The Aston Martin AM-RB 001 hypercar was revealed today at an event at Aston's HQ in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Following the unveil, we spoke to some of the top execs involved, including Red Bull Racing chief technical officer Adrian Newey, in a bid to address some of the unanswered questions on the hypercar project.
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How comfortable will this car be?
Designer Adrian Newey claimed he is not “chasing speed” with the AM-RB 001 and wants it to be equal in comfort to performance prowess. He added that the idea of the car is different from the McLaren P1, for example. “We’re trying to keep it pure and simple and light,” he said.
What is the interior like?
The interior won’t be revealed until early next year. We know that it has two seats, and Newey said it will have air conditioning and “all the creature comforts”, including an infotainment system. “Luggage space isn’t huge”, Newey conceded. He added that you could “potter down to the shops” in it. “You don’t have to psyche yourself up to drive it.”
How different will the track and road versions be?
Both Aston boss Palmer and Aston design director Marek Reichman were keen to point out that there was going to be very little visual difference between the cars. “We want them to be recognised as the same car,” said Palmer. There will also be many common parts, added Reichman. The big difference will be the weight; the track car is set to be considerably lighter than the road car, which is already said to be less than a tonne. Predictably, there will be increased downforce too.
What has been the demand for this model pre-reveal?
Palmer said that they have already have 370 requests to be on the list, adding it is “oversubscribed”. That’s more than twice the number intended to be built; as it stands, 123 cars will be produced, although this could extend to 150, added Palmer.
What’s in it for Red Bull?
Red Bull chief Christian Horner, speaking at the reveal, said the project was a “natural evolution for Red Bull as an engineering entity”. He added that the firm was learning lessons from Aston Martin on efficiencies and economies of scale.
Will there be an AM-RB 002?
Palmer said there could well be a “002, a 003 or a 007 even”. As Aston’s first mid-engined model, he said it was inevitable that this element would seep into upcoming cars. “It would be a shame if you didn’t incorporate that into cars of the future.” He also said that the AM-RB 001 will certainly influence other cars, “whether it be on the design side or special versions”.
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