Billed by Christian Horner as “the ultimate of all road cars”, the AM-RB 001 will combine the style and comfort of an Aston with the ferocious speed of the four-time F1 Constructors’ World Champion.
Built at Aston Martin’s Gaydon headquarters, the hypercar is powered by a naturally aspirated V12 engine, with the ability to achieve a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio: roughly equivalent to a Le Mans Prototype, class one. The car will be around 1000bhp-per-tonne, and the aim is to clock the scales at around 1000kg. You do the maths. Alright, we’ll do them too: drivers shall be sitting on 1000bhp. Whoosh.
Actually, perhaps ‘lying on’ would be more accurate. In the cockpit, driver and passenger (don’t invite the whole family for a ride) must adopt the position of an F1 driver, knees and feet raised. The engine will be directly behind them, with every acceleration sending a near-literal shiver down the spine. (Were a V10 engine installed, the vibrations would have been too great.) You’ll feel closer to this machine than your wife – and she’ll be a lot faster.
With great speed comes great stability. Underfloor aerodynamics should yield "unprecedented high levels of downforce in a road-legal car”, according to Red Bull chief designer Adrian Newey. To cope with such downforce, active suspension has been heavily hinted in order to ensure maximum adaptability when travelling at all speeds. It would be impossible for passive suspension to handle the nosebleed-inducing top speeds without jarring horribly at a slower pace.
Despite its incredible racing pedigree, the AM-RB will be a road car at heart. Newey insists driver enjoyment has been prioritised over speed. You can take this hypercar to the shops (just don’t buy any wardrobes), the theatre or for a countryside spin. While several F1 drivers have already put down an order, people who aren't named Lewis Hamilton have nothing to fear. Getting your hands on one is another matter. Somewhere between 99 and 150 road cars will be built (plus 25 track versions) so wipe the drool from your keyboard and place your order. Fast.
For more information visit astonmartin.com
