Words: Rory FH Smith
Liverpool has its fair share of success stories. For music aficionados, it’s home to the Beatles – arguably the world’s first contemporary music outfit. To anoraked trainspotters, it was the first city in the world to have an exclusively steam-powered passenger railway.
But to the motoring fans among us, it’s all about Neill and Ian Briggs – two chaps in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city.
The two brothers, born in Liverpool, are well-presented, approachable and modest. You’d be hard pushed to guess that, together, they are responsible for another world first for this northern city. And yet they are. The achievement? The world’s fastest ever road legal single seater – the BAC Mono.
The story of the BAC begins in 2009, when the brothers couldn’t quite find what they were looking for in a car.
“Ian and I had always been involved in race cars,” says Neill. “But, although they were quick, they were never that good to look at.”
And so, the Briggs Automotive Company was born, with Ian and Neill at the wheel and a clear direction in mind. “We wanted a car that would give us enjoyment on the track but would be just as at home on the road,” rationalises Widnes-born Neill.
From modest beginnings, the company soon began to gain traction. “We were just six people working out of a posh shed in Cheshire when the car debuted on Top Gear!” laughs the brother.
Soon after, the Mono was voted the Stig’s ‘Best Drive of the Year 2011’ and went on to appear as a digital representation in world-played titles such as Need for Speed Most Wanted in 2012 and Forza Motorsport 6 in 2015.
But enough background – this car was built to drive, so drive it we shall. The first hurdle is climbing into it, which necessitates expert-level yoga skills before you can sink into the cockpit. The seating position is reclined, mounted in the centre of the car and – key to the car’s name – fit for just one, so don’t expect to take your friends out for a spin.
But behind the wheel of a Mono, a blabbering passenger is the last thing you’ll want because the car is, quite simply, a force of nature. Its open cockpit, F1-style steering wheel, central driving position and lack of any creature comforts mean that this is as close to feeling like Ayrton Senna as any gent will ever get.
Then there’s the gearshift – or warp shift, shall we say. Reach behind the rectangular steering wheel and you’ll find two, firm carbon fibre paddles. Gently flick one of them and ‘pist, clunk’ – in no time at all the gear is fired into place by a hydraulic system.
It’s a beautifully mechanical process – a far cry from gearboxes found on many of today’s supercars. Climbing through the gears, it’s just 2.8 seconds before the car reaches 60mph. On paper, that’s quicker than a V12 Lamborghini Aventador or Ferrari F12, despite the Mono sporting only a plucky 2.3-litre Cosworth engine.
Tucked away in an unsuspecting corner of Liverpool, the Briggs Automotive Company is a genuine British success story – flying the flag for the UK’s specialist automotive industry. With the 2016 model featuring optional carbon fibre and aluminium wheels and a new 2.5-litre engine from Mountune, the ambitious brothers are already planning the next step in BAC’s journey.
More of the same please, gents – and long may it continue.
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