As opening sentences for press releases go, the new Mono's is fairly compelling - especially at a time of autonomous this and e-mobility that. BAC says this is a "higher-performance, lighter, more advanced single-seater supercar that's fully road legal across continental Europe and beyond." So all the good things about the existing car, now heightened and on offer to more people. Sounds encouraging...
The primary update, and the reason the Mono can now be sold to Europe, is a change of powertrain. The 2.5-litre, Mountune-modified screamer (309hp at 8,000rpm) has been replaced by a turbocharged engine; again tweaked by Mountune, it's an evolution of the 2.3-litre known from fast Focuses. In this installation it produces 337hp and 295lb ft; as a result it'll reach 170mph, passing 62mph in 2.7 seconds - and all EU drive-by noise regulations - along the way. If the trademark Mono intensity has been retained, while also broadening its sales scope, BAC deserves praise; it'll be a move closely monitored by rivals, too, as ever-tightening rules threaten other small-volume manufacturers.
This new car is more than just an engine swap for BAC, though. It's design is influenced by the recent Mono R, with less frontal area and a lower height for a "sleeker, more organic overall appearance." The Mono turbo is also longer than the original, boasts improved aero and features LED lights; obviously it still looks like a Mono from a distance, but there are changes if you know where to look.
Speaking of which, see the new wheels. Designed with help from Autodesk, they're 35 per cent lighter than before - just 2.2kg each - and therefore save valuable unsprung weight. BAC says more than 40 parts are 3D-printed in the new Mono, too, while graphene-enhanced carbon is used throughout the car, increasing strength and lightness - just in case plain old carbon fibre wasn't strong and light enough...
As for the famed Mono driving experience, this turbocharged car promises more of the same; some of that is from familiar equipment - Ohlins dampers and Pirelli Trofeo R tyres - and some will come via detail tweaks, including further lowering of the centre of gravity and improved weight distribution. Thank a repositioned battery and larger, lower fuel tank for those. BAC claims that the overall result is "unparalleled" on four wheels, that "lighter weight, more power and more efficient aerodynamics provide a drive that pushes the boundaries ever closer to perfection."
So, yeah, it sounds like quite the package. While the loss of naturally aspirated response will be viewed as a demerit by some, the turbo torque increase - as well as the fact this new engine substantially increases BAC's reach - can only be seen as positives. Which will be well worth remembering when asked for £165,950 to own one. Still, the best highs never did come cheap, and the Mono has traded on that for nearly a decade - this should ensure it keeps doing so in the years to come.
1 / 11