This is absolutely astounding. Autocar has revealed that legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey is collaborating with Aston Martin to design an ultra-high performance road car to rival the likes of the McLaren P1 GTR and the Ferrari FXX K.
Slated to go on sale around 2018, this bit of news certainly spices up the rumour mill just days after it was revealed that Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing were in talks about a potential partnership in Formula 1 if they were able to secure a supply of Mercedes-Benz power units.
Apparently, Newey’s deal is part of a synergy between Aston Martin and Red Bull technologies. Sources close to the deal are quick to point out that this not mean that the two sides will work together in F1, as Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies are entirely separate entities within the Red Bull conglomerate.
Nonetheless, due to Newey’s close affiliation with RBR, the rumours swirling around Aston Martin and Red Bull’s fusion in F1 will likely intensify. Interestingly, speculation is rife that Mercedes’ powertrain and electronics would take centre stage in Newey’s road car project, leading to even more theories about a more expansive Mercedes link-up between the parties.
Insiders told the publication that the ’embryonic project is ongoing, with no certainty of fruition’, but since Newey has been working with the Aston Martin’s design team, it’s suggested that the project is both well advanced and that the car is likely to feature an emphasis on aerodynamic performance.
Red Bull Racing’s boss Christian Horner added that it was inevitable that Red Bull would make a production car. “It’s something Adrian is keen to do as a legacy project, and as we see more technology cross over with the road car market, it’s something that will organically grow,” he said.
As of now, the details about this project are sketchy at best, apart from the underlying notion that Newey will be conceptualising a car like no other, the ultimate vehicle in its class. Some reports suggest that it could be track-dedicated machine, but interestingly it has been said that Newey wants this car to be road legal.
This would be a truly stupendous move, as this vehicle will then probably leave a legacy akin to Gordon Murray’s all-conquering McLaren F1 road car. Some say that this vehicle project could share central components from the extreme, limited-edition Aston Martin Vulcan, but it’s believed that Newey and AM are keen to separate the two projects from overlapping in any department.
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