Lucas Bell 
The Shelby Cobra is one of the most iconic vehicles in American automotive history. And while the V8-powered roadster was indeed the brainchild of Carroll Shelby, to say that the Cobra is all-American is a bit misleading. That is because without a little British company called AC Cars, there would never have been a Cobra. The AC Ace may not be as well known as the Shelby here in the States, but it played a vital role in the development of the open-top racer we know and love. AC Cars are still around and continues to crank out genuine AC Cobras for the well-heeled fan out there. Their latest project is this AC Cobra 378 Superblower, and it might be the most blasphemous project they’ve done yet.
AC Cars first announced the return of the Cobra 378 Superblower back in July of 2020, and has just finished their first production unit. Unlike the original model that featured a supercharged 5.0L V8 sourced from Ford, this new run of cars gets power from a Chevrolet Performance engine. More specifically, a supercharged 6.2L LSA V8 producing 580 horsepower. Ford-fanatics everywhere are sure to be enraged by this, but it is worth noting that the car retains a lot of its original designs. Most notably, the new AC Cobra 378 Superblower features the same four-inch round tube ladder frame as every original Cobra.
With 580 horsepower on tap, AC Cars have also fit this Cobra 378 Superblower with other performance-minded upgrades. The suspension at both ends features a multi-link setup with coil-over shock, as well as a set of front and rear anti-roll bars. In order to get the car slowed down, it has been with some servo-assisted brake calipers and ventilated rotors. A six-speed manual gearbox is responsible for navigating between ratios.
The exterior of the car is unchanged from the original design, and remains as striking as it ever was. Inside the AC Cobra 378 Superblower, you’ll find a rather spartan interior which borrows heavily from the vintage layout. Outside of the modern-era climate controls, the interior presents like it belongs in a 1960’s roadster.
If an LSA-powered AC Cobra 378 Superblower is something you’d like to buy, be prepared to shell out some serious coin. AC Cars says that this new hot-rod carries an MSRP of £129,500, or about $177,000 here in the United States. It may not be an original Shelby Cobra, but we’re sure this thing drives even better. You’ll just have to get over having a Chevrolet Performance engine of course, which may prove difficult for some.
