An agreement between Texas-based Unique Performance and AC Cars Ltd. will officially return genuine sports cars from the historic British marque to North America. As the exclusive distributor of the carbon fiber bodied AC MkV component roadster, Unique Performance will offer a limited number of the Anglo-American sports cars to customers beginning in April 2006. Unique Performance manufactures and distributes limited edition signature series vehicles including the Shelby G.T.500E, Shelby G.T.350SR and the Foose '69 Camaro.

Based on the original AC Cobra, the MkV will be offered, AC Cars says, as "a complete rolling chassis that is factory assembled, painted, fully instrumented and upholstered with brakes, suspension, exhaust and wheels, but without an engine or transmission." The car is designed to accept Ford 4.6-, 5.0- and 5.7-liter V-8s, including the 351 Windsor crate engine.

It has been significantly improved for interior space as against the previous model, the AC MK1V. The AC MKV is offered as a "component car" in the USA market with a selling price of about $65,000 without engine and gearbox.

The initial AC MkV has already arrived in the United States. The Chiltern Green sports car will be fitted with a Ford Racing 4.6L V8 engine and T-56 gearbox for demonstration purposes. Additional cars will be delivered to Unique Performance within the following 30 days and orders will be accepted as of April 1, 2006.