AC Vehicles for Sale in Switzerland from CHF 80,000
AC Vehicles for Sale in Switzerland. 80k brings together 1 vehicle priced from CHF 159 000.
AC Cars is one of the oldest active British automobile brands. Founded in 1901, the brand has particularly distinguished itself, notably with the AC Ace. Success continued into the 1960s with the AC Cobra, born from the collaboration between AC Cars, Carroll Shelby, and Ford.
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On 80k.ch, discover a selection of pre-owned and collector AC vehicles: AC Cobra, historic models, replicas, and rare configurations.
Our website facilitates the search for collector and sports AC vehicles. It is particularly easy to find models such as the AC Cobra 260, 289, AC 289 Sports, 427, or a Cobra replica.
Each ad provides essential vehicle information: version, mileage, year of first registration, equipment, history, and price.
AC: a British brand that became legendary
The history of AC Cars dates back to 1901. The brand developed in Great Britain around light and sporty cars, before establishing itself in Thames Ditton, Surrey. It was there that it would notably produce the AC Ace and the first Cobra chassis.
In the 1950s, AC developed the AC Ace, a lightweight sports car with an aluminum body designed around a tubular chassis. Its bodywork was the result of designer John Tojeiro's work. The Ace also had a notable sporting career, particularly with the Bristol engine.
In competition, the AC Ace Bristol notably achieved a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959. It finished seventh overall and first in its 2-liter GT category.
The birth of the AC Cobra.
At the end of the 1950s, American driver Carroll Shelby sought to create a lightweight sports car capable of accommodating a V8 engine.
After withdrawing from competition in 1960 for health reasons, Shelby turned to car manufacturing. He took particular interest in the AC Ace and established a collaboration with AC Cars and Ford.
The principle is relatively simple but technically ambitious: combining the lightweight chassis and bodywork of the AC Ace with a compact and powerful Ford V8.
AC Cars then adapted its chassis to accommodate the Ford engine. The first units received the Ford V8 260 ci, approximately 4.3 liters. The first production Cobra appeared in 1962, and Carroll Shelby presented the car to the American public, notably at the 1962 New York International Auto Show.
The Cobra quickly became a particularly high-performing competition car. The versions equipped with the Ford 289 V8 notably prevailed against Chevrolet Corvettes in American competitions.
The main AC Cobras
The Cobra evolved rapidly throughout the 1960s. The designations 260, 289, and 427 notably correspond to the displacement of the Ford engines used.
AC Cobra 260
The first generation of Cobra received the Ford 260 ci V8, with a displacement of approximately 4.3 liters.
The first cars used the chassis derived from the AC Ace with transverse leaf spring suspension. The production of the Cobra 260 was limited and today represents one of the first stages in the model's history.
AC Cobra 289
From 1963, the Ford 289 ci engine, approximately 4.7 liters, became the iconic engine of the Cobra.
Chassis evolution notably brought rack-and-pinion steering and various technical improvements. The Cobra 289s represent a significant portion of the original production of transverse leaf spring Cobras.
AC Cobra 427
In 1965, a major evolution appeared with a new chassis featuring independent coil spring suspension. This was developed to support the much greater torque of the Ford 427 ci V8, approximately 7 liters.
The bodywork is also widened and receives the characteristic wheel arches that would become emblematic of the Cobra 427. In competition configuration, the engine could easily exceed 500 hp depending on its preparation.
AC Cobra 427 S/C
The 427 S/C, for Semi-Competition, is one of the most sought-after versions of the original Cobra.
These cars originated from chassis initially intended for competition and ultimately adapted for road use. They retain many characteristics of racing cars, including side exhausts and a particularly stripped-down presentation.
The production of original 427 S/C models is extremely limited, which contributes to their importance in the collector car market.
Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake
The Super Snake is an extremely rare version developed by Shelby in 1966.
Only two examples were built with a twin-turbo configuration using two Paxton superchargers. The commonly cited power output reaches approximately 800 hp, making this car one of the most extreme versions of the Cobra.
One of the two examples was associated with Carroll Shelby himself, while the other was sold to American comedian Bill Cosby. Shelby's car has become particularly famous in the collector's market.
The AC Cobra and Competition
The Cobra owes its legendary status not only to its road performance. It also boasts a significant track record in competition.
In 1963, an AC Cobra entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans finished 7th overall and first in its class. These victories confirmed the car's potential on the Circuit de la Sarthe.
The Cobra also achieved numerous successes in American competitions. To compete against Ferraris on the fastest European tracks, Shelby developed the Cobra Daytona Coupe. Its aerodynamic bodywork was designed by Peter Brock.
In 1965, Shelby American won the GT World Manufacturers' Championship with the Cobra Daytona Coupe.
AC Cobras Today
The production of original Cobras remained limited to about a thousand units, all versions combined. Exact figures may vary depending on whether certain competition cars, prototypes, and versions produced by AC for its own account are included.
All these factors explain the Cobra's importance in automotive history.
It is also necessary to distinguish between original Cobras, cars produced later by AC Cars, and the numerous replicas or evocations made by other manufacturers. AC Cars itself specifies that vehicles produced by replica manufacturers are not authentic AC Cobras.
Even today, AC Cars continues the production of cars carrying the brand's heritage, notably with new generations of AC Cobra. The brand thus continues to evolve the concept of the lightweight British sports car. The stylistic characteristics that made the Cobra famous are preserved.
AC Cars: an Anglo-American heritage.
The history of the AC Cobra is based on a combination that has become iconic. This combination is a chassis and bodywork from a British sports car, combined with the power of a Ford V8 and Carroll Shelby's development.
More than sixty years after its appearance, the Cobra remains one of the most recognizable models in automotive history. Collectors consider a number of important criteria to determine the value of a particular example.
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