There have always been blokes in sheds tinkering with tin pots, four wheels and four cylinder engines, turning their bathtubs into road legal racing pods. Recently however there has been a new breed of road legal racing car. From Radicals, to Atoms, to the KTM X-bow, even the supercar fraternity have been launching what appear on the outside to be a traditional sports car, only to find that the interior comprises of plastic bucket seats and tin foil.

Specialised Covers have been given the privilege of tailoring car covers for the new BAC-Mono, the latest road legal, “ultra high performance” track car.

The Mono seems to have cultivated its own space in the market. At just under £75,000, it’s not cheap. It’s more expensive than both the Radical and the Ariel Atom. The difference with the Mono is it looks like McLaren and NASA built it. It looks fantastic. If Apple built a Batmobile, this is what it would look like.

Incidentally the gesture towards an F1 racing team isn’t so misplaced because the Mono uses technology found in racing cars. The aerodynamics, carbon fibre and FIA compliant steel rollover and safety structure, not to mention a steering wheel with buttons on that certainly don’t control the stereo. Not only are our compliments aimed at the specification of the car, but also the way the car is put together. Top Gear had the car on test and claimed that BAC…

“…could teach Audi a thing or two about fit and finish, there wasn’t a stitch out of place and the detailing was stunning.”

Equally impressive are the figures. The Mono is powered by a 2.3 litre engine that has been put together by the chaps at Cosworth. An engine that generates 280bhp in a car that weighs less than your toothbrush means that the Mono has a top speed of 170mph and will go from 0-60 in just 2.8 seconds, which will take your face off.