AUSTRALIA is known for many great things, take, for example, vegemite on toast, the over abundance of kangaroos, the wonderful Kylie (Minogue that is, NOT Jenner) and the awe-inspiring Uluru.At a not-so-distant point in the past, we were also famous for our locally built family sedans and utes, both often powered by beefy V8 engines that sent drive to the rear wheels.Toyota, Ford and Holden never really built a ground-up supercar though, so in steps Brabham and its BT62 to lure car spotters from around the world to take a trip Down Under.
Revealed at a special event at Australia House in London, the BT62 will be built in Adelaide’s Edinburgh Park by the company named after local racing legend Sir Jack Brabham and founded by his son, David.Details are scarce on where the brand sourced its naturally aspirated V8 engine, but rumours suggest it could be a Ford Coyote unit; the 5.0-litre engine used by Mustang GTs.Mounted midship in the BT62, engine displacement increases to 5.4 litres, suggesting extensive reworking of the bore and stroke similar to what Ford did to lift capacity to 5.2 litres in the mighty Mustang GT350R.
Powered by a 5.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 mounted behind the seats, the BT62 sends 522kW/667Nm to the rear wheels.
Outputs in the free-breathing BT62 peak at 522kW/667Nm, which is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox, but no acceleration times have yet been revealed.For reference, the HSV GTSR W1 swansong – which was at the time, the most-powerful Australian built car – made 474kW/815NM from a supercharged 6.2-litre LS9 V8, which propelled it from zero to 100km/h in 4.2 secondsThe Brabham though, tips the scales at a measly 972kg – about the same as a Suzuki Swift or nearly half the kerb weight of the aforementioned GTSR W1.
Sadly, the Brabham BT62 will be strictly limited to the racetrack with only 70 slated to be made, so seeing one in the wild will be a properly rare sight!
We’d wager the Brabham would be capable of the 0-100km/h dash in under three seconds, given the fact that its power to weight ratio of 537kW per tonne outclasses top-tier hypercars like the McLaren Senna (458kW/tonne), Ferrari 812 Superfast (361kW/tonne) and Pagani Huayra (445kW/tonne).Bringing the Brabham to a stop is six-pot carbon Brembo brakes that are tucked under 18-inch wheels as standard, while the BT62’s over-the-top aerodynamics package – including eye-catching rear wing, huge front splitter and massive diffuser – add up to 1200kg of downforce.Unfortunately for car spotters hoping to catch a glimpse of the mighty Brabham BT62 out on public roads, the Aussie supercar is strictly a track-only affair.
If the hardcore styling isn’t enough to turn you off, the£1 million ($A1.81m) pricetag will ensure not everyone will be able to get their hands on a Brabham BT62.
Keeping to its circuit-racer status, the BT62 sports a massive 125-litre fuel tank for endurance racing, while its cabin is kitted out with a six-point harnesses, removable carbon-fibre steering wheel, roll cage, fixed-back bucket seats and exposed carbon trim.Wearing a pricetag of £1 million ($A1.81m) means the Brabham definitely has the eye-watering cost of a supercar to go with its hunkered-down, race-ready visage.Although only slotted for a 70-unit production run, the first half has already confirmed to reflect the Brabham racing team’s 35 grand prix wins – the first of which wears a green and gold livery as a homage to the BT19 driven in the 1966 French grand prix.
The new BT62 takes its livery inspiration from the iconic BT19 that Sir Jack Brabham piloted to his first grand prix win in France over 50 years ago.
Having won three Formula One World Championships in 1959, 1960 and 1966, Sir Jack Brabham is one of Australia’s most celebrated and decorated drivers, and still to this day the only F1 competitor to have won the driver’s and constructor’s championships.Sir Jack Brabham passed away in his home on the Gold Coast in May 2014.His son, David Brabham – himself an accomplished racing car driving with a win at the Le Mans 24 Hour in 2009, as well as various other international titles under his belt – spearheaded development of the BT62.
Sir Jack Brabham (right) with his son David Brabham (left).
We won’t have to wait long to see if the BT62 can live up to the Brabham name, as the first deliveries of the BT62 are set to kick off in the latter half of this year, with the rest to be completed within the next 18 months.Buyers lucky enough to secure a production slot in the latter half of the production run will even be able to spec their BT62s in the colour of their choosing, but we reckon any of the first 35 will become highly sought after collector’s vehicles.
