IF it's good enough for The Stig, it's good enough for Speke.
The BAC Mono, the world's first road-legal, single-seater production car, is to be manufactured in the city.
But don't be expecting to see them haring up and down Queens Drive at 170mph any time soon. This baby costs more than £100k and that doesn't even include the compulsory crash helmet.
Nevertheless, Cheshire motoring pioneers Briggs Automotive Company has done a deal with Liverpool City Council which will create almost 60 local, high-end manufacturing jobs by 2014, including apprenticeships, as well as new regional supply chain opportunities.
The Formula One BAC Mono is the sort of car that has boy racers and motoring journalists salivating. It has earned a string of accolades, including the BBC Top Gear ‘Stig’s Car of the Year', 2011 award and will gain further recognition when it is featured on the show this weekend (7 July), with Jeremy Clarkson putting the vehicle through its paces.
The council is describing the move to Speke Hall Industrial Estate as a major coup for Liverpool.
The specialist, high-performance vehicle will also serve as an ambassador for Liverpool all over the world, with the city “brand” emblazoned on the vehicle's body as it takes part in high profile international racing events.
No windscreen, so keep your mouth closed
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “The Jaguar Land Rover plant in Halewood has been a real success story for our city in creating jobs in commercial car production – I’m confident that this deal with BAC will prove to be another success.”
BAC expects its new production site in Speke to be up-and-running by the autumn, and projects that it will be producing more than 100 cars a year by 2015.
The company is now looking to recruit to its team, with a mixture of jobs on offer for local people. There are employment opportunities for people with experience of working on high-performance and new model launch cars, as well as apprenticeship opportunities. For more information and to apply, please contact BAC at the following address - jobs@bac-mono.com.
BAC Ltd is also looking to source components locally and is in talks with a number of suppliers from the region over potential opportunities.
Managing Director at BAC Ltd, Neill Briggs, said: “We are all extremely proud to say that the Mono is built in Liverpool”.
