Brabham eyes new car-making project after BT62 split

The Brabham racing family says it is not done with plans to place its iconic surname on a new car, after its separation from the Adelaide-based creators of the Brabham BT62 supercar, Fusion Capital.

In January 2024 it was announced the BT62 hypercar unveiled in 2018 – which set a Bathurst lap record at Bathurst the following year – will no longer be able to use the surname of three-time Formula One champion Sir Jack Brabham, and his son, Le Mans winner and ex-F1 driver David.

Scheduled for a production run of 70 vehicles – with David Brabham driving one in the 2024 British GT Championship – the BT62 was manufactured in partnership with Adelaide-based firm Fusion Capital before the family parted ways with the car's creators earlier this year.

Drive understands the disputes allegedly surrounded future products – including discussions on hybrid and electrification – as well as the Brabham brand’s involvement in racing.

In the aftermath of the split, it was announced the automotive project was seeking a new investor.

While many speculated the car-making days of the Brabham family's company – Brabham Group Limited – were over, David Brabham told Drive at the 2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival it will continue down its own path, and has a healthy future ahead of it.

“I have a dream. I won't talk about it yet … [but] we've kind of gotten the right partners and the right resources to do it and do it properly,” Brabham said.

The ex-Formula One driver – who raced in 1990 and 1994 – did confirm it will be closely connected to motorsport, an obvious route given the Brabham name being synonymous with racing.

“You know, that's part of our USP [Unique Selling Proposition] … the next project will be more of a proper project with somebody instead of somebody else's project we put the name to.”

When asked what the future of Brabham Automotive looks like – including how its next vehicles – Brabham said it was yet to be decided.

“That's a good question. I mean, we're evaluating what that looks like and there's a number of options.

“[There were] Lots of lessons were learned out of the last project – on both sides – and, you know, whatever they [Fusion Capital] do, I wish them luck. And we'll work on our own program.”

When contacted by Drive, Fusion Capital declined to comment, a spokesperson saying it was currently bound by a commercial-in-confidence arrangement.

Fusion Capital still owns the factory in Edinburgh Parks, north of Adelaide – where it is expected it will continue to build the vehicles – but Drive understands it may need permission to use the Brabham name, which it does not own, going forward.

An unconfirmed number of cars – priced from $1.2 million – were built with the first sold to a New Zealand customer, and others sent around the world, including to the UK.

Brabham is one of few genuinely iconic surnames in racing, with David – who drove in F1 in 1990 and 1994, and is a 24 Hours of Le Mans winner – son of three-time F1 world champion, Sir Jack Brabham.

Sir Jack Brabham was Australia’s first F1 world champion and remains the only driver to win the title in a car bearing his name.

The family dynasty also includes motorsport success for Geoff Brabham – David’s brother – who also has a Le Mans win among his achievements.