Mono R
Image: BAC

Anti-grav racing series WipEout hasn't seen a brand-new mainline entry in some time, but that doesn't mean that the legacy of the franchise – which began 25 years ago alongside the western launch of the original PlayStation – can't live on.

Last night, WipEout co-creator and Game Designer Nick Burcombe teased a big upcoming announcement relating to the series, and while some fans (ourselves included) were dreaming of a brand-new, next-gen entry, the reality is rooted a little more in the real world.

Burcombe, along with WipEout Graphic Designer Eddie Wainwright, has collaborated with Liverpool-based carmaker Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) to pay homage to the franchise with a special, one-of-a-kind edition of its Mono R supercar, a vehicle that can do 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds and is capable of hitting speeds of 170mph. (Sadly, it can't drive upside down, but we'd like to think they're working on that bit.)

Clad in the instantly-recognisable livery of WipEout team FEISAR, the vehicle – which starts at £190,950 – is one of only 30 Mono Rs to be manufactured; the painting process took over 10 days to perfect and features over 400 individual graphics.

BAC states that this special model was requested by the first Mono R owner back in January 2020 and that its team "relished the challenge" of paying tribute to a series created in its home city of Liverpool a quarter of a century ago. In fact, the discussion between Burcombe and Psygnosis 3D artist Jim Bowers took place in a Merseyside pub close to the current BAC HQ.

Speaking exclusively to Push Square about the news, Burcombe tells us:

It was an emotional moment for me when I first saw the car completed at the factory. In January this year, the owner of this unique car contacted me out of the blue with this concept to turn his own vehicle into a WipEout ship. I was completely blown away by his vision and commitment. For someone to pay homage to WipEout and in particuar, the FEISAR team in this way, is unprecedented.

This project has been way beyond anything I've seen before and the attention to detail is incredible. This has been a chance to bring a vision of WipEout into the real world and BAC's new 'Mono R' Supercar seemed the perfect vehicle to do it. I knew this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to immortalise the series in such an exciting and interesting way.

The chance to connect the creativity of the Liverpool Games Industry and Liverpool's Automotive Industry has made this one of those special moments of synergy that just don't happen very often... but are a key signature of the WipEout brand itself. The right time, place, game, car and people involved has turned the owner's vision for this vehicle into a stunning reality.

Ian Briggs, Co-Founder and Design Director at BAC, had this to say:

Mono R is a very special supercar – a record-breaking, bar-setting, super-exclusive model the likes of which the world has never seen before. It’s only fitting, then, that the first car to leave the BAC factory is one of the most special we’ve ever produced. As always, the BAC design team left no stone unturned when it came to creating the perfect livery and it was a true pleasure working with Nick and Eddie bringing their genius to life. We’re no strangers to turning heads with our supercars, but R #1 may just turn more heads than ever.

While BAC might not be a name as instantly familiar as Ferrari or Mercedes, this UK company has already achieved a degree of fame in the world of video games, having appeared in the likes of Grid, Project Cars 3 and DRIVECLUB. The Mono will also be included in Gran Turismo 7.

[source bac-mono.com]