Cholmondeley Pageant of Power 2012 Information

The 2012 edition of the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power will honor the 50th anniversary of the AC Cobra with a vehicle display and on-track action on the Cholmondeley circuit. The 5th annual Pageant will be held 15 to 17 June on the Cholmondeley Estate in Cheshire, UK.

Organizers of the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power 2012 said the special display entitled ‘Cobras at the Castle’ will play host to the largest gathering of the Anglo-American sports car in the UK this year. The event is also introducing a special race category – the ‘AC Cobra 50th Anniversary Class’ – that will see the most famous Cobras, including one of only three ‘Lightweight Cobras’ ever built, compete for top honours.

James Hall, Event Director for the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, said, “The first AC Cobra was sold in 1962 and we are proud to celebrate the anniversary of a world-famous motoring icon. This car has earned something of a cult following over the last 50 years, both through its GT racing pedigree and towering on-road presence. The Cobras will make a thrilling addition to the 2012 Pageant.”

When introduced in 1962, the Mark I AC Cobra featured a 260ci V8 engine from Ford Motor Company, upgraded to a 289ci unit in 1963 for the Mark II. Race-derived versions of the Cobra were dominant on the domestic US and international racing calendars.

The fearsome AC Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe won the 12 Hours of Sebring GT class twice in 1964 and 1965, finished fourth overall in the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning the GT class, and recording victories across a number of other endurance events – often ahead of its main competitor, the Ferrari 250 GTO. The car also won the 1965 International Championship for GT Manufacturers in the World Sportscar Championship, winning 8 out of 10 races.

In the face of rising competition from other manufacturers, particularly GM’s Grand Sport Corvette, the 427-powered Mark III Cobra was introduced in 1965 with a 420 bhp 7.0-litre V8 engine, becoming the most powerful production car in the world at the time.

Now in its fifth year, the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power will take place on the Cholmondeley Estate in Cheshire from 15 to 17 June, 2012. A full event schedule and list of participants will be announced over the coming weeks, with Pageant organisers set to reveal some exciting new additions and features for 2012.

For additional information, visit www.cpop.co.uk.

[Source: Cholmondeley Pageant of Power]