Brabham BT62R Arrives to Conquer Public Roads

Since the 1960s, Brabham Automotive earned a reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the motorsport realm. Their story began as early as 1948, when Formula One triple world champion Jack Brabham made his debut on the Australian racing scene. In 1966, he became the first (and only) man to win an F1 title with a car of his own making, which is pretty damn impressive, if you ask me!

In terms of automaking, Brabham Automotive assembled their very first race-ready machine back in ‘61. Little did they know, the firm would go on to become the world’s top manufacturer of single-seat racing beasts by the mid-1960s.

As of 1970, Brabham was one of the most celebrated names in motorsport history, having produced as many as 500 fearsome vehicles. However, their more recent marvel, known as BT62, remains the sweetest of the bunch, with its ferocious V8 behemoth and stunning looks.

Now, this untamed animal just became a big brother, and its fully road-legal twin is about to hit the tarmac “in the coming weeks.” To be honest with you, I was left genuinely speechless by the newborn masterpiece, who goes by the name of BT62R.

“Launching the BT62R is a great achievement for the team at Brabham Automotive. All the requisite design and engineering to turn the track BT62 into the road going BT62R has been done in-house by our team of engineers, which is a great testimony to their expertise,” says the company’s CEO, Dan Marks.

“This is a significant milestone for us as we continue towards the launch of our next car, which will be a fully homologated road car,” Marks explains. “We will be making further announcements about this exciting next chapter in the coming months. For now, customers can get a taste of what it's like to drive a Brabham on the road with the BT62R.”

For starters, it adopts the same 5.4-liter naturally aspirated V8 powerplant as the track-ready variant. This nasty piece of machinery is capable of generating up to 700 hp, along with 492 pound-feet (667 Nm) of crushing torque. Its manufacturer even goes as far as claiming that it is “the highest-output, naturally aspirated V8 on the market.”

The engine was optimized for use on public roads, receiving a revised exhaust system and new mapping. Its sheer force is handed over to the wheels by means of a six-speed sequential transmission, operated by paddle shifters.

In the chassis department, BT62R shares the same FIA-compliant components as the track-only counterpart, but its suspension was tweaked to handle everyday use. Additionally, the suspension can also be adjusted at the touch of a button.

This whole setup is enveloped in a gorgeous carbon fiber bodywork that prides itself with outstanding aerodynamics. The BT62R’s wheels wear a set of carbon ceramic brakes and are hugged by high-performance Eagle F1 SuperSport tires from Goodyear.

Lastly, the interior was provided with a plethora of tasty features, such as air conditioning, carbon fiber seats and a digital control panel installed on the dashboard, to name a few. For a touch of elegance, the manufacturer wrapped it all up in Alcantara, accompanied by leather trimmings.

I’ll have to admit, this majestic work of art got me closer to drooling than I’m comfortable with. To be frank, I’m aching to see what Brabham Automotive is planning for the future!