The new 'composite' bodied MK2 is undeniably beautifully built and finnished to an extremely high standard. I wonder how the price would compare with a fully professionally built Hawk and what the difference in value would be 40 years from now? The undeniable appeal of the Hawk kit Cobras is obvious. A pure cost benefit analysis of Kirkhan versus genuine MK3 would result in the sale of the genuine article with £200k change in the back pocket if most wives had anything to do with it. The driving experience is the same but genuine manufacturer's brand and provenance also feature for those the can afford to be fussy. The success of the 289 Register and their massive turn out at the Silverstone Classic cannot be ignored.
The term 'Badge Engineering' is not new and arguably could be applied to orininal Shelby Cobra's. Shelby ordered rolling body-chassis units from AC Cars and applied his own name and badge to them while AC marketed their own version. We had the 428 'Frua', the 3000 ME that became the 'Ecosse Signature'and more recently the Perana that became the new AC Zagato shaped coupe. Whatever theowner of the AC brand builds, it will be a GENUINE AC. As long as the 'AC Owners Club' exists, owners of AC cars old and new, from invalid carriage to Cobra to new composite car and new coupe will feel entitled to be welcomed and included by the organisation. That is what our great hobby is all about.
