AC 428 Frua Fastback
The AC 428, produced from 1965 to 1973, was AC Cars' attempt to create a luxurious grand tourer using the mechanical foundation of the Cobra with refined Italian coachwork by Pietro Frua. The result was one of the most beautiful and exclusive British grand touring cars of the 1960s, produced in tiny numbers and now highly prized by collectors.
The body was designed and constructed by Pietro Frua in Turin, Italy. The elegant, flowing lines created a car of considerable visual distinction, with a long bonnet, graceful cabin, and neat tail. Both Fastback coupe and convertible versions were offered, with the Fastback being considered the more elegant. The body panels were steel, giving the 428 a solidity that the Cobra's aluminum panels did not provide.
Power came from the Ford 428 cubic inch (7.0-litre) V8 engine, producing approximately 345 horsepower in standard tune. This was the same big-block Ford engine used in the Cobra 428, providing effortless performance suited to the car's grand touring character. The engine was mated to either a Ford C6 three-speed automatic or a four-speed manual gearbox.
The chassis was derived from the AC Cobra's tube-frame design, with independent suspension at all four corners and disc brakes throughout. This sophisticated platform provided handling and ride quality that was superior to many contemporary grand tourers, though the heavy engine and long wheelbase gave the car a different character from the lighter, more agile Cobra.
The interior was trimmed to a high standard with Connolly leather, walnut veneer, and comprehensive instrumentation. The cabin was more spacious than the Cobra's, with proper weather protection and a level of comfort appropriate for continental touring. The 428 was conceived as a car in which to cross Europe in comfort, not as a racing machine.
Production was painfully slow, with bodies being made in Turin and shipped to AC's Thames Ditton factory for assembly. The logistics were complex and expensive, and quality control was challenging. Only 81 cars were completed over the model's eight-year production span — 29 convertibles and 52 fastbacks.
The AC 428 competed in a rarefied segment alongside cars like the Aston Martin DBS, Maserati Ghibli, and Ferrari 365 GT 2+2. While it may not have matched those cars in every respect, it offered a unique combination of British chassis engineering, Italian styling, and American V8 power that was genuinely distinctive.
Today, the AC 428 is among the rarest and most sought-after British grand tourers. Its combination of extreme rarity, beautiful design, and strong V8 performance has ensured that values have appreciated dramatically. The car represents AC at its most ambitious, a small company reaching for the very pinnacle of the grand touring car market.
With only 81 built, finding one for sale is extremely rare. Verify through the AC Owners Club register. The Frua body panels are unique and essentially irreplaceable; check condition very carefully. The Ford 428 engine is well-supported by American V8 specialists. The AC chassis is expensive to repair if corroded. Check all mechanical systems thoroughly, as parts specific to the 428 are extremely scarce. Complete documentation of the car's history is essential for value.
Bodies were constructed by Frua in Turin and shipped to AC at Thames Ditton for assembly. Total production was just 81 units (29 convertibles, 52 fastbacks) over eight years. The complex manufacturing process and AC's limited resources restricted production severely. The 428 was the last significant car produced by AC Cars before the company's decline.