Photo: SB-Medien
Mercedes-AMG has brought together decades of racing technology into one amazing hypercar called the Project One. We caught up to the impressive machine on the floor of the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and were not disappointed in any way.
We've been spoiled with extremely powerful machines lately, so the 1,000+ horsepower output feels like a dull axe. But it actually cuts deeper than the Bugatti Chiron, as the 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) sprint takes less than six seconds.
Instead of using the monster V12 engines it already had in its road cars, Mercedes-AMG went with a tiny 1.6-liter single-turbo V6 spins out to 11,000 rpm. Yes, they had to water it down a little, but it's still savage for a road car.
Admittedly, the top speed of more than 217 mph (350 km/h) won't match that of the Bugatti, but we already knew that. But while most hypercars have one or two electric motors, this one has four, borrowing directly from the W08 F1 car.
The two at the front can spin to 50,000rpm, which is more than double that we've seen so far, and produce 160 horsepower. Obviously, they provide torque vectoring on the front axle. There's another one one on the engine, and the last puts out 120 hp and is linked to the turbocharger.
The car can run for up to 15.5 miles on electricity and recuperate up to 80% of the power when you lift off the gas. Its EQ Power + electric drive system runs at 800 Volts, double the standard voltage. As for the gearbox, it's an 8-speed hydraulically actuated, derived from that in F1, but still capable of auto mode.
"The Hypercar is the most ambitious project we've ever made," Mercedes-AMG Chairman Tobias Moers insisted. "This marks another highlight of the successful strategic development of Mercedes-AMG as a performance and sports-car brand."
Admittedly, this isn't ready for production yet. But Mercedes is already taking deposits for 275 examples that will be made, costing more than €2 million each. Only left-hand drive models will be available after 18 more months of development is completed.
Instead of using the monster V12 engines it already had in its road cars, Mercedes-AMG went with a tiny 1.6-liter single-turbo V6 spins out to 11,000 rpm. Yes, they had to water it down a little, but it's still savage for a road car.
Admittedly, the top speed of more than 217 mph (350 km/h) won't match that of the Bugatti, but we already knew that. But while most hypercars have one or two electric motors, this one has four, borrowing directly from the W08 F1 car.
The two at the front can spin to 50,000rpm, which is more than double that we've seen so far, and produce 160 horsepower. Obviously, they provide torque vectoring on the front axle. There's another one one on the engine, and the last puts out 120 hp and is linked to the turbocharger.
The car can run for up to 15.5 miles on electricity and recuperate up to 80% of the power when you lift off the gas. Its EQ Power + electric drive system runs at 800 Volts, double the standard voltage. As for the gearbox, it's an 8-speed hydraulically actuated, derived from that in F1, but still capable of auto mode.
"The Hypercar is the most ambitious project we've ever made," Mercedes-AMG Chairman Tobias Moers insisted. "This marks another highlight of the successful strategic development of Mercedes-AMG as a performance and sports-car brand."
Admittedly, this isn't ready for production yet. But Mercedes is already taking deposits for 275 examples that will be made, costing more than €2 million each. Only left-hand drive models will be available after 18 more months of development is completed.
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