Four Years After It Was Revealed, Mercedes-AMG Still Teases Project ONE Hypercar

Even at face value, it’s easy to understand that Merc had a few hiccups along the way. One of them comes in the guise of Tobias Moers, the former head of AMG, who left the Affalterbach-based performance division to run Aston Martin. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll understand why the ONE has been delayed by almost two years to 2021 for the 2022 model year.

Another challenging detail comes in the guise of idling, and that’s not a joke. Shoehorning a V6 PU into a road-going car presents unique problems, more so if you remember that a Formula 1 engine idles at 5,000 rpm. Brought down to 1,200 revs, the engine’s idling speed had to be stabilized in order to pass the emissions tests enforced by the European Commission.

We also have to consider the sheer complexity of the powertrain, which consists of many other parts in addition to the 1.6-liter turbo V6 that revs to 11,000 rpm. The turbocharger, for example, is split in the sense that its turbine and compressor housing are connected by an electrified shaft rated at 80 kW (107 hp). Two more electric motors drive the front axle to the tune of 120 kW (161 hp) per wheel, and a fourth e-motor is directly connected to the crankshaft.

Including parasitic losses, Mercedes-AMG quotes more than 1,000 horsepower from this setup. The 1.6-liter engine alone is good for 748 HP, which is crazy for such a small displacement and six cylinders.

Based on the looks of the pre-production prototype in the following teaser, the first units of the ONE are certain to be delivered by the end of 2021 if everything goes according to plan. If you’re planning on getting one (pun intended), the bad news is that all 275 examples are spoken for.