The second iteration of the outrageous Briggs Automotive Company single-seater supercar, better known as the BAC Mono, has gone turbocharged for 2020. Expect lots of high-pace, sharp-driving fireworks as a result.
Lighter than light
Sporting the new design DNA of the Mono that was seen on 2019's Mono R, the updated Mono has a 'reduced visual mass' (impressive, given how small and light it has always been) with a smaller frontal area and a lower overall height, which should help it cut through the air even more preposterously faster than it has done before. The kerb weight of the whole thing is a mere 570kg and the Mono, for the first time, meets the latest Euro-6d emissions and drive-by noise regs, meaning it can be sold continent-wide.
It achieves this by using a 2.3-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine fettled by Mountune, and we have more than the sneakiest of sneaking suspicions that this is an enhanced Ford unit that has seen service in the likes of the current Focus ST, the previous Focus RS and the EcoBoost-badged Mustangs. Here, it develops 337hp, an increase of 27hp on the previous BAC Mono, with more than 400Nm of torque.
What you then end up with is the astonishing figure of 590hp-per-tonne, an increase of 58hp-per-tonne on its predecessor. With a dry-sumped lubrication system, the BAC Mono's engine can be mounted lower and thus the car's point of centre-of-gravity is lowered, to the aid of handling. Lightweight AP Racing brake callipers and a carbon floor are carried over from the Mono R, while carbon-ceramic brakes will be an option that shaves a further 2.55kg of unsprung mass per corner from the Mono. The suspension geometry has been tweaked and features two-way adjustable dampers from Swedish firm Öhlins (they of Volvo and Polestar fame), while Pirelli Trofeo R tyres offer up an absolute surfeit of grip.
So, some stats: it will run 0-100km/h in around 2.7 seconds and will go on, if you're in the right location and have taken your brave pills, to 274km/h flat out. The price of each one is likely to be around €195,800, and that's before VRT is applied, as no CO2 figure has yet been revealed for the all-new Mono. Yikes!
'Monumental and hugely proud day'
Neill Briggs, BAC's director of product development, said: "Today marks a monumental and hugely proud day for myself and everyone associated with BAC. Launching another incredible product and holding our heads high amongst the automotive elite is truly humbling - and special thanks go to the talented BAC team as well as our partners and suppliers worldwide. The success of the first-generation Mono was beyond our wildest dreams and we can't wait for even more success with the new model in brand-new territories around the globe. This is a stunning new generation of an automotive icon and an exciting new way for us to take on the world."
Ian Briggs, design director at BAC, added: "When it came to designing the new-generation BAC Mono, we didn't just want to set a precedent for the evolution of Mono - we wanted to set a totally new bar for supercar design. The flowing, functional shape that's full of undeniable Mono DNA is lighter-looking, more simplistic and cleaner than ever before, with a reduced frontal area and thinner surfaces throughout. Making the second Mono was always going to be a challenge - much like the ever-anticipated second album of an artist - but we're confident the stunning look, innovation and driving experience of the new BAC Mono will more than meet the demands and expectations."