Because of COVID 19, to protect our Cars N Coffee Liverpool members and
community, we have decided to postpone the meetings until further notice.
On a positive and happier note, we will not stop our conversations about cars, thanks
to social media. Our shift and improvisation has in fact pushed our boundaries into
territories we have not been before. In March this year, the Geneva International
Motor Show, one of Europe’s largest annual motoring events was cancelled. Still
the manufacturers pressed ahead with their unveilings via Vloggers, Bloggers and
traditional video reports from the factory floor. The Briggs Automotive Company
(BAC) based here in Liverpool did just that!
Ever since the start of Cars N Coffee Liverpool, we have shared a great rapport
with BAC. On the day of the Geneva cancellation, they invited 40 of our members
including photographers and potential customers to the factory. This included
the well known Iain Tyrrell (we’ve featured one of his Lamborghini Espadas in a
previous issue) and Harry Metcalfe the founder and former editorial director of Evo
Magazine, and presenter of YouTube channels Harry’s Garage, along with another
car enthusiast and property expert Nick Burnand, who frequently appears on TV’s
‘Homes under the Hammer’ and in Wirral Life.
This time BAC has revealed a surprisingly lighter, much faster, new-look version of
its single-seat Mono supercar, which adopts turbo power for the first time as a way
of meeting forthcoming emissions regulations and maintaining compliance in its 40
export markets across the world. Priced at £165,950. It is powered by a Mountune
developed, 2.3-litre Ford four-cylinder engine developing 330bhp, a boost of 25bhp
over the outgoing car’s normally aspirated version of the same unit. However the
Mono’s horsepower boost is dwarfed by a torque increase of nearly 30%: the new
turbo engine’s output rises from 229lb ft to “over” 295lb ft. Company bosses Neil
and Ian Briggs estimate that their new car should be around four seconds a lap faster
than the original on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. Official 0-60mph time is an
astonishing 2.7seconds, with a top speed of 170mph.
The new Mono weighs just 570kg, uses a new iteration of BAC’s traditional steel space
frame chassis, and is clad with graphene enhanced carbon fibre panels that allow
material to be thinner (and thus lighter) for the same strength. The styling closely
follows the new look of the special edition Mono R — minus that cars controversial
F3-style ram-air intake behind the drivers which isn’t needed because of the engines
new forced induction system — with every panel redesigned to reduce visual mass,
lower overall height and reduce frontal area, to improve aero performance. The car
is 20mm lower, and 25mm longer, has more optimal weight distribution (due to
a lowered fuel tank and a centralised battery) and incorporates a plethora of tiny
weight saving measures so that despite the extra weight of its turbo engine, it weighs
10kg less overall.
The all-independent wishbone suspension has been extensively redesigned to reduce
pitch under brakes and squat under acceleration. It also incorporates Öhlins two-
way adjustable dampers, lightweight AP brake calipers and specially homologated
Pirelli Trofeo R tyres, now standard on all Monos. The result, says BAC, is sharper
turn-in, better rotation at the apex of a corner, and better traction at the exit. The
Briggs brothers say the latest Mono incorporates a high degree of innovation: there
are around 40 3D printed components (mirror supports, headlight surrounds and
wiring brackets amongst them). They are especially proud of a newly developed
aluminium-carbon fibre wheel design developed with software partners Autodesk
that will be offered as an option. It shaves around 35% off the weight of the existing
Mono’s already-ultra light standard aluminium wheels. Though BAC is already
taking orders for the new Mono it won’t start delivering them until well into 2021,
beginning in the UK, European and South-East Asian markets - because the factory
will be fully occupied this year building and delivering its already sold - batch of
Mono R specials shown at Goodwood last summer. The two newly launched vehicle
will make its debut in person to you all soon here at Cars N Coffee Liverpool.
From everyone here at Cars N Coffee Liverpool, we hope you are all safe and
healthy and we can't wait to see you all again very soon! To join in with the
updates and conversations please join us on Facebook Group - CNC Liverpool
(Carsandcoffeeliverpool ) or if you need any sort of help in these difficult times
please email us on [email protected] - we will be on the other end to try and help!
We are in it together, you are not alone!
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