If you’ve never heard of the BAC Mono, you’re probably not alone. Even among track-day semi-exotics like the KTM X-Bow and the Ariel Atom, the BAC (for Briggs Automotive Company) Mono is a relative unknown, thanks largely to its late entry into the market. BAC was only founded in 2009, and the Mono has only been commercially available since last year.
As the name implies, the Mono is a single-seater, intended primarily for track use (though road-legal in the UK). It’s light, tipping the scales at 1,188 pounds, which makes its 280 horsepower, 2.3-liter Cosworth four-cylinder more than good enough to get the job done. In fact, the Mono can sprint from 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 2.9 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 170 mph.
You can learn a lot about a car’s balance on a wet race track, and Chris Harris clearly has fun sliding the Mono through the corners on a soaking wet Rockingham circuit. The car makes enough power to be entertaining without being intimidating, and the suspension is tuned to be somewhat forgiving (though it is fully adjustable, allowing owners to dial it in any way they please). While this isn’t the best episode of Chris Harris On Cars, there’s still enough here to keep it interesting.
We’d love to see a throw-down between the BAC Mono, the Ariel Atom and the KTM X-Bow. They’re all aimed at a similar market, they’re all priced in the same ballpark and they all have strengths and weaknesses, If our bank account was large enough, we’d seriously consider parking one of these track day toys in our own garage, but the question remains: which is the best?
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
