Red Bull, the current darlings of the Formula One crowd, are to follow in the footsteps of their F1 rivals McLaren by developing a stunning supercar, but this Red Bull won’t give you wings, as it will not be road legal.
From their Red Bull Technology Campus in Milton Keynes, the soft drinks company intend to develop a limited edition of 50 civilian supercars, with the £300million project providing 100 new jobs and also providing a huge boost to the UK’s export trade.
At a cost of £5m (plus VAT) each, these cars won’t be for everyone, but with a top speed of 200mph and acceleration of 0 to 60mph in three seconds there is unlikely to be a shortage of bidders for the car, which will allow for both a driver and a passenger seated inside an ultra-light carbon-fibre cockpit.
The project named RB17 as a nod to the number of years since the team was formed, will have an extra-special test driver, with rumours that Max Verstappen will be the man chosen to put the car through its paces.
It won’t be the first time that Red Bull technology has played a part in the development of a supercar, the team’s designer Adrian Newey helped design the Aston Martin Valkrie. Of course, F1 rivals Ferrari have a long history of supercar development, while big rivals Mercedes have also transported their F1 know-how into the AMG One, which retailed at £2.4m.
A Red Bull statement said: “The RB17 takes its inspiration – and name – from the cars that Red Bull Racing has campaigned in the world's most demanding and technically advanced motorsport series.
“Designed around a carbon-composite tub, the RB17 features the most advanced ground effect package available in a series production car.
“Pricing starts at £5million (plus applicable local taxes) with just 50 collectors set to become owners of the RB17. That ownership includes more than the car, bringing a close association with the Red Bull Racing team through access to simulators, vehicle program development and on-track training and experiences.
“The RB17 will be supported directly by the factory, with servicing and maintenance support tailored to each owner and their usage profile for the car.”