Breaking Cobra News

[CSX 4027]

Whats this I hear????

Shelby Automobiles, Inc. and AC Motor Holdings, Ltd. Gear Up for Production of the First New Shelby AC Cobra in More Than Four Decades
February 05, 2004 08:06:00 AM ET


LOS ANGELES, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Carroll Shelby International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CSBI), and AC Motor Holdings Ltd. announced today that the first new Shelby AC model in more than four decades will arrive at dealers and to consumers by Summer 2004. This month, the first handcrafted aluminum Shelby AC Cobra body shell, produced at AC's plant in Surrey, United Kingdom, will be shipped to Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas for final assembly, fit and finish.

Initially the Cobra will be offered in two models, the Shelby AC 427 S/C Cobra and the Shelby AC 289 FIA Cobra, which will be branded as the CSX 1000 and the CSX 7500 Series, respectively and will be limited in production. Both models are authentic recreations of the iconic sports car, which set records for muscle-power and customer appeal in the early 1960's.

The reunited partnership between Shelby and AC provides an excellent platform, allowing the CSX 1000 and CSX 7500 to be sold by more than 20 Shelby dealers across the United States. Prices have not yet been established but first deliveries to dealers and customers are likely in the summer of 2004.

"We want to recreate products with true heritage and quality as we did in the 1960's and use this to expand and propel us into future new products," said Carroll Shelby, chairman of Carroll Shelby International, Inc.

"It is fantastic that these two great brands are together once again, meaning that car enthusiasts throughout the world can once again be certain that they are purchasing a Cobra with the original genuine pedigree," said Alan Lubinsky, Chairman of AC Motor Holdings Ltd. "The Shelby AC Cobra has a unique heritage and we are certain of a strong demand from collectors who demand only the best."

About Carroll Shelby International, Inc.

Carroll Shelby International, Inc. is the parent company of Shelby Automobiles and Carroll Shelby Licensing.

Shelby Automobiles Inc. is manufacturing high performance Shelby vehicles under the guidance of the legendary Carroll Shelby and will be involved in prototype manufacturing, design and engineering projects; and plans to increase production and availability of these Shelby products through an expanded dealer network and direct sales under a license agreement with Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc. For more information, call 702/325-4851 or visit the company's web site at www.shelbyautos.com .

Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., founded in 1988, is the exclusive holder of automotive manufacturer and entrepreneur Carroll Shelby's trademarks and vehicle design rights, which include some of the world's most famous muscle cars and high-performance vehicles, including the car that brought home to the U.S. its first and only FIA World Manufacturers Championship in 1965, the famous Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. It also holds trademark rights for Shelby- branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For additional information about the company or licensing opportunities, call (310) 914-1843, or fax (310) 914-1853 or write to Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc., 11150 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 1050, Los Angeles, CA 90064 or visit www.carrollshelbyinternational.com , www.carrollshelby.com .

About AC Motor Holdings, Ltd.

The history of AC dates back more than a century to 1901, when British entrepreneur John Portwine and engineer John Weller designed and built a four- seat touring car, which they exhibited at the 1903 Motor Show at the Crystal Palace in London. Their second effort was a three-wheeled delivery vehicle in 1904 -- the Auto Carrier. By 1907, their first successful passenger car, called the Sociable, was created, bearing the now famous AC emblem. In the 1950's the AC Ace was conceived and many people felt was the nicest British sport car of its time. In the 1960's AC assisted Carroll Shelby in realizing his dream of creating one of the most famous sports cars of the 20th century, the Shelby AC Cobra. To this day the AC brand is well known for its craftsmanship. In 1999 AC produced the largest one-piece carbon fiber automotive body that was used on a production car, the AC Cobra CRS. It weighed about 49 lbs without the closures. AC has recently agreed to open a research and development center in Malta and will also be producing certain of its future model range at a facility in Malta. www.acautomotive.info

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward- looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

© 2004 PRNewswire

Back to Recent News


Could this really be?? Are we going to see new AC Cobra's once more? Let's see...Long wait for the 39.9 out of Africa. How much longer from England? I would go 49.9.
Brent..Feel free to jump in any time..

[computerworks]

...car enthusiasts throughout the world can once again be certain that they are purchasing a Cobra with the original genuine pedigree

Finally...enough with these replicas... this will be the REAL one!

( )

...we shall see.

[clayfoushee]

"It's deja vu all over again"

--Yogi Berra

[Dan Semko]

Unless they have completely restaffed the Frimley plant and found a hidden stash of quality aluminum fabricators, the current maximum monthly production is 3-4 cars with their current staff.... Plus there are legal issues involving Jim Price's interests.

It sure sounds good but my bet is that it just won't happen.
Anyone want to make a side bet?

[Fox]

I must say, if I had a deposit down on an SAI/CAV product with the recent delivery snafu's and then read the above notice, it would piss me off.

Let me see if I have this right...
1000's = real new version of the old new and improved
2000's = real, old ones
3000's = new and improved, real old ones
4000's = real replica of new and improved real, old ones
7500's = real new version of the real old ones
8000's = real replica, of real old one
...

oh, my head...

-John

[charles reber]

OH BOY! AN ORIGINAL!
YOU KNOW IT WILL COST MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE CAN AFFORD.
I NEVER THOUGHT ID SEE THE DAY THAT BRAND NEW AMERICAN
REPLICAS WOULD COST AS MUCH AS A HOUSE. TO BAD, I LOVE
MY REPICA. TRY TELLING ME ITS NOT REAL IF YOU CAN CATCH ME.
CHARLES

[computerworks]

John... you forgot:
CSX4750-up for the SASA (aka CAV) cars.

[Dan Semko]

Ron,
Ask LNP if he has any extra AC badges before they disappear.

[REAL 1]

Interesting. No announcement from SAI. Again some new "news wire statement." What does "limited production" mean? What will be the cost? AC's were selling exact repros of the 427 several years ago for $200K. before all the problems with Lubinsky and Price. Hmmm. This just doesn't pass the smell test.

It would be neat to see but I don't believe it will happen. Dan is right.

All new Shelby's are/would be REAL Shelby Cobras regardless of who did the fabrication of body and chasis. Whehter some here agree with the fact the current CSX is a REAL Cobra, apparently SAI considers their current series 4000s, 7000s and 8000s as REAL Cobras as suggested by using a phone # "1 702 942 REAL." Without the same bucks and jigs AC originally used much of the AC "panache' and heritage" is out the window. I don't think Price would ever allow the original jigs and bucks to be used.

If there is a limited production AC fabricated CSX1000 or 7500 my bet is that it will be quite a bit more expensive than the CSX4000 and 7000 based on the cost of its production and "it heritage as an AC product" My bet is that any such car would be in the retail range of $200K to $250K.

Unless they are made from the original bucks and jigs I don't see much advantage of a modern produced AC body and frame over a Kirkham produced body and frame.

[John McMahon]

Carroll Who????

[Ron61]

What about Motor Trend's big spread in this months magazine about Shelby and Ford and that new Cobra? How many companies is he going to have building them anyway. At this rate they should reach the 10,000 series soon.

Ron

[computerworks]

Originally posted by REAL 1


Interesting. No announcement from SAI. Again some new "news wire statement."

Evan... this is a Press Release FROM Shelby.... they pay the agency to put it out.

[Gas_in_my_veins]

Any bets on how long this 'real, old, continuation, reproduction, limited, original, series' thread will last?

Oh, brother,

Rich

[Tom T.]

Let's do our own little contest: He who guesses the closest date to when the whole thing blows up wins_______________(fill in valuable prize here...and no, Jamo's rear ain't up for grabs, I think).

TT

[CSX 4027]

I guess we will see what shakes out but if I were thinking about owning a real Shelby before the man goes for good, I would buy a 2000 or 3000. I can't imagine the AC new deal being cheap.

[Lowell W]

Kinda makes "REAL" seem...well...rather silly. Like mental masturbation...

[bigmike]

Ah, real cobra my butt!!
It'll still be inferior to the Kirkhams!
BigMike

[SpitzSpitz]

fox old buddy I've been trying for years to understand what was what between the different series, hell I don't even know what I have. (except it sat in a barn fo 30 years)
You have made the impossible to understand "understandable"
Its a clear to me now.

Spitz

[REAL 1]

Most of the press release is the same stuff "released" in December.

Ron: What I mean is that there was nothing from SAI directly on its web sites.

This thing keeps repeating like a bad meal.

[Lowell W]

You mean like a bowl of bad chili?