AC

First Car :1903

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1901 - John Weller, an engineer backed by John Portwine, a wealthy tradesman, set up a small engineering workshop in South London to build motor cars.

1903 - A two-cylinder 10 hp model and a four-cylinder 20 hp model were displayed at the British Motor Show. Autocar June 6th reported, "We foresee a brilliant future for the Weller car and its talented designer".

1904 - The firm, then known as Autocar & Accessories Limited, produced a commercial vehicle known as the Autocarrier. This was a 5.6 hp air cooled single cylinder tricycle built as a delivery vehicle - which proved successful.

1905 - The Autocarrier found an immediate market and became a familiar sight. It was fashionable for firms such as Maple & Co, Dickens & Jones and Goodyear Tyre Co to have at least one as a delivery van. One company ran a fleet of over 70.

1907 - A passenger-carrying version of the Autocarrier was made, known as the Sociable. Its simple and practical design ensured its production until 1915. The abbreviation AC was used for the first time and in November a new company was formed, Autocarriers Limited, taking over Autocar & Accessories but with Weller and Portwine still as Directors.

1910 - 'Motor Cycling' August shows the Autocarrier adapted for military needs. The 25th London Cyclist Regiment was equipped with these vehicles. Maxim guns were mounted on special bodywork and other Autocarriers were adapted as ammunition transporters. The Autocarrier was chosen by the military authorities because of its reliability, lusty performance and special manœuvrability.

1911 - Autocarriers Limited moved to larger premises at Thames Ditton in Surrey, at which time Weller designed AC's first production four-wheel car.

1914 - During the First World War, AC's efforts were concerned with the manufacture of shells and fuses.

1918 - Full production commenced with the two-seater, four-cylinder car which sold at £255. The cars were immediately successful in competition, particularly in hillclimbs and early trials such as the Land's End.

1921 - Showrooms and offices in London's Regent Street were opened, and racing driver S. F. Edge joined the board of Directors. Weller and Portwine resigned. Edge became Chairman and AC Cars Limited was formed. The cars were sporting in character, possessed an amazing performance and were equipped with stylish bodies offered in a range of colours. Success in both competitive and ordinary motoring proved the AC slogan at the time: 'The First Light Six - and still the best'.

1922 - Of all AC's competition achievements, they were especially proud of having covered one hundred miles in the hour, with a special AC record-breaker powered by their four-cylinder, four valve per cylinder engine. Mr J. A. Joyce drove the car at Brooklands in November and completely shattered all the light car records, the fastest lap being the last one at 104.85 mph.

1928 - Seven models were now on offer, ranging from the Aceca two-seater coupe to a long wheelbase coachbuilt saloon. The output of the AC six-cylinder engine increased from 40 to 56 bhp. The AC Car Company was at this time one of Britain's largest automobile manufacturers.

1929 - The World economic recession - AC Cars Limited, together with many others of the period, went into voluntary liquidation.

1930 - William A. E. Hurlock and his brother, Charles F. Hurlock, purchased the AC Car Company. No new cars were produced but servicing facilities were maintained. Pressure from satisfied AC customers persuaded the new Directors that there was a future for limited production of hand-made cars for a specialist market. Throughout the 'thirties', the AC six-cylinder engine served faithfully in achieving tremendous results in events such as the RAC and Monte Carlo Rallies. With showrooms in Park Lane, London, the Company was prosperous and stable.

1931 - The name Ace was used for the first time.

1933 - Four new cars were entered in the RAC Rally, and all of them took prizes. A four-seater sports driven by Miss Kitty Brunel scored an outright win, Charles Hurlock took fourth place, William Hurlock sixth and Mrs G Daniel finished seventh and took first prize in the concours d'elegance.

1937 - AC found export sales in North America.

1939 - The outbreak of World War II. All production facilities turned to the war effort for the manufacture of fire-fighting equipment, aircraft parts, radar vans, flame throwers, guns and sights.

1945 - When war activities ceased, thoughts turned again to motor cars. Slowly, following much development and improvement, production grew.

1950 - Five cars per week were produced of the Two Litre model, which was available in several body styles.

1953 - The AC Ace, an open top two-seater sports car was produced and quickly gained a big following amongst sporting motorists. It was highly successful in British 'Club' racing, being the type of fast, tough car that a private owner could race and rally and still use for everyday motoring.

1954 - The Aceca Coupe was introduced at the London Motor Show and went into production the following year.

1957 - Le Mans - Ace Bristol finished tenth overall. Efforts never concentrated solely on cars and the familiar blue invalid carriages were turned out by the hundreds at Thames Ditton, alongside the high powered sports cars.

1958 - Le Mans - Special-bodied Ace Bristol finished eighth, a standard version ninth.

1961 - Carroll Shelby, a Texan ex-race driver, entered negotiations with AC Cars and with the backing of The Ford Motor Company, proposed the installation of a large Ford vee eight engine in the current lightweight AC Ace. Built by AC Cars, the combination resulted in the AC Cobra, one of the fastest and most brutal sports cars ever produced.

1962 - AC Cars production concentrated on manufacturing the AC Cobra. Each one was hand built at the factory in Thames Ditton.

1963 - Production of the AC Cobra was now 15 cars per week. The AC plant at Taggs Island, situated half a mile from the main AC Works, was fully occupied with the manufacture of motorised invalid carriages for the Ministry of Health. 1,200 invalid carriages were produced.

1964 - The AC Cobra caused a sensation by racing along the M1 motorway at 183 mph, leading to questions being raised in Parliament. Two AC Cobras were entered in the Le Mans 24 Hour Race, the AC entry was the first British car to finish. By now, the 427 AC Cobra had the distinction of being listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest production car in the world, a title which it held for several years.

1965 - Shelby wins The Sports Car World Championship. Following the previous years motorway sprint, a 70 mph legal speed limit was introduced.

1967 - AC Cars produced the 428, a seven-litre sporting model with a body design by Frua of Turin. 29 Convertible and 51 Fastback vehicles were produced up to 1973, when production ceased.

1970 - During the 1970s and early 1980s AC developed and produced the ME3000, a totally new mid-engined two-seater sports car.


1985 - The updated 5.0 litre AC MKIV is re-introduced into North America, using the original tooling and meeting 50 State EPA and DOT Federal Regulations.

1986 - After some 56 years of ownership, the Hurlock family sell their controlling interest in AC Cars to the joint ownership of Autokraft Limited and the Ford Motor Company.

1988 - AC Cars moves into a new purpose-built factory of some 90,000 square feet sited within the historic Brooklands race track, scene of so many achievements by AC Cars during the 1920s.

1990 - The "lightweight" version of the AC MKIV is introduced.

1991 - The AC Ace pre-production vehicle is constructed by Autokraft. The body styling is by International Automotive Design (IAD) of Worthing.

1992 - Brian Angliss personally acquires Ford's interest in AC Cars Limited. The AC MKIV Lightweight is re-engineered to meet 1993 EEC and 49 State North American Certification Standards.

1993 - The AC Ace receives full EEC type approval and is launched at The London Motorshow.

1994 - The AC Ace enters production.

1995 - The AC Ace is unveiled to America at the Detroit Motorshow.

1996 - In December, AC Car Group Limited acquires AC Cars. Alan Lubinsky pledges to build MKIV sales and finally complete development of the AC Ace.

1997 - AC new Ace launched at the London Motor Show alongside the Superblower.

1998 - The new AC Aceca is launched at the Birmingham Motorshow and shown alongside the limited edition AC MKII 289 FIA Roadster, the AC Ace and the AC Superblower.

 
1999 - The new AC Cobra MKIV Carbon Road Series (CRS) is launched.

2000 - The new AC 212 S/C, powered by a 3.5L V8 twin turbo Lotus engine, is launched at the Bimingham International Motor Show.

2001 - AC Car Group Centenary and the new AC Coupé is announced. AC move to Frimley in Surrey

After a lawsuit with Ford and Shelby, Ford got the Cobra name and used in its sporty version of Mustang. AC continues building the variants of Cobra but no longer uses the name.

C

The third series of AC Ace variations.

S 

Shelby. 

X 

Export, used for US and Europe. 

B

To be sold In Britain (right-hand drive). 

AK

Autokraft