With Red Bull's chief genius expanding his role beyond F1 and into "technology projects", the world is Adrian Newey's oyster. So what if he designed a road car? Say, ripping the X2014 out of Gran Turismo and into reality.
Granted, the X2014 – or the X1 and X2011 that preceded it – would test the limits of everything from material sciences to advanced powertrains to gastrointestinal fortitude. So it might be best to leave them on the virtual track.
In this world, however, Red Bull has a branding and technical partnership with Infiniti, and Newey could tap into the Nissan juggernaut for production facilities and drivetrain components. And with rumors of a hybridized version of the Nissan GT-R making the rounds, that would be a potent powertrain to fit in a top-level sports car, maybe even giving Infiniti the performance flagship it both wants and needs.
It makes more sense than a Red Bull-branded car, but it's been hinted at in the past.
In 2012, Autocar sat down with Red Bull Racing head Christian Horner, who said, "Red Bull used to be known only as an energy drink company, but now it is recognized as an engineering team. It's a natural evolution for us to get involved in road car engineering."
Red Bull Technology – where Newey will fill his new role – is the company's development arm that builds the chassis for the F1 team. Combing Newey's massive brain with the technical and production capabilities of Red Bull Technology, and you get something special. Think Gordon Murray and the McLaren F1 mixed in with Senna developing the NSX. But replace Murray with Newey, Senna with Sebastian Vettel, and McLaren F1 with some Infiniti-powered hybrid hypercar.
Or maybe it's something less ambitious, but equally intriguing.
Newey has an interest in everything from sports car racing to the America's Cup. But as Autocar points out, he also has a penchant for classic machines that are lightweight and beautifully balanced. With Newey unencumbered from the oppressive regulations of F1, anything's possible. So what do you want to see?