This Roadster Paved the Way for the Legendary Cobra. Now It’s Back for the 21st Century.

AC Cars would like you to know that there’s more to its history than the Cobra .

This Roadster Is an Ode to the First Shelby Cobra Prototype--Here's What It's Like to Drive

The resurrected British marque has announced plans to bring back the Ace, the model that preceded its most legendary model, according to Autocar . The resurrected sports car will sport the same classic design it had during its original run but be powered by a modern-day engine.

The Ace may not have the name recognition that the Cobra does, but without the former, the latter would never have existed. The two-door roadster was introduced in 1953 and helped the automaker reestablish itself in the wake of World War II. Its sleek open-top alloy body was attractive enough to make up for a dated powertrain that left something to be desired, though the car was eventually outfitted with more potent engines that gave it some much-needed pep. In the model’s final year of production, 1962, the legendary Carroll Shelby approached AC about putting a Ford V-8 into the Ace chassis. The company said yes, and the Cobra was born. Needless to say, the rest is history.

Take one look at the Ace and it’s easy to see its relation to the Cobra. The general shape was there from the beginning, though the older car has a more restrained look. Despite the differences—the Ace’s grille is larger, its curves smoother—it remains a vehicle, though the body on the new version is made of carbon fiber instead of alloy. The change in materials is a big one, as it helps keep weight down to 2,425 pounds, making it only 245 pounds more than the original.

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The biggest change can be found under the hood, though. The original Ace was powered by a series of inline-six engine, while the new version gets a modified turbocharged 2.3 EcoBoost four-cylinder from a Ford Focus ST. The mill may have two fewer cylinders than its predecessors, but it makes 295 hp and 277 ft lbs of torque, making it significantly more powerful. It also comes mated to a six-speed manual gearbox that routes power to the rear axle. Performance is impressive, with the company promising the car can hit 62 mph in 2.6 seconds.

It won’t come cheap. Two versions will be available, the Ace Classic, which is inspired by the first examples of the car, and the Ace Bristol, which is inspired by later models. Pricing for both starts at £175,000, or roughly $228,000.

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