The Red Bull X2010 (originally named Red Bull X1) is a fictional prototype vehicle featured in the PlayStation 3 video game Gran Turismo 5. The prototype vehicle was made to answer Kazunori Yamauchi's question: "If you built the fastest racing car on land, one that throws aside all rules and regulations, what would that car look like, how would it perform, and how would it feel to drive?".[1] The Prototype was designed by Red Bull Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey in conjunction with Yamauchi. It features enclosed wheels, and a “fan element” to increase low and medium-speed downforce (much like a Chaparral 2J or Brabham BT46B).
The X2010 was designed by Adrian Newey, head engineer of Red Bull Racing and Kazunori Yamauchi, which features exclusively in Gran Turismo 5. The hypothetical car, designed as an ultimate racing machine, was designed with pure speed in mind, rather than to regulations. It is theoretically superior to a Formula One car in terms of speed and handling.
Initially the concept of the X2010 was based on a low air resistance, single seater covered wheel prototype, a wing car powered by a forced induction engine producing 1479 HP,[2] aiming to achieve a top speed of over 292.04 mph (469.99 km/h) and a maximum lateral G-force of 6G. Upon slipstreaming, however, the car can manage speeds of over 310.69 mph (500.01 km/h). But upon seeing the machine's concept and design model, Newey proposed the addition of fan car technology, a long-time dream held as a racing designer.
The benefit of a fan car is that it forces air out from underneath the car, which lowers the air pressure under the car's floor. The difference in pressure above and below the car presses it towards the ground, producing downforce, thus allowing the car to generate constant downforce regardless of the car's current speed, as opposed to modern open wheel racing cars that generate downforce aerodynamically; the amount generated is a by-product of the speed the car is travelling. The fan principle allows the X2010 to maintain a high cornering speed in low speed corners.
After the evaluation of the technology going into the car, the X2010 was redesigned incorporating refinement advice from Newey. With its low air resistance achieved through its smooth glass canopy and full cowling over the tyres, and the downforce gained from the low speed range using the fans as well as in the high speed range through the front and rear wings and the rear diffuser, the car ultimately achieved a theoretical maximum speed of 500 km/h, a weight of 545 kg, and a maximum lateral G force exceeding 8G. This spec is virtually at the very limit of what a normal human body can withstand. Modern fighter jets are usually electronically limited to 9G.
The driver who performed the virtual shakedown test of the car was Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel. On his first run, he shortened the simulated course record held by Formula 1 cars on GT5's simulation of the Suzuka Circuit by over 20 seconds, drawing out the theoretical potential of the X2010 machine.[3]
A free version of the car was available on the 9th October 2011 in celebration of Sebastian Vettel winning the Formula one championship for the second year in a row.
The version 2.0 update to the game features an updated version of the car, featuring a higher top speed.
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