Famous AC Cobra crossing the block at Bonhams|Cars Revival sale

This familiar face is an ex-Martin Colvill car campaigned under the banner of his Horsley-based sportscar dealership, completing more than 100 races in the 1970s and ‘80s, scoring 12 outright victories and 44 class wins. Registered '13 COB' in the UK, the car won the Historic Sports Car Club Classic Sportscar Class A Championship in 1978, ‘80, and ‘81. 

The car also won the 1981 and ‘85 Aston Martin Owners Club's Inter-Marque Challenge/Championship, and set class lap records at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Oulton Park and Mallory Park.

Completed in 1966, the car's original chassis' history can be traced back to the 1963 Le Mans, where it served as AC Car Ltd's works entry driven by Ninian Sanderson and Peter Bolton, where it took a class victory on its way to a seventh-place finish overall.

The car was then acquired by John Willment Automobiles and successfully campaigned, most often by Jack Sears, at places such as Goodwood, Oulton Park and Aintree.

During practice for 1964's Nürburgring 1,000 km, co-driver Frank Gardner crashed the car at well over 100mph, distorting the chassis frame's front chassis tower. As a result, the original chassis was replaced with a new frame, while the damaged chassis was subsequently repaired and retained until it was later sold.

The car was then bought by the Duke of Hamilton and passed through four other owners before Martin Colvill purchased the car in 1975. Chassis 'CS 2131A', as designated by the AC Owners Club, was acquired by the present vendor in 2005.

Since then the car has raced at the Le Mans Classic and Modena Cento Ore, at the Goodwood Revival in the only twice run Shelby Cup and the RAC TT Celebration, and at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting, where Murray Shepherd drove it to a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Graham Hill Trophy.

'COB 13' remains a desirable and valuable car, it's been maintained to original specification and is ready to race, qhich is bound to entice a bid or two. It goes under the hammer at the Bonhams|Cars Revival sale — which takes place on Saturday 13^th September at 10:30 — with an estimate of £1.5 million-£2 million.

Tickets for the Goodwood Revival are limited! Saturday tickets have sold out, so secure your Friday and Sunday tickets to avoid missing out on the world's best historic motorsport event.