Tony Quinn approached to buy Aston Martin AM-RB 001

THE Aston Martin Red Bull AM-RB 001 broke cover overnight, and the automotive world is losing its mind.

The car is one of the most hotly-anticipated automotive arrivals in recent memory, and a production version won’t even be available until 2018.

While enthusiasts world-wide drool over their computer keyboards at the car’s stunning lines, there will be very few people in the world that will actually own one of the 150 examples which are set to be built.

Scottish-born New Zealander, and business and motorsport mogul Tony Quinn is one of those people Aston Martin hopes will buy the multi-million dollar car.

Speaking to Wheels, Quinn confirmed the British manufacturer has approached him regarding purchasing an AM-RB 001 when they become available.

It is no coincidence Quinn was contacted by Aston Martin. The owner of two race tracks – Highlands Motorsport Park and Hampton Downs in New Zealand – Quinn is one of only 24 people in the world to have an Aston Martin Vulcan in his garage. He also owns and races the very last Aston Martin Vantage GT3 ever built in the Australian GT championship. Having raced a number of Aston Martin GT3 cars, Quinn is a valued customer for the brand.

However, the BRW rich-list member says he isn’t convinced he should part with his hard-earned money for an AM-RB 001 just yet.

“Aston have been in touch with me and they want me to put my name on the line,” he explained to Wheels.

“It is a little bit insane isn’t it, really? There are people starving in the world.

“I will have a look at it, but I wouldn’t say ‘yeah I will have it’ at this stage.”

Quinn revealed that as an owner of the track-only Vulcan, he gets first option at buying the yet-to-be-released hyper car.

“Anybody that has got a Vulcan gets automatic rights to [an AM-RB 001] if they want one,” he said.

Despite owning two race tracks, Quinn remains confused as to what he would do if he actually owned an AM-RB 001.

“I mean, what are you going to do with it? Really?” he laughed.

“Unless you own a couple of race tracks, what are you going to do with it?”

Wheels pointed out that he owns a pair of tracks, making him the perfect candidate.

“It does, but it is a little bit crazy,” he replied with a chuckle.

While Quinn ruled out owning one of the estimated 25 track-only AM-RB 001s ­– which Aston Martin claims will be as fast as an LMP1 car at Silverstone – the businessman didn’t completely rule out buying the road-going car; noting that under the right conditions it would be an easy decision.

“Life is more important than a car,” he added. “If life is going the right way, and it all makes sense, and it doesn’t hurt or harm anybody and all that stuff and you want to do it – you should do it!

“I haven’t rushed out and made any arrangements at all.”

Quinn though, is also aware that the car is more than likely going to be ineligible to be driven on Australian or New Zealand roads.

“It is a little bemusing for me that what anybody does with one,” he said.

“If you are a German, American, or Saudi Arabian, at least you can take it out on the road and give it a bit of a blat, and there isn’t policeman hanging off every bloody street corner hoping to get you.

“But in Australia and New Zealand, they are very anti-fun on the roads.”

As a savvy businessman, Quinn said he could justify buying the car, estimated to cost around A$8million, as an investment.

“Right now you get about two percent on your money in the bank,” he explained. “Classic and unique items are increasing at about probably five to 10 percent a year. So if you can kid yourself that it is an investment, it probably isn’t a bad one.

“At the end of the day, we are all trying to convince ourselves to do things and it would just be another one of those circumstances where you convince yourself that a white car is better than a black one, or a black one pulls more chicks than a red one.”

Despite being sceptical, Quinn remains in discussions with Aston Martin regarding a purchase, and any sale could hinge on future prospects.

“We have been approached and there has been talking and the phone calls have gone back and forth. But none of that means anything,” he added.

“I am trying to work out what is going to happen in 2018, when I would have to pay for the thing. Have I got a business deal that is going to close then which is going to make me a huge profit? Then it is an easy decision.

“If I start saving now I would have to have four jobs to have enough for a deposit.

“The kids would probably stop talking to me as well, they would consider me loopy.”

Quinn owns the only Vulcan in the southern hemisphere, and said he was unaware if anyone else in the region had been approached regarding the AM-RB 001.

Regardless of if he does buy the car or not, with an extensive racing history – which includes qualifying eighth outright for this year’s Pikes Peak hillclimb – Quinn would be a worthy owner of the fastest road car in history.