The Red Bull RB17 has officially been revealed after years of development, bringing the company’s first hypercar from concept to production. Originally announced in 2022, the RB17 combines Formula 1-inspired engineering with a naturally aspirated V10 hybrid powertrain and will be built in an ultra-limited production run.
Red Bull’s First Hypercar Reaches Production
In 2022, Red Bull Advanced Technologies announced plans to develop its first-ever hypercar. At the time, the company said the vehicle would produce 1,250 horsepower and carry a price tag of about $6 million.
The project was created to apply everything Red Bull Racing had learned in Formula 1 to a road-going vehicle. The RB17 was originally set to be designed by Adrian Newey, while team principal Christian Horner said it would be unveiled by 2024.
Although Newey and Horner are no longer associated with the company, development of the project continued. Four years after its announcement, the RB17 has now been officially revealed.
Powertrain Evolved During Development
Early reports indicated the RB17 would use a twin-turbocharged V8 engine. However, the production version takes a different approach, replacing turbocharging with a naturally aspirated V10 developed by Cosworth and paired with electrification.
The result is a hypercar that Red Bull describes as effectively being a Le Mans hypercar without the constraints of racing regulations.
Why Red Bull Chose a Naturally Aspirated V10
According to Cosworth Commercial Director Chris Willoughby, the project had the flexibility to evaluate multiple engine configurations because low-volume manufacturers producing fewer than 1,000 vehicles annually have greater freedom in powertrain selection.
Speaking to Motor1, Willoughby said the team analyzed nearly every possible configuration before reaching a final decision.
“That freedom was a little bit of a problem, because when you come to looking at the alternative engine configurations and the design, and how it integrates with the car, you don’t have anything to sort of crystallize ideas around. We went through pretty much every single engine. We had V6 turbos, we had V12s… and the only way to really decide what’s best is to go into each configuration in a fair amount of detail in the analysis,” Willoughby said.
Red Bull ultimately selected the naturally aspirated engine because of its throttle response. While turbocharged engines can produce higher output more easily, the company concluded that naturally aspirated power delivers more immediate response. Willoughby also noted the appeal of the V10’s sound.
Performance Specifications
The RB17 is powered by a 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V10 capable of revving to 15,000 rpm. The engine produces 1,200 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque, with additional output provided by an electric motor.
Power is delivered through a six-speed sequential transmission.
Limited Production and Pricing
The RB17 will remain an exclusive model. The hypercar is estimated to cost about $6.7 million, and Red Bull plans to build only 50 examples.
With production now underway, the RB17 brings Red Bull Advanced Technologies’ long-running hypercar project to completion while delivering the Formula 1-inspired road car the company first announced in 2022.
