What's all this about?

Aston Martin and Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) have drawn in some really heavyweight automotive names to assist in the building of the incredible AM-RB 001 hypercar.

Have they? Who is involved now?

Well, aside from main partner AF Racing, we've now got some immense luminaries handling various aspects of the project. So Cosworth, for instance, is going to work on the machine's 6.5-litre V12 naturally aspirated screamer of an engine, while Ricardo will build the seven-speed sequential-shift gearbox that goes with it. Rimac, a Croatian company that built the Concept_One all-electric hypercar, will provide the lightweight hybrid battery system for the AM-RB 001, while Multimatic (involved in Aston's mighty One-77 and Vulcan programmes) will build the MonoCell carbon-fibre tub. Alcon and Surface Transforms are making the brake callipers and carbon discs respectively, while Bosch is in charge of all the electronics. And Wipac, a UK company, will manufacture the AM-RB's full-LED lights all round.

What do the key stakeholders say about it?

Red Bull Racing's chief technical officer and general F1 genius Adrian Newey said: "Much like Formula One, designing, engineering and building a car like the AM-RB 001 is a massive team effort. To achieve great things, you need to surround yourself with the best people. Experience, creativity, energy, diligence and perfectionism are absolute must-have qualities in every area of the project. Having great technical partners such as those working with us is both reassuring and motivating. Together we aim to produce an innovative piece of engineering art."

And what about Aston Martin itself?

David King, Aston Martin's VP and chief special operations officer, added: "Making the AM-RB 001 presents huge challenges. It's a real test of everyone involved, but that's as it should be, for we're genuinely raising the bar with this car. That's what makes the project so special and why having the right technical partners is so critical. Some of those names we're working with are long-standing suppliers of Aston Martin, but there are some new names in there, too. Whether forging fresh partnerships or building on existing relationships, the AM-RB 001 project is a shared engineering adventure we're all relishing."

Can you just remind me of the AM-RB 001 build numbers?

Just 175 of these things will be made: 150 of them will be road-going versions, while the final 25 will be reserved specifically for track use only.

Matt Robinson - 16 Feb 2017