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Mercedes-AMG Boss Confirms R50 Hypercar Will Develop 1,000 Horsepower

When the rumor mill alleged that Mercedes-AMG is working on a hybrid hypercar to take on the likes of the Aston Martin AM-RB 001, many people thought that this is merely whitewash. At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, however, the Affalterbach-based outfit confirmed that yes, the Mercedes-AMG R50 will indeed happen.
2018 Mercedes-AMG R50 teaser 26 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
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Now, though, Mercedes-AMG head honcho Tobias Moers took to the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show to reiterate the manufacturer’s commitment to build one of the most extreme machines the hypercar world has ever seen. On the sidelines of the show, Moers told Autocar that the official launch of the model is set for 2018. He also confirmed that 1,000 horsepower is on the menu, a figure that puts the R50 right in the firing line of the Aston Martin AM-RB 001.

Thus, Moers denied previous reports of a 1,200 horsepower output. The boss of Mercedes-AMG also denied rumors according to which Lotus had joined the fray to help with development. Moers, who joined the Affalterbach skunkworks in 1994, further told the British publication that 200 to 300 copies will be manufactured. A small part of those will be track-only specials.

Regarding the oily bits of the upcoming go-faster model, Autocar expects the “entire current Formula 1 powertrain” to make the cut, citing officials. Reading between the lines, this could be an allusion to the displacement of the six-cylinder turbocharged engine: 1.6 liters, just like the F1 W07 Hybrid single-seater that brought Mercedes AMG the constructors’ title in 2016.

Built by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, UK, the engine will be supplemented by two energy recovery systems (MGU-K and MGU-H). The K in MGU-K stands for kinetic energy, while the H in MGU-H stands for heat from the car’s exhaust system. According to the Formula 1 website, MGU-K and MGU-H account for approximately 160 horsepower.

With deliveries slated to begin in the second half of 2018, Tobias Moers is confident that the powertrain is up to the job. "Our F1 engine is far more durable than many people expect, and if you look at the load it must take in an F1 race compared to how it’s likely to be used in a street-legal machine, you can see it’s going to have a lot less work to do,” he said.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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