Carroll Shelby International Inc. and AC Motor Holdings Ltd. have recently announced that they have buried their past differences and have forged a new strategic alliance. Under this collaboration, the two companies will begin working together in all areas of marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution and product development.
In recent years, Shelby has initiated numerous legal actions against companies that he felt were infringing on his copyright and trademark rights to the famous “Cobra” name and body style. These actions have been directed at numerous Cobra replica manufacturers including, ironically, AC, whose AC Ace was the original basis for the Cobra line of sports cars.
Shelby’s new alliance with AC, Britain’s oldest surviving car maker, comes on the heels of the announcement that Shelby has also formed an historic partnership with the Ford Motor Company to offer his expertise to the Ford Performance Group in a project to jointly develop specialty niche performance products. While the details on both partnerships are still sketchy, one can only assume that Ol’ Shel still has a few automotive surprises up his sleeve.
