The Aston Martin AM-RB 003 Is A Hypercar With Nasa-Approved Aero

Believe it or not, Aston Martin already has a third hypercar. Not content with the outrageous, N/A V12-powered Valkyrie and Valkyrie AMR Pro, Gaydon has whipped up a concept version hypercar number three - the AM-RB 003 - to show off at the Geneva Motor Show.

It won’t be building it alone, though, and that’s where the ‘RB’ bit of the name comes from - Red Bull Advanced Technologies will play a big role in the design and engineering of the Valkyrie’s baby brother.

Unlike the Valkyrie, there won’t be any big N/A engine heroics going on here. Instead, the AM-RB 003 will use a new ‘hybrid turbo’ V6 engine which will be designed in-house by Aston Martin.

Other than that, little has been divulged about the car’s mechanicals, but Aston Martin has treated us to a few tasty morsels regarding the aero side of the equation. Of note is the rear wing, which has a ‘variable airfoil’ across its length thanks to something called ‘aircraft morphing technology’.

The technology comes from a company called FlexSys, and it’s actually been “validated by Nasa through extensive performance and acoustic flight testing”. It’s the first time the tech has been used in the automotive sphere, and it “allows for the car’s downforce to be changed without changing the physical angle of the entire element,” Aston Martin says. Its operation is still being fine-tuned, but the plan is to have it continually altering its shape to trim the car’s aero.

It has a conspicuously massive rear diffuser, just beyond which you can see some of the 003’s underbody aero. It’s here that the car generates most of its downforce.

The whole shebang is built around a carbon fibre structure, which is clad in carbon panels. The doors open forwards in an LMP1-like fashion, taking with them part of the roof to make getting in and out easier.

Like the Valkyrie, the AM-RB 003 has an extremely compact two-seater cabin, although there is some luggage space behind the seats, along with a few storage bins. Interestingly, the infotainment system will all be delivered via a link to your own smartphone, which you can mount in what must be the sturdiest cradle ever built.

Production of the AM-RB 003 will be capped at 500. Aston Martin hasn’t yet said when the car will go into production, but the related Vanquish supercar - which will use the same V6 - is due to be built from 2022.