Enthusiasts the world over dream of designing and building their own car.
What set the Cheshire-born brothers Neill and Ian Briggs apart from most, is
that they had the automotive qualifications and experience to do just that, and
put the result into production for others to enjoy - enter the BAC Mono.
Mono (as in Monoposto, or single seat) was designed to bring formula race car
levels of handling, performance and thrill to the public road, but it's also the
perfect trackday tool, racing school car, one-make series racer, etc. At 520 hp
/ ton, its power to weight ratio surpasses that of the Bugatti Veyron and it can
accelerate to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, 100 mph in 6.7 seconds and on to a top
speed of 170 mph. The car is also an object of engineering perfection and
desire, courtesy of the Briggs brothers' 15 years experience of the motor
industry, during which time they've handled design and engineering consultancy
projects for the likes of Ford Motor Company, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, through
their company Adaptive Space.
Of British conception, BAC (Briggs
Automotive Company) Mono combines the very best of all automotive worlds. Its
aerodynamics were optimized using CFD in partnership with Stuttgart University,
while its list of suppliers reads like a Who's Who of the international
motorsport industry. The vehicle is constructed in carbon fiber with a tubular
steel driver safety cell, complete with FIA-compliant roll over protection
system - similar in concept to a DTM race car. Power comes from a 280 hp,
normally-aspirated 2.3-liter Cosworth unit mounted longitudinally and mated to
an electronically-controlled, paddle-shift, six-speed sequential Hewland
transmission with limited-slip differential. The rose-jointed, aero profiled
pushrod suspension features adjustable Sachs Racing dampers derived from the
heat of competition. The braking is by AP Racing, the bespoke HRT alloy wheels
by OZ Racing, the purpose-developed, street-legal track tires by Kumho, and the
vehicle electronics and instrumentation by GEMS.
The driver is secured by
a full six-point racing harness by Willans and there is
a secure locker in which to store a helmet and the detachable steering wheel
when parked. The seat is fixed for safety and optimum weight distribution (48/52
front to rear), and drivers of varying shapes and sizes can be readily
accommodated thanks to the fully adjustable pedal box and steering column that
can be altered for both height and rake. There is even the option of an F1-style
fully-profiled seat.
Ian Briggs: "Mono is the culmination of a 12-year
dream for us - the car we wanted to own but nobody else made." Neill Briggs
added: "All cars are built to order on a first-come, first-served basis and our
flexible production facility has the capacity to manufacture between 50 and 100
vehicles per year - or more if demand requires. All I can currently say is, the
early response has been extremely encouraging."
The BAC Mono is priced at
79,950 GBP ($127,000), including UK taxes.