Brabham Automotive BT62

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https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/02/20/new-brabham-automotive-venture-launched/
Brabham Automotive has issued a brief announcement featuring little details but has hinted at a road car program under the name made famous by the late three-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham.

The brand, headed by David Brabham, appears to be the latest guise of the Project Brabham initiative which aimed to bring the Brabham name back to the race track.

More details on the new project are expected to be revealed later this week.
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Brabham Automotive has revealed the name of the car it will officially unveil in May, along with a short audio track of it at idle.

Set to be be named the BT62, it continues the naming convention used by Motor Racing Developments when building the original Brabham racing cars in the 1960s.

“I am thrilled to announce Brabham BT62 as the name of Brabham Automotive’s first project,” said Managing Director, David Brabham.

“With more than 700 racing cars produced since its inception in the 1960s, the Brabham marque boasts a remarkable heritage, so to see the first Brabham in 26 years wear the iconic BT designation will be a huge moment in our history.”

The BT name was a contraction of the names of those involved with the development of the original cars, Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac, and was a naming convention which remained with the marque until it closed its doors in 1992.

The project has already undergone an extensive engineering program and is nearing the end of testing ahead of its formal unveiling.
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Brabham Automotive unveil first project in May

“My father had an incredible determination to succeed and, like him, I have worked tirelessly to bring the iconic Brabham name back to the global stage,” said Brabham.

“This new chapter of the Brabham story will continue in the same spirit, but with renewed direction, focus and vigour.

“This announcement makes me feel incredibly proud as we enter a new era for the legendary Brabham name.”
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Countdown https://www.brabhamautomotive.com
 
TheEvstar93
Brabham are coming back? Will they be making a race car or a road car?
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From the other link in the article:
Brabham Automotive has issued a brief announcement featuring little details but has hinted at a road car program under the name made famous by the late three-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham.
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Vegard
That sounds like a straight piped Ford Voodoo. Does anyone have a clue what the engine is?

@Griffith500 ?
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It definitely sounds very "pipey", one way or another.

I'd say that it is an 8 cylinder almost certainly, but it's hard to tell exactly what configuration at low revs and next-to-no throttle (and lots of misfiring) - that said, I would agree it's probably a cross-plane V8 of some kind. The exhausts are clearly merged from each bank in some way.

Would they have looked to some kind of heritage from their racing heyday, or just gone with whatever makes the most sense today?
 
Griffith500
It definitely sounds very "pipey", one way or another.

I'd say that it is an 8 cylinder almost certainly, but it's hard to tell exactly what configuration at low revs and next-to-no throttle (and lots of misfiring) - that said, I would agree it's probably a cross-plane V8 of some kind. The exhausts are clearly merged from each bank in some way.

Would they have looked to some kind of heritage from their racing heyday, or just gone with whatever makes the most sense today?
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Voodoo is flat plane.
 
That's....an interesting sound. A little like a Cosworth DFV to my ears, but less bassy from the intake...some multiple of 4 cylinders I think.

Definitely not a Ford V8 of any contemporary flavor.
 
Eunos_Cosmo
That's....an interesting sound. A little like a Cosworth DFV to my ears, but less bassy from the intake...some multiple of 4 cylinders I think.

Definitely not a Ford V8 of any contemporary flavor.
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Could be the exhaust has both banks merged with reasonably equal length primaries. Equal enough at least to tease that 8th order scream out of it.

Something like this:


They did a similar thing in V8 supercars from time to time.


The idle sound gives it away, though, I think. Not even something like the earlier McLaren road car V8s (or the later Esprit V8s) sounded crossplane at idle, despite having the quintessential DFV sound (in the exhaust instead of just the intake).

I can hear a dull LS-style drone, which probably does rule out a contemporary Ford V8 all the same.

EDIT: then again, it does seem high revving, which makes any V8 buzzy.
 
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https://www.brabhamautomotive.com/

Brabham BT62: F1 legends return with Senna GTR rival

► 70 made
► Senna GTR rival
► Not road-legal


One of Formula One’s most iconic names has returned, and it’s making a serious challenger to the Senna GTR. Over the last few months, Brabham Automotive has teased the existence of a track-focused supercar, giving us shadowy pictures and a video – but now it’s unveiled the entire car. And it’s called the BT62.

What is the BT62?
The new project is led by David Brabham, son of the legendary Jack, and a multiple Le Mans winner in his own right – but it takes an unusual, contrary approach to the modern supercar. On the surface, it’s a hyper-light track weapon – but Brabham says it’s also been designed with a focus on driver skill and reward.

The result is a car covered in aero trickery – much like the Senna GTR it’ll be compared to – and powered by a Brabham-made 5.4-litre naturally-aspirated V8 good for 700bhp. Carbon brakes, a double-wishbone suspension, Ohlins dampers and a sequential transmission are also present, but the car’s killer USP has to be its incredible dry weight.

At just 972kg, the BT62 achieves a punchy power-to-weight ratio, and it’ll take driver skill and motorsport-spec assists to keep it on the tarmac.

How fast is it then?
Solid performance figures are still TBC, but expect the BT62 to eclipse the 211mph, 2.8sec to 62mph McLaren Senna, and challenge the Woking's marque's forthcoming GTR version.

Brabham is making 70 cars in total, with the first 35 featuring liveries based on the F1 team’s 35 race wins. We’re told the other 35 will be 'more bespoke.' They’re on sale now, and they’ll also come bundled with a driver training course.

Will there really not be a road legal version?
The BT62 isn’t a road legal car, but Brabham says it will consider requests from customers who desperately want to drive their BT62 on the road. And while all 70 cars will be somewhat unique, Brabham is hoping they'll actually be used – rather than disappear into storage.
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Source
 
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Those are some serious specs.

I don't agree with Mark Blundell, it looks a little odd to me. But what matters is how it drives and it's interesting that they focus on the driver experience, so I wish them the best of luck!
 
700hp and 970kg would give this thing a power to weight ratio near that of the old Audi R8 LMP!
 
Griffith500
Sounds uncannily like that Monte Carlo I posted up previously...
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Love that MG42/787B-like tearing noise. Cross plane with cross-bank merging of some kind, I'm guessing. Sounds damn glorious, probably better than a contemporary Ferrari V8.

If you compare it to Ford's GT350 engine, this Brabham engine has such a more rich sound.
 
Eunos_Cosmo
Cross plane with cross-bank merging of some kind
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Exactly my thoughts. Originally, I just thought it might be a simple merging of secondaries, but I now think it could be a proper "bundle of snakes"! Very cool and true to Brabham's roots, if a pain for any required maintenance.

bt3-cutaway.jpg
 
Griffith500
Exactly my thoughts. Originally, I just thought it might be a simple merging of secondaries, but I now think it could be a proper "bundle of snakes"! Very cool and true to Brabham's roots, if a pain for any required maintenance.

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I was leaning towards a Voodoo with equal length headers and some sort of merged banks. Based on this latest video I’m leaning more towards it being a race spec version of the Cosworth tuned Coyote found in the new Griffith.
 
www.motor1.com

Brabham's Track-Only BT62 Supercar Is Dead

After just six years in business, Brabham Automotive is dead. Turns out it's pretty tough to sell $1 million-plus track-only supercars.
www.motor1.com www.motor1.com

The Brabham brand is dead after 6 years

Co-founder David Brabham, youngest son of racing legend Jack Brabham, announced last week on Instagram that he and Fusion Capital, the investment group backing the brand, have ended their relationship and dissolved the company, marking the end for the BT62 supercar.
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Well I guess that's the end of the thread huh. I'm glad the car raced but we never got to see it in the US as far as I'm aware.
 

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