne Straight at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, a number of enclosed, coupe variations were constructed using the leafspring chassis and running gear of the AC/Shelby Cobra Mark II. The most famous and numerous of these were the official works Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupes. Six were constructed, each being subtly different from the rest. AC Cars also produced a Le Mans coupé. The car was a one-off and was nearly destroyed after a high-speed tire blow-out at the 1964 Le Mans race. The car was qualified conservatively second in GT. The race started well with the AC, chassis number A98, maintaining its position in the top two in GT and even leading the class for a time. This was not to last as an act of sabotage (newspaper in the fuel tank) began to block the fuel filter. The car lost time until this was diagnosed and cleaned out. The car proceeded on at the predetermined conservative lap time and for the next stint remained trouble free. The car was able to match the Shelby Daytona’s speed despite running a higher differential ratio (2.88 instead of 3.07) and a lower state of engine tune for reliability (355 hp instead of the Daytona’s 385 hp).

The third significant Cobra-based coupe was the Willment Cobra Coupe built by the JWA racing team.

A road-going Shelby Daytona Cobra replica is being manufactured by Superformance and Factory Five Racing, a well known kit car company. These cars use Pete Brock’s bodywork designs, scaled up to increase room inside, and a newly designed spaceframe chassis, they are powered by Roush-built Ford Windsor (Sportsman) engines. The Superformance Shelby Daytona Coupe is the only modern-day vehicle recognized by Shelby as a successor to the original Coupes.

Other road-going Shelby Daytona Cobra replicas include Daytona Sportscar from Australia.

Counterfeit Cobras

In 1993 the Los Angeles Times exposed a Carroll Shelby scheme to “Counterfeit” his own cars. With the price of an original 427 c.i. Cobra skyrocketing, Shelby had, by his own written declaration executed under penalty of perjury, caused the California Department of Motor Vehicles (the government agency responsible for titling vehicles and issuing operator permits) to utter forty-three “Duplicate Titles” for vehicles that did not officially exist in company records. A letter from AC Cars confirmed the fact that the chassis numbers Shelby had obtained titles for were never manufactured, at least by AC Cars. Only fifty-five 427 c.i. Cobras had been originally produced out of a block of serial numbers reserved for 100 vehicles. Shelby had taken advantage of a loophole in the California system that allowed one to obtain a duplicate title for a vehicle only on a written declaration, without the vehicle identification number appearing in the DMV’s database or the declarant ever presenting an actual vehicle for inspection. Shelby later admitted that the chassis had been manufactured in 1991 and ’92 by McCluskey Ltd, an engineering firm in Torrance, California, and were not authentic AC chassis.

Continuation cars

50th Annyversary Cobra Limited Edition CSX8000.

From the late 1980s onwards, Carroll Shelby (Shelby Automobiles, Inc.) and associated companies have built what are known in the hobby as “Continuation Cars”; Shelby authorized continuations of the original AC-built Cobra series. Produced in Las Vegas, Nevada, these cars retain the general style and appearance of their original 1960s ancestors, but are fitted with modern amenities. Initially the car everyone wanted in a Continuation was a 427 S/C model which was represented in the CSX4000 series. This was meant to continue where the last 427 S/C production left off, at approximately serial number CSX3560 in the 1960s.

The initial CSX4000 series cars were completed from the chassis built by McCluskey Ltd as well as other new parts and reconditioned Ford engines. Given the value of the vehicle many “extra” cars have appeared over the years, even some sharing the same chassis number. Gradually as the vintage parts supply ran low, newly constructed frames and body panels were obtained from a variety of suppliers. The production of chassis numbers CSX4001 to CSX4999 took roughly 20 years and many different business relationships to complete.

All models of Cobra produced are available now as continuations. In 2009, CSX4999 was produced, concluding the 4000 series. Production has continued with the CSX6000 serial numbers, featuring “coil over” suspension. The 289 FIA “leaf spring” race version of the car is reproduced as CSX7000, and the original “slab side” leaf spring street car is the CSX8000 series.

To date most continuations are produced in fiberglass, with some ordering cars with aluminium or carbon-fibre bodywork.

In 2004, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Ford unveiled a concept for a modernized AC Cobra. The Ford Shelby Cobra Concept was a continuation of Ford’s effort to bring back the retro sports cars that had been successful in the 1960s, including the Ford GT40 and the fifth generation Ford Mustang.

Cars were also produced by AC Cars until 2006, and since 2009 have been produced by AC Heritage, who are licensed by AC to produce 289 and 427 continuations.

Super Snake

Competition 427, (CSX3009) “Ollie the Dragon”

AC produced only 23 AC Cobra 427 competition roadsters. In 1966, one was selected and converted into a special model called the 427 (CSX3015) “Cobra to End All Cobras.” The first one of these was originally part of a European promotional tour before its conversion. This conversion called for making the original racing model street legal with mufflers, a windshield and bumpers amongst other modifications. But some things were not modified, including the racing rear end, brakes and headers. The most notable modification is the addition of Twin Paxton Superchargers, TPS. Shelby crafted two 427 models by himself adding a TPS. He gave Bill Cosby one and kept one for himself the CSX3303. He eventually converted the competition roadster to a street legal car with windshields, mufflers, etc. and named it the 427 SC ( semi-competition).

Another non-competition 427 roadster, CSX3303, was converted and given to Shelby’s close friend, entertainer Bill Cosby. Cosby attempted to drive the super-fast Cobra, but had issues with keeping it under control; he recounted his experience on his 1968 stand-up comedy album 200 M.P.H.. Cosby gave the car back to Shelby, who then shipped it out to one of their dealers in San Francisco, S&C Ford on Van Ness Avenue. S&C Ford then sold it to customer Tony Maxey. Maxey, suffering the same issues as Cosby did with the car, lost control and drove it off a cliff, landing in the Pacific Ocean waters.

Shelby’s original model, CSX3015, was kept by Carroll Shelby himself over the years as a personal car, sometimes entering it into local races like the Turismos Visitadores Cannonball-Run race in Nevada, where he was “waking [up] whole towns, blowing out windows, throwing belts and catching fire a couple of times, but finishing.” The CSX3015 was auctioned on 22 January 2007, at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Scottsdale, Arizona, for $5 million plus commission (£2.8 million), a record for a vehicle made in the U.S.

The AC Invacar

An AC Invacar Model 57 in the Museum of Transport in Manchester

The Invacar was a small vehicle adapted for use by disabled drivers.

History

In 1948, Bert Greeves adapted a motorbike with the help of his paralysed cousin Derry Preston-Cobb as transport for Derry. Noticing the number of former servicemen injured in the Second World War they spotted a commercial opportunity and approached the UK government for support, leading to the creation of Invacar Ltd.

A model 70

Early vehicles were powered by an air-cooled Villiers 147 cc engine, but when production of that engine ceased in the early 1970s it was replaced by a much more powerful 4-stroke 500 cc or 600 cc Steyr-Puch engine, giving a reported top speed of 82 mph (132 km/h). During the 1960s and 70s the Invacar, with its modern fibreglass shell and ice-blue colouring nicknamed Ministry Blue after the Ministry of Health, was produced in the tens of thousands. Developments including an extended wheelbase, wider track and use of Austin Mini wheels saw the Invacars right through to the end of the final DHSS contract in 1977. More than 50 variants were produced.

1976 AC Invalid Carriage

On 31 March 2003 Invacars were banned from British roads because of safety concerns.The veteran vehicle could not meet modern-day government regulations, which required approval under the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval Scheme as part of a standard set by the European Union. There were still around 200 Invacars in Britain prior to the 2003 recall and scrapping programme. Hundreds of stockpiled Invacars in government warehouses were scrapped along with all their spare parts. A few examples survive in the hands of private owners and museums in Britain and abroad.

All Invacars were owned by the government and leased to disabled drivers as part of their disability benefit. Their use had been in decline since the introduction of the Motability scheme, which offers disabled drivers a conventional car with modified options.

The AC Frua 427 + 428

AC Frua
1971 AC 428 Convertible
Overview
Manufacturer	AC Cars
Also called	AC 427 AC 428
Production	1965–1973 81 made
Designer	Pietro Frua
Body and chassis
Class	Coupé Convertible
Powertrain
Engine	7 litre V8
Transmission	4-speed manual 3 speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	95 in (2,413 mm)
Length	176 in (4,470 mm)
Width	68 in (1,727 mm)
Height	49 in (1,245 mm)
Curb weight	3,150 lb (1,430 kg)

The AC Frua or AC 428 is a British GT built by AC Cars from 1965 to 1973. With an Italian body, British chassis, and American big block V8 it is a true hybrid. Production was 81 cars built in total: 49 coupés (known as fastbacks), 29 convertibles, and 3 special bodied.

History

1967-AC-Shelby-427-Cobra-MkIII-7.0-liter-V8

The Frua is built on an AC Cobra 427 Mark III chassis extended by 6 inches (150 mm). Chassis were built at the AC plant in England then shipped to Frua’s workshop in Italy where the body was fitted and then sent back to England to have the power train and trim added. The cost was high and the cars could not be sold at a competitive price. Unlike similar cars such as the Iso Grifo, Iso Rivolta, Monteverdi, and De Tomaso models of the period, the AC Frua features fully independent racing based coil spring suspension.

The AC Frua was never fully developed because AC Cars lacked the financial means. The car’s main drawback is a tendency of the V8s heat to bleed into the cabin.

Chassis

1971 AC Frua convertible

Chassis construction was similar to most Italian supercars of that era, with square and rectangular tubing connecting the steel body to the frame. Though the 4-inch (100 mm) tubular chassis allowed both coupé and convertible versions to be rigid, the design was intricate and prone to rust. The bonnets and boot lids were fabricated from aluminum.

1972 AC 428 Frua Listing Full

Performance

1968 AC Frua coupé, front

1968 AC Frua coupé, quarter

1968 AC Frua coupé, rear

The AC Frua competed with Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati models. Built over a stretched AC Cobra 427 chassis, the car had immense performance; the big-block Ford FE engine had larger capacity, more torque and more power than similar Italian cars, but in a car of similar weight.

1969 AC Frua 428 Coupé II

John Mclellan said in his book “Classic ACs, Auto Carrier to Cobra” that Derek Hurlock once said to journalist Mike Tailor: “I like the 428 because it fits my image of a true GT Car”. He is quoted in Autocar “Like anything exclusive, especially from craftsmen, it costs a lot of money. For this you get one of the fastest cars on the road, guaranteed to make an impression anywhere, and backed by a small company that cares. This one AC that joined that select company of very fast, very luxurious touring automobiles which moved effortlessly from current model to collector’s piece”. The magazine published a road test report in 1968 of a 428 coupé, and recorded a maximum speed of 141 mph (227 km/h) along with a 0 – 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 6.2 seconds. The acceleration time was fractionally better than the magazine’s testers had achieved with an Aston Martin DB6, but the Aston Martin was comfortably ahead on top speed. The AC’s overall fuel consumption for the test came in at 15.6 mpg (18.1 l/100 km), roughly 15% better than the heavy Aston Martin. The AC 428 coupé sported a recommended UK retail price of £5,573 (including automatic transmission), to the manual transmission Aston Martin DB6’s £4,460 – itself roughly twice that of a 4.2 litre Jaguar E-Type roadster at £2,225.

Towards the end of the production run a couple of prototypes for an extended range were produced. There was a four door version of the coupe and a more streamlined version of the convertible that included electrically operated “pop-up” headlamps. Neither were developed due to the precarious state of the company finances.

The AC Frua may be confused with the very similar looking Pietro Frua designed Maserati Mistral. However, only the front quarter windows and door handles are shared.

AC Frua Technical Data
Chassis	“AC Cobra 427 Mark III” four inch (100 mm) tube frame extended by 6 inches (150 mm). Front engine, rear drive.
Engine	Iron “big block” Ford FE 428, some models fitted with higher performance crossover bolted Ford 427 engine (side oiler). Hydraulic lifter, Autolite or Holley four barrel carburetor. (Specifications can vary substantially between each car).
Bore & stroke	104.9 X 101.2 mm, 10, 5:1 compression.
Capacity	428: 7,014 cc (428.0 cu in), 427: 6,965 cc (425.0 cu in).
Power	428: 345 hp (257 kW) @ 4,600 rpm, 427: 385 hp (287 kW) @ 5600 rpm
Torque	428: 642 N·m (474 ft·lbf) @ 2,800 rpm, 427: 624 N·m (460 ft·lbf) @ 3200 rpm
Transmission	Fully synchronized 4-speed Ford Toploader transmission (close-ratio) or 3 speed automatic Ford C6 transmission.
Steering	Rack & Pinion.
Front suspension	Fully adjustable independent suspension with double triangular wishbones, coil spring hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers.
Rear suspension	Adjustable independent suspension with double triangular wishbones, coil spring hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers.
Differential	Salisbury, limited slip. Ratio: Automatic 2.88, Manual 3.08.
Brakes	Four discs power assisted “Girling” 3 pistons, dual remote servo assistance.
Body	Coach-built steel body over extruded rectangular and square tubing.
Measurements	4,470 mm (176.0 in) X 1,727 mm (68.0 in) X 1,245 mm (49.0 in); Wheelbase 2,413 mm (95.0 in).
Unloaded weight	1,430 kg (3,153 lb)
Maximum speed	Manual Transmission: More than 245 km/h (152.2 mph), 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph): 5.4 s (Autosport Magazine); Automatic Transmission: 220 km/h (136.7 mph), 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) 5.7 s.
Fuel consumption	17.2 L/100 km (16.4 mpg-imp; 13.7 mpg-US)
Production life	1965 to 1973
Number of cars built	49 coupes, 29 convertibles and 3 special bodied cars.

 The AC 3000ME

AC 3000ME
Overview
Production	launched 1973 available for sale 1979-84 1984-85 by AC (Scotland) plc
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door mid-engined sports car
Powertrain
Engine	2,994 cc V6
Transmission	5-speed manual all-synchromesh
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90.5 in (2,299 mm)
Length	157 in (3,988 mm) (saloon)
Width	65 in (1,651 mm)
Height	45 in (1,143 mm)

The AC 3000ME is a British built and designed sports car that was launched at the 1973 London Motor Show in 1973 and offered for sale by AC Cars between 1979 and 1984.

Origins

During the 1970s, AC Managing Director, W Derek Hurlock, developed a new and smaller car. Mid-engined designs were in fashion at the time and in 1972 the prototype Diabolo was built with an Austin Maxi engine and transaxle Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables. However, following considerable investment in development using the BLMC power unit and transmission, the engine manufacturers decided that they needed all the E series engines they could make to power their own Maxi and Allegro models, so the Diabolo project appeared likely to collapse for lack of an engine.

Development

In much the same way as they had taken up the Tojeiro prototype and turned it into the Ace, AC acquired the rights and at the 1973 London Motor Show showed their own version, the mid-engined ME3000 with the 3.0-litre Ford Essex V6 engine installed transversely over a custom AC-designed gearbox. The car featured a steel chassis making extensive use of square-section steel tube, with a strong monocoque for the central portion of the body. This framework supported a glass fibre body.

Press releases of the time indicated that the company hoped to be able to build and sell the car at the rate of 10 – 20 cars per week, although it was at this stage apparent that the model was in many ways not yet ready for serial production.

Development was complete in 1976 when new Type Approval regulations were introduced. A prototype failed the 30 mph (48 km/h) crash test, and the chassis had to be redesigned. On the second attempt, the car passed.

The design changes meant the AC 3000 ME was out of date by the time it reached production. The first cars (now renamed 3000ME) were delivered in 1979, by which time they were in direct competition with the Lotus Esprit. The goal of 250 cars per year did not seem possible.

The end

After 71 cars were sold, Hurlock called a halt to production as his health was suffering and the company was struggling during a period of recession. In 1984, production stopped at Thames Ditton and the car and the AC name were licenced to a new company registered as AC (Scotland) plc run by David McDonald in a new factory in Hillington, Glasgow. Here, 30 cars were built, including a development car tested with Alfa Romeo‘s 2.5-litre V6 engine and a nearly-complete Mark 2 prototype of the same. Regardless (or possibly because) of these developments, AC Scotland called in the receivers in 1985.

AC Ghia

AC 3000ME Ghia

At Geneva in 1981, Ghia displayed a concept car based on AC 3000ME mechanicals called AC Ghia. It was compact for its size, only 3 feet 10 inches (1.17 m) high and under 5 feet (1.5 m) wide.

AC Ace

AC Ace
1953-1963 AC Ace
Overview
Manufacturer	AC Cars
Production	1953–1963
Body and chassis
Class	Roadster
Body style	2-door roadster
Related	AC Aceca AC Greyhound AC Cobra
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 L I6 (AC) 2.0 L I6 (Bristol) 2.6 L I6 (Ford)
Transmission	4-speed manual (With overdrive available)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90 in (2,286 mm)
Length	152 in (3,861 mm)
Width	59.5 in (1,511 mm)
Height	49 in (1,245 mm)
Curb weight	1920 lb (871 kg)
Chronology
Successor	AC Cobra

AC Ace is a car which was produced by AC Cars of Thames Ditton, England, from 1953 to 1963.

History

AC came back to the market after the Second World War with the staid 2-Litre range of cars in 1947, but it was with the Ace sports car of 1953 that the company really made its reputation in the post war years. Casting around for a replacement for the ageing 2-Litre, AC took up a design by John Tojeiro that used a light ladder type tubular frame, all independent transverse leaf spring suspension, and an open two seater alloy body made using English wheeling machines, possibly inspired by the Ferrari Barchetta of the day.

Early cars used AC’s elderly 100 bhp (75 kW) two-litre overhead cam straight-six engine (first seen soon after the end of the First World War), which, according to a 1954 road test by Motor magazine, gave a top speed of 103 mph (166 km/h) and 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h) in 11.4 seconds and a fuel consumption of 25.2 miles per imperial gallon (11.2 L/100 km; 21.0 mpg_-US). It was hardly a sporting engine, however, and it was felt that something more modern and powerful was required to put the modern chassis to good use.

Joining the Ace in 1954 was the Aceca hard top coupé, which had an early form of hatchback rear door but used the same basic timber framed alloy body.

From 1956, there was the option of Bristol Cars‘ two-litre 120 bhp (89 kW) straight-six with 3 downdraught carburettors and slick four-speed gearbox. Top speed leapt to 116 mph (187 km/h) with 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h) in the nine second bracket. Overdrive was available from 1956 and front disc brakes were an option from 1957, although they were later standardised.

1962 2.6-litre Ruddspeed-engined Ace

In 1961 a new 2.6-litre (2,553 cc (155.8 cu in)) straight-six ‘Ruddspeed’ option was available, adapted by Ken Rudd from the unit used in the Ford Zephyr. It used three Weber or SU carburettors and either a ‘Mays‘ or an iron cast head. This setup boosted the car’s performance further, with some versions tuned to 170 bhp (127 kW), providing a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h) and 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h) in 8.1 seconds. However, it was not long before Carroll Shelby drew AC’s attention to the Cobra, so only 37 of the 2.6 models were made. These Ford engined models had a smaller grille which was carried over to the Cobra.

With the engine set well back in the chassis, the Ace handled well and was successful in competition.

Motor Sport

The car raced at Le Mans in 1957 and 1958. Few cars with this provenance have survived and are extremely valuable. They can range from $100,000 or more for an unrestored car, even one in pieces, to in excess of $400,000 for a restored AC Ace.

AC Cobra

1962-shelby-ac-cobra-csx2000

When Bristol ceased building their 6-cylinder engine in 1961, AC’s owner, Charles Hurlock, was approached by Carroll Shelby to use a Ford V8 in the Ace chassis, producing the AC Cobra in 1962. Production of the Ace ended the same year. The AC Cobra came in small block and later big block configurations. It was Ford’s 289 that powered the winning car in the GT class at Le Mans in June 1964. At the time, the AC Cobra 427 was the fastest “production” car in the world.

AC Automotive

AC Automotive, based in Straubenhardt, Germany still builds the AC under the original name. Cars are sold in Germany, France and England with sales in Luxembourg, Holland, Lichtenstein, Switzerland and Belgium slated for the future. Pricing for the standard ACGT model starts at £104,400 before options.

Replicas

1999 AC Cobra Replica

As with the Cobra, some AC Ace replicas have been made such as the Hawk Ace but are much rarer.

The AC Aceca

Aceca
1958 AC Aceca.
Overview
Manufacturer	AC Cars
Production	1954–1963
Body and chassis
Class	Grand tourer
Related	AC Ace
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 or 2.6 L I6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	90 in (2,286 mm)
Length	153.5 in (3,899 mm)
Width	61 in (1,549 mm)
Curb weight	2120 lb (962 kg)

The Aceca (pronounced “A-See-Ka”) is a closed coupé from the British AC Cars company, produced from 1954 until 1963. The car originally had an AC engine but the similar Bristol-engined Aceca-Bristol was also available alongside the original from 1956 to 1963 when production of the engine ceased. A few cars were built from 1961 to 1963 with a 2553 cc tuned Ford Zephyr engine and sold as the Aceca 2.6.

Based on the open two-seat AC Ace, the Aceca was a hand-built grand tourer in the British tradition, with ash wood and steel tubing used in their construction. One notable feature was the hatchback at the rear, making the Aceca only the second car, after the 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4, to incorporate this element.

151 Acecas, 169 Aceca-Bristols and 8 Ford-engined models had been built when production halted in 1963.

The main difference between the Aceca and Aceca-Bristol was the engine. Both used a straight-6 unit, but the Aceca shared its 90 hp (67 kW), 1,991 cc (121.5 cu in) overhead camshaft AC engine with the lighter AC Ace, while the Aceca-Bristol used a 125 hp (93 kW) “D-Type” 2.0 L (1971 cc/120 in³) unit sourced from Bristol Cars. The Aceca-Bristol was also available with a milder “B-Type” Bristol engine of 105 hp (78 kW). The Bristol specification added $1000 to the Aceca’s $5,400 price tag in the United States. In the UK, the basic car cost £1722.

The front-end styling of the Ace and Aceca reportedly traces back to a design done by Pinin Farina for AC in the late 1940s. The car is rather light owing to a tubular frame, aluminium engine block and aluminium body panels. Large 16″ spoked road wheels and near 50/50 weight distribution allowed exceptional handling on substandard pavements. Later Acecas feature front-wheel disc brakes (added in 1957), while all share transverse leaf spring IRS, articulated rear half-axles, worm-gear steering, an optional overdrive on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, curved windshield, and leather-covered bucket seats. The suspension is independent at the front and rear using transverse leaf springs.

Aceca-Bristol

Bristol-engined AC Aceca (1957)

The in-line six Bristol engine fitted to the Aceca-Bristol was based on a design from BMW with cast iron block and aluminium cylinder head. It has a single camshaft with pushrods running vertically to a rocker shaft on the inlet side of the engine and further horizontal pushrods running in 6 tubes over the top of the engine in order to reach the exhaust rockers. The two inclined rocker covers give the engine a similar appearance to an overhead – camshaft arrangement. Three inline Solex downdraft carburettors bolted directly to the cylinder head casting via small adaptor plates.

Driving

The car has a fairly hard ride owing to the stiff suspension and holds the road well in corners, with some oversteer. The narrow wheelbase is noticeable, though. On the downside, the 90 hp (67 kW) engine is best at higher rpm, so the 0-60 mph time is not exceptional. Other weaknesses include inadequate rear mirrors, even though the hatchback window affords a large rear view, a heating system that isn’t suited for cold winters, and inadequate soundproofing for easy passenger conversation when cruising above 75 mph (121 km/h). The gear-shift is more solid than smooth and has synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, only.

1958 AC Aceca (1954-63)

1994 AC Ace 1998

1998 AC Aceca

The AC 212 S-C 2000

The AC Cobra MK IV 2010

The AC MK II 2012

AC 378 GT Zagato

AC 378 GT Zagato
Overview
Manufacturer	AC Cars
Also called	Perana Z-One
Assembly	Hi-Tech Automotive, South Africa
Designer	Zagato
Powertrain
Engine	6.2 L V8
Dimensions
Kerb weight	1,465 kg (3,230 lb)

The AC 378 GT Zagato is a sports car designed by the Italian design company Zagato and built in South Africa by Hi-Tech Automotive. It was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The design of the 378 GT was previewed in 2009 as the Perana Z-One, and is now badged as an AC Cars product. Sales are expected to commence by the end of 2012.

The car is powered by a 437 bhp (326 kW; 443 PS) 6.2 L V8 GM sourced engine found in the Chevrolet Camaro. Weighing 1,465 kg (3,230 lb), the company predict a 0-60 mph acceleration time of under four seconds and a top speed around 185 mph. The car does not feature any electronic driver aids.

I found today a site with much more AC”s and thought that you readers of my blog had the right to see them too.

So here they are in as good as possible the right order:

Some readers complain about my spelling and English. English is not my home language so I apologize for it. You have to do it with that.