Lucky Strike BAR Honda unveiled its 2005 season challenger today - the BAR Honda 007 car - at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. The car marks the start of a new era for the team and is yet another major performance step, one which Nick Fry, Chief Executive Officer of BAR Honda predicts will launch BAR Honda into a new era and its three year challenge to win the World Championship by 2007.

The success of last year’s car was the result of a dramatic improvement in engineering standards, teamwork and cooperation between BAR and Honda, which enabled the team to move up from fifth to second place in the Championship, marking them out as the season’s most improved team.

A significant evolution of the 006, the BAR Honda 007 demonstrates a further improvement in design and build-quality. The new car is visibly smaller and its more unified development and integration with the engine has resulted in a tighter, more refined packaging and considerable weight saving despite the more onerous 2005 structural and crash test requirements.

The most visible differences to the external appearance of the car have been driven by the changes to the 2005 aerodynamic regulations, while under the skin the second-generation carbon-composite gearbox is a further development from the team’s innovative concept for 2004 and is lighter with improved internals designed and developed under the joint chassis programme.

Honda has produced a new engine to meet the challenge of the two-race rule introduced for the first time this season. Although similar in concept to the 2004 unit, it too is a completely revised design but is smaller, lighter and affords a lower centre of gravity.

For 2005, BAR Honda has also developed its partnership with tyre supplier Michelin. In addition to the team conducting an extensive programme of tyre development during winter testing, they have been working closely together on the design of the 2005 car.

Nick Fry, Chief Executive Officer: "Our performance in 2004 was very pleasing and second in the Championship was a credit to the effort and teamwork of each person at BAR Honda. However, we were all disappointed not to win a race and that has to be the first step in our three year plan to win the World Championship.

"The BAR Honda 007 is another step forward, not only in its design and performance but also because the design and build process went very smoothly. This confirms that the organisational and process changes implemented at BAR Honda over the last three years are robust and provide a strong core which enables development of our car through the year and from year to year in pursuit of our goals.

"The BAR Honda 007 also marks a new era in the integration of resources and skills between BAR, British American Tobacco and Honda following Honda’s purchase of 45 per cent of our team. We believe that this really represents a winning formula."

Geoffrey Willis, Technical Director: "I am delighted with the new BAR Honda 007. It is a logical next step for the team, being both a refinement of last year’s car concept as well as having a number of significant new developments. With the stability of the technical team and the increasingly close relationship with Honda, we have been able to build a much better integrated installation of engine, chassis and transmission. In addition, following a very successful first year with Michelin, we have been able to design the 007 specifically around their tyre characteristics as well as being able to drive the development programme for the demands of the new regulations.