Mercedes unveils the 1049bhp AMG-One hybrid F1 car for the road
It gets a modified version of the 1.6-litre V6 engine lifted from the eight-title-winning Mercedes F1 car
The 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show was when Mercedes Benz showcased its intentions of developing an F1 car for the road, called the Mercedes-AMG One. The sports car was scheduled to launch within the following couple of years. However, repeated halts concerning emission norms and aerodynamic discrepancies meant the limited-run sports car couldn’t see the light of the day. Until now.
Mercedes has finally released the Mercedes-AMG One in production guise. Upon launch, the AMG One with 1049bhp becomes the fastest production car to leave the Mercedes factory, with a top speed of 219mph (or 352kph). It overpowers the 214mph Mercedes CLK GTR which held the record for 24 years. No more than 275 units will get made, each costing $2.75 million, and all have been accounted for already.
The powertrain on the Mercedes-AMG One is a hybrid setup with four electric motors. The engine is a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 unit lifted straight from the firm’s eight-season winning F1 car, albeit modified to suit the daily driving demands and to put out 566bhp. If one finds that powerplant amusing in a road car, the remaining quad electric motor positioning should also raise some brows. Unlike the conventional electric motor setup comprising one for each wheel, Mercedes positions a 121bhp motor on the shaft between the turbocharger and the compressor, a 161bhp unit on the engine, while the remaining two get integrated into the front axle. Mercedes claims the One can crack the 0-100kph sprint in 2.9 secs.
If Formula 1 is responsible for introducing safety and performance features in mass-market offerings, the Mercedes-AMG One is an example of producing an F1 car confined by the road rules. Hence, one shall find the body has been developed with a combination of carbon fibre and composite plastic. The chassis is a carbon fibre monocoque unit, the same as an F1 car, and so is the pushrod suspension setup.
The wing is an extendable two-piece affair that can adjust itself for maximum downforce with a DRS option for maximum track attack. Further aerodynamic gains are procured via cooling ducts on the front end, and special louvres slashed right above the front wheel wells. A Strat 2 driving mode gets lifted off the firm’s Formula 1 car that adjusts the vehicle for maximum downforce, firmest suspension and full power from all power sources.
The F1-derived insanity continues on the inside with the seats bolted directly to the floor. The steering wheel is an F1-inspired rectangular unit featuring an airbag, shift lights and rotary controls for drive mode settings. The One’s interior gets lined up with synthetic leather and carbon fibre. However, the One, fortunately, manages to possess certain road car comforts as well, comprising air-conditioning, electric windows and some USB-C ports. Though don’t expect to find storage compartments for luggage.
The Mercedes AMG One isn’t the sole F1-derived sports car for the road. It faces competition from the Aston Martin Valkyrie and Ferrari SF90, with customer deliveries planned to commence later this year.
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