Briggs Automotive Company (BAC), renowned for its single-seater, road-legal race car, the Mono, has announced a strategic partnership with Siemens Digital Industries Software. BAC will integrate the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to spearhead the development of its next-generation Mono, aiming to push the boundaries of automotive engineering and enhance the driving experience. This move signifies BAC’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to maintain its position at the forefront of the high-performance automotive sector.
Founded in 2011 by Neill and Ian Briggs, BAC’s vision was to create a road vehicle offering an unparalleled, authentic driving experience powered by the latest racing technology. The current iteration of the Mono is a lightweight supercar, weighing just 570 kg. It is propelled by a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine generating 311 hp and 313 Nm of torque, resulting in an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 546 hp-per-tonne. This potent combination, coupled with optimal weight distribution and a unique graphene-infused carbon panel construction, allows the Mono to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 2.7 seconds. BAC is now focused on significantly improving these performance metrics for its upcoming model.
To achieve these ambitious performance goals, BAC’s senior management and design team recognized the need to re-evaluate their core vehicle development technologies. Consequently, BAC has chosen Siemens’ NX, a key component of its Product Engineering Software suite, for the next-generation Mono’s development. Ian Briggs, design director and co-founder, expressed his enthusiasm: “The reason we chose Siemens’ Designcenter software to develop the next generation of Mono is because it’s the best – and it gives us the tools we need to take our vision to the next level.” He further elaborated on BAC’s philosophy: “Our vision was to create a car that simply didn’t exist. The fundamental principle of a sports car is choosing excitement over utility, and we took that to the nth degree. Mono is that philosophy made real—a vehicle without compromise, built to prove that being ahead of the game means refusing to compromise on the driving experience.”
Overcoming Homologation Challenges with Advanced Software
A critical challenge for BAC in serving a global customer base is ensuring that its vehicles comply with the diverse regulatory and safety standards of different regions and countries. The adoption of Siemens’ Designcenter software is a strategic move to address this complex issue. As Ian Briggs explained, “A key challenge for us is homologating the car for the global market. Understanding the specific positional requirements for everything from headlights to driver sight lines is a complex minefield. The great advantage of Designcenter is that it allows us to build that entire regulatory framework directly into our 3D CAD model, giving us new levels of confidence and a greater speed of development.” This integrated approach streamlines the homologation process, significantly boosting development speed and ensuring compliance with international automotive regulations.
Enhancing Customer Experience Through Immersive Design
Beyond performance and compliance, BAC is also exploring innovative ways to enrich the customer buying and customization journey. By leveraging Siemens’ immersive engineering technology, BAC plans to offer customers the ability to experience their bespoke vehicles using immersive XR technology. This will allow potential buyers to virtually interact with their personalized configurations in a highly realistic 3D environment, based on precise, real-world CAD data.
Eliott Marshall, production manager at BAC, highlighted the transformative potential of this technology: “The thing that makes BAC truly unique is the bespoke elements. Siemens’ Immersive Engineering technology allows us to present to the customer exactly what they’re ordering. Being able to sit in their seat fitting jig and see all of the personal customisations they want around them, interact with them as if they’re already implemented, is going to get the fire burning within them.” This enhanced customer engagement promises to deepen the connection buyers feel with their unique vehicle, further solidifying BAC’s reputation for personalized automotive experiences. BAC’s dedication to innovation positions it among other high-performance manufacturers exploring similar technological advancements, mirroring trends seen in the luxury supercars for sale market.
For a deeper understanding of BAC’s strategic shift to Siemens Xcelerator and the anticipated benefits, further details can be found on the Siemens blog https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/nx-design/bac-building-the-next-generation-supercar-with-designcenter/ or by watching the accompanying YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMM4k7W0inc.
Conclusion
BAC’s adoption of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio marks a significant step forward in its mission to deliver uncompromising performance and a pure driving experience. By integrating advanced design, engineering, and immersive visualization tools, BAC is poised to redefine its next-generation Mono, offering enhanced performance, streamlined global compliance, and an unparalleled customer customization journey. This strategic alliance underscores BAC’s commitment to innovation and its relentless pursuit of automotive excellence. What are your thoughts on BAC’s technological advancements and the future of bespoke supercars? Share your opinions below!