Return of the Cobra to Le Mans for 2016 is "in sight"

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According to motorsport-total.com, AC Automotive is planning to return to Le Mans with the infamous Cobra. Plans have gone quite far, the future looks promising.

"We are more conservative as many others in motorsport. We fiddle way less and we work more consequent in the background", says Jürgen Mohr, head of meanwhile German company AC Automotive. AC Automotive is constantly planning with their partners since last year.

The chassis will be a combination of a tube frame and a carbon monocoque. According to Jürgen Mohr, "one chassis along side engine and drivetrain system has been constructed. We'll start putting everything together shortly, we want to bring a car to the roads in the near future".

The engine will be a 5.5 liter V8 from a Corvette, it is from the package GM provides for GT3 races. A GT3 version and a Clubsport version along side the GTE version are possible aswell.
 
Well, so far it looks quite good for them. I really hope they get it done, and if, properly. Just to tear up everything in GTE that comes in it's way.
 
I'd love to see it happen, but this has been around for quite a while at this point.

I doubt it'll ever make it to a race track, sadly.
 
To me it looks a bit like a retro fantasy pipe dream. If it does make it to the track, I doubt it'll be giving the porsches, Ferraris and corvettes any grief.

Looks cool though.
 
adam46
I'd love to see it happen, but this has been around for quite a while at this point.

I doubt it'll ever make it to a race track, sadly.
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As hard as it is to believe, it was only announced a year ago.:lol:

TheCracker
If the original Cobra shape was too compromised to work at Le Mans in period - why would they choose this over the 'Daytona' body style now? :confused:
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I don't think AC has the rights to the Daytona as it was all Shelby.

As for it being competitive, I don't see why it wouldn't considering it will just go though the usual BoP.
 
TheCracker
If the original Cobra shape was too compromised to work at Le Mans in period - why would they choose this over the 'Daytona' body style now? :confused:
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Because lobbying for BoP has since overtaken aerodynamics in the list of factors to be quick at Le Mans.

That said, AC GmbH likely won't have the money or pull to get the favourable Aston Martin-type BoP they'd need to be on the pace.
 
I really hope that GM would somehow allow Pratt & Miller to help with the car if need be since the currently slated powerplant is the GM 5.5L V8. Not only would it arguably give GM another bullet via technical alliance, but it would get a Cobra back to Le Mans. I really, really hope that this gets done in time to race in Le Mans, and I really, really, really hope that these get to race stateside someday in Guardsman Blue with white stripes!
 
It would be great to see it tackle Aston Martin, Ferrari, Porsche, Ford, Chevrolet and SRT at Le Mans next year. Imagine adding this and possibly McLaren to GTE for 2016... It would be absolutely fantastic to have such variety.
 
Nico_Ble99
View attachment 406657
According to motorsport-total.com, AC Automotive is planning to return to Le Mans with the infamous Cobra. Plans have gone quite far, the future looks promising.

"We are more conservative as many others in motorsport. We fiddle way less and we work more consequent in the background", says Jürgen Mohr, head of meanwhile German company AC Automotive. AC Automotive is constantly planning with their partners since last year.

The chassis will be a combination of a tube frame and a carbon monocoque. According to Jürgen Mohr, "one chassis along side engine and drivetrain system has been constructed. We'll start putting everything together shortly, we want to bring a car to the roads in the near future".

The engine will be a 5.5 liter V8 from a Corvette, it is from the package GM provides for GT3 races. A GT3 version and a Clubsport version along side the GTE version are possible aswell.
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WTH is this thing? it looks like a steampunk GT3 car that belongs in a movie moreso than actual Le Mans. Also, even though I love GM passionately, if its supposed to be a Shelby Cobra tribute, then it should have a 5 liter Coyote under the hood. This aint Fast + Furious where they can get away with putting an LS in everything.

Still vaporware though
 
I would have hoped for a Ford engine (or a tuning company associated with Ford) as well, but I'm satisfied as long as it races. I'd be even happier if it finishes the race and has a relatively good position at the end.
 
AMPMROCKETFANN
WTH is this thing? it looks like a steampunk GT3 car that belongs in a movie moreso than actual Le Mans. Also, even though I love GM passionately, if its supposed to be a Shelby Cobra tribute, then it should have a 5 liter Coyote under the hood. This aint Fast + Furious where they can get away with putting an LS in everything.

Still vaporware though
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Its not the Shelby Cobra, its the AC Cobra.
 
Holdenhsvgtsr
Why? If it's for heritage then it should be a Bristol engine.
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For a Cobra it's a Ford engine.
For an Ace it's a Bristol (based on a pre WWII BMW design).
Late Aces had Ford 6 cylinder engines.

But to throw a spanner in the works the new AC cars are powered by GM engines (which is probably why the racecar will be)
 
ApexDrift123
Great looking car but the question is can a small company tackle the likes of Ferrari , Chevrolet and Aston Martin ?
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I don't think that would be their target. Remember when TVR and Morgan raced at Le Mans in the late 90s / early 00s? The target was not to get class wins, but to finish. Which is already quite a feat.
 
ClydeYellow
I don't think that would be their target. Remember when TVR and Morgan raced at Le Mans in the late 90s / early 00s? The target was not to get class wins, but to finish. Which is already quite a feat.
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Suppose so . I think Le Mans is more now about getting as high up as possible in the field rather than actually finishing nowadays , if you look 2015 v 1999 a lot more cars retired from the race in 1999 . Probably because of modern technology . Brands are more interested in winning than finishing nowadays .
 
ApexDrift123
Suppose so . I think Le Mans is more now about getting as high up as possible in the field rather than actually finishing nowadays , if you look 2015 v 1999 a lot more cars retired from the race in 1999 . Probably because of modern technology . Brands are more interested in winning than finishing nowadays .
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That is very much true; however I wonder how much it has to do with new engineering design paradigms, rather than with changing safety regulations, and with the fact that the increasing involvement of manufacturers has led in the last 15 years to a significant increase in budget, which in endurance races usually translates as "improved reliability".

Sure, in the 1999 race there were a lot more retirements... But in the case of GT cars, most of those retirements were caused by accidents, and only three 911 GT2s retired after grenading the engine (which wasn't an uncommon sight in the case of the specific car, because the engine was aircooled). Many of the retirements were actually LMP900s eating the gearbox, which has been a critical component in prototype cars until Audi decided to deal with it.

And for a brand like AC, just being there would be a huge boost in visibility.
 

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