BAC’S NEILL BRIGGS: “OUR REQUIREMENT WAS FOR A VERY HIGH-PERFORMING OIL. THAT’S WHAT WE GET WITH 300V”

The BAC Mono – one of the most exclusive, focused road-going cars that’s ever been conceived. Inspired by Formula cars, its single-seater layout and track-ready set up mean this is a machine that’s about one thing and one thing only: exceptional performance, both on the track and off it. To help BAC achieve its goals, the company partnered with Motul from the outset as its lubricant supplier. As BAC celebrates its 10-year anniversary, co-founder Neill Briggs talks about why partnerships are important and what the future holds for the British supercar brand.  

We strive to be the best at what we do. And, therefore, we align our partners accordingly. As far as with we're concerned, Motul is the best. Our requirement was for a very high-performing oil, and that’s what we get with 300V. The Mono is designed for road and track use, so it's important that the oil performs in every temperature, humidity and environment in each of the 45 countries that we export the car to around the world across four continents. The engine oil, and indeed all of the other lubricants for gearbox, clutch and brakes, is the perfect match for what we do. And obviously with the distribution network that Motul has across the world, we can align our customers and dealers to ensure that we've got a constant supply of fluids and lubricants.

It’s been going right from the start, so that’s 10 years now. I think there’s a lot to be said for a long-lasting relationship and long may it continue. It’s a win-win as far as we’re concerned. The supply of products is seam less and they work extremely well in the car.

Certainly, the car has the architecture of a formula car and uses the same gearbox that’s used in Formula 3. But obviously, at the end of the day it's a road car. And, you know, road cars have inherently more challenges than just pure motorsport. The service intervals are somewhat different. So therefore, for us it wasn’t just the high-performing element that made Motul an obvious choice but also the serviceability, the access to replacement fluids and all that good stuff. I've been going to Le Mans for the last 25 years and I've seen the Motul tower there. The branding does work, and the association with motorsport and motoring heritage is perfectly aligned to our values.

When you set out with any business venture, you dream about success and that success changes as you progress. If someone was to say that in 10 years’ time we would have made over 130 cars plus exported them across four continents in 45 countries, I would have said that they were being optimistic. Now we've set our target on the next additional 25 countries in mainland Europe, a next generation Mono and new dealerships, as well as broadening our product range. Targets and aspirations change. We didn't expect to be at the dizzy heights of where we are now, but having grown the business to where we are, we're looking to accelerate it further still but continue to be a very unique, bespoke offering. Our aspiration is to build no more than 100 cars a year, so it'll still be a very rare, exclusive thing, and long may the partnership with Motul last.

We've got a great product and a great team, and you can't have one without the other. I think the comparison of our car to a Formula car, and the fact that Formula One exists across so many countries worldwide, is part of it. People always call it a Formula One car for the road. Obviously, it isn't. But what's great is that people don't have a preconceived idea about the brand and the type of person who drives it. So, the first thing they do is give it a thumbs up, reach for their mobile phone and then ask what it is.