Formula 1 team Red Bull Racing wants to be recognised as a serious engineering firm away from the racetrack, and will use its recent tie-up with Infiniti to move into road car development.
RBR boss Christian Horner told Autocar he wants to �use Red Bull�s expertise outside F1�. Horner said, �Red Bull used to be known only as an energy drink company, but now it is recognised as an engineering team. It�s a natural evolution for us to get involved in road car engineering.�
Chief among the Infiniti/RBR plans is a co-developed sports model in the mould of the Renault Clio Williams, although Nissan�s luxury arm has not yet disclosed which car will receive this treatment. Infiniti insiders are already suggesting brand awareness is rising because of the F1 tie-up, which has been aided by hiring RBR driver Sebastian Vettel as a company ambassador.
Infiniti�s European plans away from its RBR alliance include two new model lines, four-cylinder engine options and more hybrid cars. The new models include a crossover in the Ford Focus class inspired by Infiniti�s Etherea concept and a Nissan Leaf-based electric car with a greater range and improved performance.
The Renault-Nissan union with Daimler will yield Infiniti four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, while the brand will also extend its hybrid offerings, some developed in-house, others with Mercedes-Benz.
0 comments:
Post a Comment