Adrian Newey has a long-standing ambition to create a road car projectLegendary Formula 1 designer is working on 'ultimate hypercar' with Aston Martin; on sale around 2018
Legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey is working with Aston Martin to design an ultra-high-performance road car to rival the likes of the McLaren P1 GTR and Ferrari FXX K. It is expected to go on sale around 2018.
The revelation comes just days after it was revealed that Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing, Newey's current employer, were in talks about a potential partnership in Formula 1, should the race team be able to secure a supply of Mercedes-Benz power units.
Newey’s deal is a part of partnership between Aston Martin and Red Bull Technologies. Sources close to the deal emphasise that the partnership does not automatically mean that the two sides will work together in F1, as Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies are separate entities within the Red Bull empire.
However, Newey’s close ties to Red Bull Racing, which his innovative designs helped to four consecutive F1 world titles between 2010 and 2013, mean that reports surrounding Aston Martin and Red Bull working together in F1 is likely to intensify.
It is also likely that Newey's road car project would make use of Mercedes powertrain and electronics technology, which is certain to further heighten speculation about a wider Mercedes link-up between the parties.
When contacted by Autocar regarding the project, an Aston Martin spokesman declined to comment.
Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko hinted that such a deal was in place at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix weekend. Asked about Autocar's report that Red Bull could join forces with Aston Martin in Formula 1, Marko told Speedweek.com: "There are talks with Aston Martin - but on other projects.“
Newey stepped back from his F1 involvement at the start of the year, with a road car project rumoured to be among his plans. He is understood to have begun collaborative work with Aston Martin at about the same time, and insiders describe the embryonic project as "ongoing, with no certainty of reaching fruition".
However, as well as using Aston Martin’s road car engineering resources, Newey is understood to have worked with the firm’s design team, suggesting that the project is both well advanced and that the car is likely to be emphasise aerodynamic performance.
Speaking at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner reiterated that Newey was working on a road car project and added that it was inevitable Red Bull would make a production car.
He told Autocar: “It’s something that Adrian is keen to do as a legacy project. At the moment our focus is on being a Formula 1 constructor, but as we see more technology cross over with the road car market, it’s something that will organically grow.”
Few other details about the vehicle are known, other than that Newey is aiming to build a car that would be recognised as the ultimate vehicle of its kind. Reports suggest it could be a track-only machine, as with the other extreme hypercars. However, there are conflicting suggestions that Newey wants to make it road legal, in order to leave a legacy akin to Gordon Murray’s with the McLaren F1 road car.
While it could share core components of the extreme, limited-edition Aston Martin Vulcan, it is believed that both Newey and Aston Martin are eager to keep the two projects as separate as possible.
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