When Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey completed the Aston Martin Valkyrie, it seemed as if nothing could top that, but the man has outdone himself, and with the reveal of the production body of his Red Bull RB17 hypercar, he's showing the world what might be possible when there are no rules to abide by. In a new video from Top Gear, not only do we get to see the latest iteration of the RB17 and grab a peek at the cabin for the first time, but we also get to hear its 15,000-rpm 4.5-liter V10 scream. That video is at the bottom of this article; in the meantime, let's take a closer look at what's changed between the original prototype and this nearly finalized version.
One Small Design Alteration Equals One Big Challenge
Red Bull Advanced Technologies
The British publication that shot the video spoke with the technical director of Red Bull Advanced Technologies, Rob Gray, and he revealed that "one of the last changes Adrian made was to move the exhaust onto the spine of the engine cover," which required a lot of work "on the thermal side of things" to stop parts of the car from catching fire. Other changes over the prototype revealed at Goodwood in 2025 include the addition of L-shaped LED headlights, finer cooling vents, and a large Le Mans Prototype-style fin over the engine cover. Hey, if you've got no rules and want to be the best on any circuit in the world, why not take advantage of every conceivable aerodynamic device?
Red Bull Advanced Technologies
A look inside shows a rectangular steering wheel with a screen in the middle and various knobs and dials on the center console. Happily, Red Bull has confirmed that, while the placement of various items and the decisions over lines of sight have not been set in stone yet, haptic controls and touchscreens are not even under consideration because everything must be tactile and easy to operate in a car capable of such astonishing performance. Speaking of which...
Mind-Bending Performance
Red Bull Advanced Technologies
The RB17 will allegedly be capable of allowing its buyers to set lap times that would put them on pole for Formula 1 races, and to achieve that goal, the car is targeting a curb weight of under 900 kilograms (1,984 lbs). The two-seater will have a footprint comparable to that of today's F1 cars, and it'll be powered by a Cosworth-developed 4.5-liter V10 engine coupled to an electric motor. Combined, the powertrain is aiming for around 1,200 horsepower, and the electric motor also acts as a reverse gear for the six-speed sequential, saving weight. With a price tag of £5.75 million, or around $7.2 million, this has a lot to live up to. Then again, all 50 examples have already been allocated, so whether it sounds like the McLaren-Mercedes MP4/15 as Newey intends, and whether it's quicker than an F1 car around a track, it's already a mammoth success. Testing is expected to take place on tracks at various grand prix over the summer, and full-scale production will begin next spring. Will anything that follows ever be more mind-bogglingly focused on performance? Time will tell. Until then, treat your ears.
from Autoblog News https://ift.tt/IkP4vwQ
0 Comments