Red Bull reveals radical RB17 hypercar with 15,000rpm redline, R116 million price tag
Red Bull ripped the covers off its long-awaited RB17 hypercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Friday and it’s every bit as radical as they’d promised, while also being capable of “F1 equivalent” lap times.
The RB17 is not road legal, as jumping through all those hoops would have watered it down, but unlike Max Verstappen’s F1 race car, this extreme machine is for sale to the public and it seats two people.
Just 50 of these hypercars will be produced in-house at the Red Bull Advanced Technologies facility in Milton Keynes, England, and they carry an eye-watering starting price of around 5 million pounds (R116 million).
Designed by Red Bull’s outgoing F1 tech guru Adrian Newey, the RB17 is built around a carbon fibre monocoque chassis and features a mid-mounted normally aspirated V10 engine that screams all the way to 15,000rpm. That’s more than double what most cars will rev to.
In spite of its mighty powerplant, the RB17 weighs less than 900kg, making it lighter than a Fiat 500, and the engine is said to produce over 895kW.
Red Bull says the hypercar is “easy to own and operate” and if asked, it will hit a top speed of 350km/h.
While its lucky owners might not get to take it out on the road, they will enjoy a “full customer journey” that includes a range of track events that will allow them to experience it at some of the world’s greatest circuits.
Red Bull also promises a one-of-a-kind driver development programme, and each car will be tailored to suit the individual needs of its driver.
Clients will be able to specify everything from the exterior paint colour to the interior materials and many other smaller details.
Oracle Red Bull Racing Team principal, Christian Horner describes the RB17 as one of the most authentic and exciting projects that Red Bull Advanced Technologies has ever embarked on.
“With 20 years of legacy in the world of F1 to draw from, and as a performance centred organisation, it only made sense for us to design our own hypercar from the ground up,” Horner said.
“Combining technical innovation, achievement and emotional appeal, the RB17 is a landmark car. I’m very proud of the Team and am delighted to see it make its world debut. We expect the RB17 to be a future classic.”
Designer Adrian Newey said he had been mulling around the idea of a hypercar for many years.
“The RB17 hypercar embraces everything we stand for: undeniable power, speed and beauty. It is very adaptable in its abilities, and we made sure to design it as a two seater so that the thrill of driving at F1 speeds can be enjoyed with a friend or partner.”
Yet, given all the strife the Red Bull team experienced earlier this year, with Newey resigning after the much-publicised controversy surrounding Horner, this must surely be a bittersweet moment for the Red Bull team.