BAC's streamlined mono is a single-seater racer built for both demanding roads and tracks

Mono: the new supercar by BAC

BAC’s newest addition, the Mono single-seater supercar, marked its debut at the 2023 Monterey Car Week in California. This innovative road-legal racer shifts between everyday roads and demanding tracks. Whether maneuvering through mountainous roads or racing on intricate tracks, the Mono excels in both realms. Inspired by BAC’s original Mono concept, a decade-long cornerstone of the brand’s heritage, the new supercar finely balances extremes.

The distinct shark-nose front, well-known for the brand, is instantly recognizable on the Mono. The main LED headlights are in the middle, which helps make the front smaller. Every part and surface of the car has been carefully shaped to make it more aerodynamic. In the back, a spoiler has been designed to extend over the rear wheel arches, giving the supercar a futuristic look.

‘Mono is an authentic BAC supercar – it delivers the typical – yet not easily achievable – attributes that are part of the BAC DNA like high-performance, lightweight engineering, dynamic chassis, optimised suspension and an emotional design,’ said Neill Briggs, co-founder and head of product development, BAC. ‘Just as importantly, Mono also creates a connection to a new type of BAC driving experience, one that can seamlessly take to the road as easily as it can encounter the demands of on-track driving. In many ways, this new supercar is a homage to the original BAC Concept that we established over a decade ago, proving its fundamental longevity. The new Mono is a single-seater tour-de-force that has been engineered for balance but developed for extremes’ added Neill.

all images by BAC

Mono: The Heart of BAC’s Central Product Lineup

Mono has been carefully designed to become a central product for BAC, satisfying the need for a well-balanced single-seater supercar that embraces extremes. The new Mono is powered by a 2.5-liter engine that’s been carefully tuned to provide the right amount of power and torque for a high-performance car that’s agile and dynamic, both on the road and on the track. This engine can rev up to 8,000rpm and generates 320PS (311hp) and 313Nm (231 lb-ft) of torque.

The engine has been designed to offer smooth and gradual performance, no matter where the Mono is driven. It includes several advanced features like strong forged connecting rods and pistons, performance-oriented camshafts, and improved valve springs. The car also has an enhanced air intake system with individual throttle bodies, an aerodynamically optimized carbon fiber inlet, a remote filtration system, and a new carbon airbox. This airbox is smaller and more compact, tailored precisely to meet the car’s power needs, ensuring seamless torque in the mid-range.

Furthermore, the BAC team has incorporated a specially tuned engine with a power-to-weight ratio of 546hp-per-tonne, resulting in a supercar weighing merely 570kg (1,257lbs). Its weight is distributed optimally with 41% in the front and 59% in the rear, adding to its agile yet stable performance. Thanks to its lightweight structure, the Mono can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in only 2.7 seconds.

The team has worked on the car’s technology for over ten years to improve it. They’ve made changes to how the parts are set up to help it stay stable and handle well while driving. For the Mono, they’ve made sure both the suspension and adjustable racing dampers are just right to give the driver a great experience on both roads and tracks.

The setup uses a system with pushrods that can be adjusted, and it has two wishbones for both the front and the back of the car. This system has special mounts that help reduce the friction that can slow down the car. At the back, the Mono keeps the six-speed racing-style transmission that comes from motorsport. BAC worked closely with Pirelli to offer different types of tires for the Mono. These range from special Trofeo R tires made just for the Mono, to smooth tires for the track and tires that work well in wet conditions.

the iconic shark-nose front, a trademark of the brand, is easily identifiable on the Mono a spoiler is made to stretch over the rear wheel arches, adding a dramatic look to the supercar the engine has been designed to offer smooth and gradual performance either on roads or tracks