If there was ever going to be a headline act here at the Frankfurt Motor Show it’s the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE. A hypercar with an F1 engine that can be driven on the road, simple as that. The mystery has finally been revealed and it’s one heck of a scary looking beast indeed.
The two-seater hypercar or supersports car, take your pick, is simply phenomenal. It scores the same F1 hybrid technology from the race track and is a fitting tribute to celebrate AMG’s 50th anniversary. It features over 1000 hp, so around 740kW. This is a world first marriage for a production car, the development work was carried out with the F1 experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth along with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport team in Brackley.
“Our highly efficient hybrid assembly stems from motor racing and the electrically powered front axle generates a fascinating mixture of performance and efficiency. With a system output of over 1000 hp and a top speed beyond 350 km/h this hypercar handles exactly as it looks: it takes your breath away”, Ola Källenius says, Member of the Daimler AG Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars.
A 1.6-litre V6 hybrid petrol engine is fitted and comes directly from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 racing car. All-wheel drive is achieved via two 120Kw electric motors but the rear wheels are driven by an 8-speed transmission. The 0-200km/h dash is said to take just 6.1 seconds and top out at 350 km/h. There’s also an electric range of 25 kilometres.
The show car is an extraordinary piece of automotive design. “The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is the hottest and coolest car we have ever designed. It combines our design philosophy of Sensual Purity with the performance of our Formula 1 racing cars and is the perfect embodiment of Performance Luxury,” says Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG. “This hypercar’s extreme design marks a milestone in design ‑ there are no lines, and the interior is stripped down to the essentials.”
The price tag? Over $5 million Australian dollars, with eight set aside for the Australian market. Only 275 will be made, better get in quick after you win lotto or rob a bank. (Don’t do that).
