The magnificent Formula 1-inspired One hypercar has been unveiled by Mercedes-AMG in production form, with customer deliveries expected to start later this year.
In 2017, the Mercedes-AMG Project One concept unveiled the coupe, which combines four electric motors with a modified version of the company’s 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged grand Prix engine for a combined output of 1062 horsepower. With a top speed of 350 kph, it surpasses the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, which is only capable of 342 kph.
YouTuber Rana65556 recently went to a Mercedes-AMG One owner’s first drive event in Germany. The AMG personnel demonstrated how to utilise the car’s many features, which appears to be one of the most sophisticated designs ever offered.
The two-seat hypercar is designed with close collaboration between Mercedes-regular AMG’s road car business, the Mercedes-AMG F1 team, and the AMG High-Performance Powertrains group in the United Kingdom.
The carbon fibre monocoque of the beast vehicle is combined with a steel roll bar. This supports a massive rear subframe for the petrol-electric motor and a carbon fibre and titanium rear chassis.
The body, made of carbon fibre and composite plastic, was designed to provide maximum downforce. It has active elements within the front cooling ducts, louvres on top of the front wheelhouses, and a sophisticated extensible two-piece rear wing.
There are three different aerodynamic modes in the car: Highway, with the ducts and louvres closed and the rear wing retracted; Race Max Downforce, where the ducts and louvres are opened, and the rear wing is entirely extended; and Race DRS, where the ducts and louvres are closed and the rear-wing flap is retracted.
Cooling is also an essential aspect of the coupe’s design, with big ducts in the front, an airbox that arcs over the cabin, and large extractors at the back to pull hot air out of the engine bay.
The centre-locking 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels are made of forged aluminium as standard and forged magnesium as an option. They are fitted with unique Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R M01 tyres.
The vertically mounted V6 engine is a variation of the British-engineered F1 engine. It produces 573hp at 9,000rpm, 2,000rpm below the redline.
The new Mercedes coupe also boasts four electric motors. A 122hp motor is located on a shaft between the turbocharger and the electric compressor, while a 163hp motor is located on the engine and is linked to the driveshaft. The other two 163hp motors are installed in the front axle.
Overall power is 1,062hp, 333hp greater than the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, the previous most potent AMG road car.
Considering “the complex nature of the drivetrain does not allow a representative figure,” Mercedes-AMG does not provide a torque figure for the One. However, it claims that the One can sprint from 0 to 100kph in 2.9 seconds, 0 to 200kph in 7.0 seconds, and 0 to 300kph in 15.6 seconds.
Furthermore, Race Safe, Race, EV, Individual, Race Plus, and Strat 2 are the six driving modes available, with the last two designated for track use.
The powertrain of Race Safe delivers on-demand hybrid features. The engine is always on in Race and is utilised to charge the battery.
Race Plus activates an active aerodynamic function that lowers the suspension, deploys the rear wing for extra downforce, and enables “special performance control” of the powerplant. Whereas Strat 2 (taken on Mercedes-F1 AMG’s vehicles’ Strategy 2 setting) pushes everything to the next level, providing even more severe aerodynamic settings, a harsher suspension tuning, and full power from all sources.
On top of that, a Charge button allows the driver to supplement brake-energy recoup with an engine-powered battery charge. Meanwhile, an electronic traction control system has nine levels of engagement.
The interior of this latest Mercedes AMG One is finished in a mix of synthetic leather and carbon fibre. The slim seat squabs are mounted directly to the monocoque’s floor, lowering the driver and passenger to an inclined position with their knees lower than their feet.
The airbag-equipped F1-style steering wheel features shift lights and rotary controls for the driving modes, traction control system, and rear wing, while the pedal box is also adjustable. The dashboard has two rectangular digital displays, one ahead of the driver for the gauges and one in the centre for car data and infotainment functions.
You don’t get to see a car as expensive and exotic as the Mercedes-AMG One every day. The amount of software and aerodynamics intricacy is remarkable, if not slightly intimidating. But, possibly, if you want a road-legal F1 engine, that is what you get.