AC Ace (2006) first official pictures

By Richard Yarrow

First Official Pictures

15 December 2006 09:30

Smart Roadster reborn as an AC

It was only axed last year, but the Smart Roadster has sprung back to life as this – the all-new AC Ace. The band of British enthusiasts behind the project aim to start production of the rebodied sports car in mid-2007, with prices from £12,000 to £19,000. A deal to buy the rights and tooling jigs for the axed two-seater from parent company DaimlerChrysler is about to be signed, and there will also be a convertible version. The pair will be known as the AC Ace and Ace Roadster.

That’s the big question. Power will come from the same Mitsubishi-sourced 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that’s in the second-generation Smart ForTwo, on sale next spring. Don’t expect fireworks in the engine department, then. There will be three different versions of each Ace, both naturally aspirated and turbocharged. Performance and fuel economy should be at least on a par with the scrapped Smart versions.

By Richard Yarrow