Lotus Emira V6 depreciation!

[Fred Smith]

I was seriously thinking of building an AC Cobra replica a while back. I went to one of the big manufacturers of the replicas near me and took one of their 'demos' for a test drive. It was horrendous. Pretty much undriveable on UK roads. Great for posing in a pub car park on a sunny day, or doing burn-outs outside Halfords but not for anything else. Too much power with far too much torque (big old yank V8), very light, weight all at the front, uncomfortable...you name it.
Then I totted up the cost.....around £80k in 2019. So I walked away.

The old saying of never meet your heros definitely applied.

Two out of three isn't bad. Assuming I hated driving it I reckon I could still have some fun!

But yeah, just cos I have it on my list does not mean it would be a great idea to buy one!

[Mr Tidy]

I was seriously thinking of building an AC Cobra replica a while back.

Funny you should say that as I went to a Z meet at Gaydon last April and someone brought this Z3 based Cobra replica along.

Z3 Cobra.jpg (182.8 KiB) Viewed 1218 times

Being Z3 based it may well have driven better than the one you looked at!

[Argyll Andy]

I was seriously thinking of building an AC Cobra replica a while back.

Funny you should say that as I went to a Z meet at Gaydon last April and someone brought this Z3 based Cobra replica along.

Z3 Cobra.jpg

Being Z3 based it may well have driven better than the one you looked at!

Iain, that’s horrible. It’s kit cars like that that give them a bad name. FUGLY imho.

At least Pondy’s will look fantastic

[Pondrew]

I was seriously thinking of building an AC Cobra replica a while back.

Funny you should say that as I went to a Z meet at Gaydon last April and someone brought this Z3 based Cobra replica along.

Z3 Cobra.jpg

Being Z3 based it may well have driven better than the one you looked at!

Iain, that’s horrible. It’s kit cars like that that give them a bad name. FUGLY imho.

Agreed Andrew. Those Tribute 'Kobras' are just all wrong, for so many reasons.
OK, a 'real' Cobra replica may be terrible to drive, but at least they look, and sound, the part.

My attitude to all this 'replica' business is 'go big or go home'.
There are so many people who have built terrible replicas and then wonder where all their hard-earned money went when they come to sell. Those Kobra things are worth nothing, as are all of the Tribute abominations.

[Fred Smith]

Iain, that’s horrible. It’s kit cars like that that give them a bad name. FUGLY imho.

At least Pondy’s will look fantastic

I like kit cars etc, and think there's a room for everything.

#1 - a real AC Cobra
#2 - a faithful recreation that looks, sounds and drives the same
#3 - a less faithful recreation which as least gives you some of the looks, and potentially gives you something else on top (for example a car that is much easier to daily)
#4 - a generic car that hints at what it's based on but more evokes an era than copies a particular car.

Totally get why someone would only settle for a #1 or a #2, but there's room for everything. Totally get why someone would say "My attitude to all this 'replica' business is 'go big or go home'. " Totally get why the #3s and #4s are not easy to sell.

[deltasierra]

Part of the enjoyment of a Kit Car is the creation, actually building it, my brother did build a Cobra with Jag V12 as the donor car, He kept it for about 3 yrs then sold it on, it was nice for short journeys on a sunny day, otherwise a garage queen. At the same time I restored an E Type 4.2 much more useful than the Cobra, ran that for 12yrs.
Each to their own I enjoy tinkering and fixing, apart from the Z4 I have a 1933 Singer 9 sports 92 yrs old, lovely for local trips but you can’t really go anywhere, at 50 mph it gets quite exciting.

[deltasierra]

Part of the enjoyment of a Kit Car is the creation, actually building it, my brother did build a Cobra with Jag V12 as the donor car, He kept it for about 3 yrs then sold it on, it was nice for short journeys on a sunny day, otherwise a garage queen. At the same time I restored an E Type 4.2 much more useful than the Cobra, ran that for 12yrs.
Each to their own I enjoy tinkering and fixing, apart from the Z4 I have a 1933 Singer 9 sports 92 yrs old, lovely for local trips but you can’t really go anywhere, at 50 mph it gets quite exciting.

[Beerman]

Go on to AutoTrader and look up the E-Cobra.

It's been reduced in price by 33%. It would be good for some on here.

[Fred Smith]

. deleted duplicate post

[Fred Smith]

I... think there's a room for everything

Go on to AutoTrader and look up the E-Cobra.

It's been reduced in price by 33%. It would be good for some on here.

OK, I admit I was wrong, there is not room for everything.

From the autotrader ad "You can choose from either the 150cc petrol engine or a fully electric 2200 watts version with or without supercharger." So a supercharged electric engine or a 150cc petrol... erm, I'm out. (I hope 150cc is a mistake!)

I quite like the idea of a Cobra shape in a smaller body (I love small cars more than big ones), but yeah, not the car for me and not a patch on the real thing (or proper replicas).

On car I would love to drive one day is one that a company near me used to knock out from a tiny little unit. Basically cut up minis, with the middle cut out so the driver effectively sat on the back seat. So cool. Not sure I'd feel safe on a busy motorway

[Beerman]

I... think there's a room for everything

Go on to AutoTrader and look up the E-Cobra.

It's been reduced in price by 33%. It would be good for some on here.

OK, I admit I was wrong, there is not room for everything.

From the autotrader ad "You can choose from either the 150cc petrol engine or a fully electric 2200 watts version with or without supercharger." So a supercharged electric engine or a 150cc petrol... erm, I'm out. (I hope 150cc is a mistake!)

I quite like the idea of a Cobra shape in a smaller body (I love small cars more than big ones), but yeah, not the car for me and not a patch on the real thing (or proper replicas).

On car I would love to drive one day is one that a company near me used to knock out from a tiny little unit. Basically cut up minis, with the middle cut out so the driver effectively sat on the back seat. So cool. Not sure I'd feel safe on a busy motorway

It is a 150cc engine or a 2200w electric motor. 2200w is around 3hp.

They claim they can do 50mph, but I can't see that. I've had RC cars with about the same power.

It's basically an expensive kids toy that is also road legal.

There is a little video here. I can't find anything else about them.

https://www.e-cobras.com/

[Fred Smith]

I... think there's a room for everything

Go on to AutoTrader and look up the E-Cobra.

It's been reduced in price by 33%. It would be good for some on here.

OK, I admit I was wrong, there is not room for everything.

From the autotrader ad "You can choose from either the 150cc petrol engine or a fully electric 2200 watts version with or without supercharger." So a supercharged electric engine or a 150cc petrol... erm, I'm out. (I hope 150cc is a mistake!)

I quite like the idea of a Cobra shape in a smaller body (I love small cars more than big ones), but yeah, not the car for me and not a patch on the real thing (or proper replicas).

On car I would love to drive one day is one that a company near me used to knock out from a tiny little unit. Basically cut up minis, with the middle cut out so the driver effectively sat on the back seat. So cool. Not sure I'd feel safe on a busy motorway

It is a 150cc engine or a 2200w electric motor. 2200w is around 3hp.

They claim they can do 50mph, but I can't see that. I've had RC cars with about the same power.

It's basically an expensive kids toy that is also road legal.

There is a little video here. I can't find anything else about them.

https://www.e-cobras.com/

Jesus, I looked them up and realized they were small and s**t but I didn't realize how small and s**t! And yeah, I like small cars, but there is a point small becomes novelty, and that "Cobra" (what an insult to use the name) is as much of a novelty as cut up minis.

[Pondrew]

Part of the enjoyment of a Kit Car is the creation, actually building it,

I beg to differ. Mine is a bloody nightmare.

[Pondrew]

If you want 'junior' cars, this lot who supplied my bumpers do some lovely rich kids' toys.
I think the E-type is my personal fave.
https://groupharrington.com/junior-cars/

[Fred Smith]

OMG, the more you dig the worse it gets... "e-Cobra’s will be creating limited edition runs including A Full Pink Barbie Version..."