If you thought the market for open-wheel racecars was already full, think again. The British Briggs Automotive Company recently revealed a new sports car it dubs the Mono, which is aimed squarely at track toys like the Ariel Atom and KTM X-Bow.
Like both the Atom and X-Bow, the Mono is a compact, open-wheel sports car built primarily for track-day entertainment (it can, however, be registered for road use in the United Kingdom), albeit with one unique twist. Unlike its competitors, the Mono lives up to its name by utilizing a single-seat configuration, which places the driver in the center of the car.
That may be unique, but both the Mono’s appearance and construction closely emulate its rivals. BAC’s machine features carbon fiber bodywork wrapped around a tubular steel safety cell, which has been FIA approved. Power comes courtesy of a Cosworth-tuned Ford 2.3-liter I-4, which sends 280 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. Weighing in at just 1190 pounds, the Mono has a power-to-weight ratio of roughly 4.25 pounds per horsepower, vastly eclipsing a number of its competitors. BAC promises the Mono can rip from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, and hit top speeds in the neighborhood of 170 mph.
Standard equipment includes 17-inch O.Z. Racing wheels wrapped in customized Kumho rubber, pushrod suspension with adjustable Sachs dampers, and AP Racing disc brakes with 11.6-inch ventilated rotors in both front and back.
BAC will limit production to a mere 50 examples for the first year, but hopes to ultimately ramp capacity up to 200 cars annually in the coming years. Presently, 10 units are spoken for, and predictably, the company tells Autocar that Ariel Atom customers are expressing strong interest in the car. Pricing is set at $108,000, and as it stands, the model is restricted to the U.K. market. BAC hopes to expand the Mono’s availability by the end of 2012, but those seeking a means of importing the car into the U.S. will likely face a number of significant hurdles, much like importers of both the Atom and X-Bow.
Source: BAC, Autocar
