Carroll Shelby created a legend when he took a Ford motor, stuffed it into a small AC chassis, and took it racing. In the 1960s, the Cobra offered its owners massive American horsepower and performance, combined with breath-taking European styling. As it was considered by many to be the ultimate sports car, the Shelby Cobra was a car most enthusiasts instantly placed on their bucket lists to own when new, and it remains one of the most desirable automobiles on the planet to this day.

By the 1970s AC had stopped servicing Cobras, and Cobra mechanic Brian Angliss quickly stepped in to fill the void. With a strong customer base and good reputation, he grew close to the AC factory and was eventually able to collect enough original tooling, jigs, and body bucks from the Thames Ditton facility to fabricate new aluminium bodies, whilst also utilising the same tooling and jigs used to build the original Ace and Cobra bodies.

Angliss’ work was so well respected that in 1986 he was allowed to purchase the rights to the AC name. In short order, a new AC company was established as a joint venture with Ford. Angliss’ company then became Autokraft, which began offering the AC Mk IV, a revival of the original Cobra, which ended production with the Mk III in 1967. These cars, built using the original tooling and the same materials as the originals, were praised for their exceptional build quality and are generally considered “continuation” cars. Ultimately, approximately 480 Mk IV Cobras were built.

This particular example looks exceedingly menacing, as it is finished in black with black wheels, with chrome bumpers and a tobacco interior. Purists will be quick to note that the interior is noticeably more luxurious than that of an original Shelby Cobra, benefitting from a stereo system with a CD player, leather trim, and seats with headrests. The car, which is currently residing in Belgium, is fitted with Ford’s tried-and-true 225-brake horsepower, 5.0-litre engine with EFI, which is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

As the Mk IV offers a handful of welcome updates over the original Shelby Cobras, it makes for a wonderful driver’s car, providing ample amounts of both power and additional comfort. These cars are seldom seen in Europe, and this example would be the perfect stablemate to an original 289 or 427, or it can also be driven and enjoyed with ease and reliability. As it bears the AC name and was produced using many of the same tools and techniques as the originals, the Mk IV represents an interesting period in Shelby and AC history, and this example would make for an excellent warm-weather tourer.