Ah, here’s what happens when enthusiasts get beyond being merely enthusiastic in armchair fashion and do something about it. It’s called the Mono, and it’s the creation of BAC, a company started out by a couple of Brit lads.
The Mono (as in monoposto, or single seat) has been 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 and one-make series racer.
Conceived by brothers Neill and Ian Briggs, the Briggs Automotive Company creation offers superlative performance – at 520 hp to the ton, its power-to-weight ratio surpasses that of the Bugatti Veyron and it gets from nought to 100 kph in just 2.8 seconds, to 160 kph in 6.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 273 kph.
The car is 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. Ian Briggs says that the Mono is the culmination of a 12-year dream for the brothers, the car they wanted to own but nobody else made.
The Mono’s aerodynamics were optimised using CFD in partnership with Stuttgart University, and is constructed in carbon fibre with a tubular steel driver safety cell, complete with FIA-compliant rollover protection system – similar in concept to a DTM race car.
Power comes from a 280 hp normally-aspirated 2.3 litre Cosworth unit mounted longitudinally and mated to an electronically-controlled, paddle-shift, six-speed sequential Hewland transmission with a limited-slip differential.
The vehicle features a rose-jointed, aero-profiled pushrod suspension with adjustable Sachs Racing dampers. Elsewhere, there’s an AP Racing braking system, bespoke HRT alloy wheels by OZ Racing, purpose-developed, street-legal track tyres by Kumho and vehicle electronics and instrumentation by GEMS.
The driver is secured by a full six-point racing harness by Willans, with 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 a fully adjustable pedal box and steering column alterable for both height and rake. There’s even a F1-style fully-profiled seat option.
The Mono – which goes for £79,950 – is built to order on a first-come, first-served basis, and production capacity is currently between 50 and 100 vehicles per year.
Gallery after the jump.
[zenphotopress number=999 album=2077]
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haha.. i bet one gonna look weird in this next to u on the traffic light. yea yea ur fast, but ur freak as well.. better stay on track laaa..
Yeah, ’cause the next lane driver will only see the top of your helmet :D
Still, I wonder if JPJ would approve this on our road to any who is nuts/cool enough to bring it here.
not a chance, since we got problem with S7 and Atom
orgasm!!!!
they should make a closed cockpit version than it would be awesome
we malaysian need to stick roadtax on windscreen meh
it is damn dangerous to drive this car on Malaysia roads…. can’t imagine if got “tak-apa-tak-kisah” type of lorry driver just runover this car when trying to turn left while on the right lane.
must be damn fun driving one of these on the track and blasting ah bengs in corners and traffic lights.
can easily smoke vtec and forced induced 4Gs
vtec & 4Gs fanboys are not even in the same league.. this thing can even scare ferraris and lambos..
they can feature this as a mini bat mobile in the next batman movie :D
this should put a good run with Atom Ariel, Caterham 7, KTM X-Bow
I cant help but imagine an ariel atom or this car travelling through bumps at an angle, slowing down to the speed of an ant.
It seems like malaysia has more bumps than people, with some roads having 9 bumps for 100 metre stretch.
sure can cilok under the lorry :D
and coming flat behind the lorry back tyre
what happens to ESNA VENERE since the lost of Mr Esmail Naziadin??what a loss..
Older people (like me) would remember Briggs and Straton single piston lawn mower engines. You’ve come a long way baby! But this looks like an extended X Box. It will probably get an MOT in UK and be able to drive it up to the track if they put some air shield in front.
No need ‘air shield’… just get a Simpson fullface helmet like the one the Stig use! Sure will turn heads!