Brabham supercar to be built in Adelaide
The son of motor racing legend Jack Brabham will build a new track-only supercar in Adelaide, returning automotive manufacturing to South Australia.
The Brabham BT62. Photo supplied by Brabham Automotive
The State Government confirmed today a limited run of 70 of the BT62 vehicle will be built in Adelaide, reviving car-building less than a year after Holden’s Elizabeth factory closed.
Industry Minister David Pisoni said the vehicle had was being designed, engineered and manufactured by South Australian company Precision Components, for Brabham Automotive, at a factory in Edinburgh Parks.
The number of the production run apparently celebrates 70 years since the late Jack Brabham began in motor racing – a career that has close connections with Adelaide.
Brabham’s son David announced details of the BT62 at an event in London overnight.
The 5.4 litre, V8 supercar, developed in secrecy over the past two years, will sell for $1.8 million.
“It’s with great pride that I honour and continue my father’s legacy in opening the next chapter in the evolving Brabham story,” David Brabham said.
Pisoni said it was great news for South Australia and showed the state had a future in “high value, low production, high tech products”.
He said the first vehicle had been built secretly in Adelaide at the factory previously set up by automotive components manufacturer ZF Lemdorfer to build chassis for Holden.
He had only heard about the project, the day before the car was shipped to London.
Infused with Brabham’s winning DNA, the Brabham BT62 is truly worth of carrying the iconic #Brabham name. #BrabhamBT62 pic.twitter.com/TQt7jgCGOm
— Brabham Automotive (@brabhamauto) May 2, 2018
While he was waiting for more details about the workforce, he said it could create up to 200 jobs.
“My understanding is that the production has started – the first car has been made. They’re making both left-hand drive and right-hand drive and there’s even the option of having a passenger seat.”
Pisoni said the Department of Industry and Skills – previously State Development – had provided more than $1.4 million funding to the project as part of automotive transformation funding.
SA Agent-General Bill Muirhead was at the London launch of the vehicle, telling Channel 7 the BT62 was a “flagship project” which he believed would herald “all sorts of spin-off into other areas”.
He told News Corp he believed it was hugely important that the car would become the only vehicle being manufactured in Australia and that car manufacturing could make a comeback in his home state.
