More facelift than new generation
The British BAC draws the curtain on a completely new BAC Mono in Monterey. A car according to the brand’s well-known lightweight recipe, but completely new. Yet the car looks almost the same. So what’s different then?
We only know Briggs Automotive Company, or BAC, from one product: the Mono, a lightweight, very expensive and formula racer-like single seater sports car for the public road. The original Mono was presented in 2011 and several variations have appeared since then. Each time, the model used a boosted four-cylinder from Ford, which is 2.3-litres in some configurations, 2.5-litres in others, and may or may not be turbocharged. All Monos that have passed so far weigh less than 600 kg and have around – or more than – 300 hp.
So is BAC’s latest achievement: the … Mono. Visually, the car is apparently almost the same as the Monos that were already there, and the name is therefore very similar. Still, the brand is launching the car in Monterey as a completely new iteration, although it is difficult to discern what exactly is different. In any case, the new Mono clearly has a redesigned, loosely placed air intake, which is placed at the rear left of the place for the only occupant. The earlier and extra hot Mono R also had such a separate intake, but it was shaped somewhat like an aircraft engine. This new one is a lot flatter.
Furthermore, we still see the flat tail lights that BAC already started to use in the last refresher round, a diffuser under the butt, two centrally placed tailpipes and a spoiler that connects both rear fenders – nothing new. However, appearances seem to be deceiving: BAC itself indicates that almost every panel is designed slightly differently for better aerodynamics. The rear spoiler would also be a bit bigger than before. Whether the technical changes are clearer? Well; the British say goodbye to the turbo – which also made its debut in 2020 – again.
The new Mono can best be recognized by this air intake. The further external changes are very subtle.
0.1 second faster to 100 km / h than the previous Mono
As in a previous appearance of the car, the new Mono has a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder that this time produces up to 311 hp and 313 Nm of torque and can run up to 8,000 rpm. The car sprints from 0 to 100 km / h in 2.7 seconds if desired and has a six-speed sequential gearbox. The Mono comes standard on extra tacky and specially tuned Pirelli Trofeo R tires for the BAC, has revised suspension parts and new throttle bodies – one per cylinder – for a racy sound and extra fast throttle response.
Prices and a precise introduction date of the secretly pretty updated BAC Mono will follow at a later stage. The brand will also present a Mono-with-turbo again next year.
The rear spoiler is a size larger than before.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl