Photo: Daimler AG
At the end of August, a report suggested that Mercedes-AMG is working on a hypercar with plenty of F1-inspired bits and bobs. As it happens, the bottomless rumor mill keeps spewing hearsay.
Before anything, let’s start with what we have previously heard. Here are the highlights: 1.6-liter turbo V6 taken from the W07 Hybrid Formula 1 car, an energy-recovery system (as in KERS), 220-plus mph (354 km/h), between 1,000 and 1,500 horsepower, and a €4 million ($4.45 million) projected retail price. On top of what evo has reported back in August, Automobile Mag follows up with similarly unconfirmed details about the alleged hypercar.
The cited publication suggests that, according to “AMG insiders,” the name bestowed upon the supposed model is Mercedes-AMG R50. Under the hood, the belly of the beast is rumored to displace 2.0 liters and use turbocharging.
Projected output from the engine alone? 1,000 horsepower. In a car that's supposed to weigh less 2,900 pounds (1,315 kilograms), that's plenty enough. On the hybrid side of things, the Mercedes-AMG R50 could be aided by three electric motors for an additional 300 horsepower: two driving the front wheels, one integrated into the transmission housing.
From a design standpoint, Automobile Mag is adamant that the R50 “resembles a hardtop Le Mans prototype racer, with vestigial gullwing doors that nod to Benz’s iconic 300 SL and its C111 and C112 mid-engine concepts.” Active aero is also on the menu. What’s more, the publication is similarly adamant that the pedals and steering wheel are fully adjustable.
In addition to that, the seats are said to be “lined with inflatable elements that adjust to accommodate drivers of different shapes and sizes.” In terms of 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h), it’s said that the Mercedes-AMG R50 will be able to hit that velocity in “about 2 seconds.” Then again, these are nothing but rumors.
What caught our attention about Automobile Mag’s report aren’t the numbers or details. In fact, it’s a line that reads: “the Daimler board approved the R50 as a one-off concept, but AMG boss Tobias Moers wants a production run of 25 to 250 units.” Make-believe or factual intel, nobody actually knows.
My humble opinion on this particularity is that the hypercar will be approved for production provided that the Mercedes-AMG skunkworks will actually build a concept version of the R50. If Adrian Newey and Aston Martin could do it with the AM-RB 001, then why couldn’t Mercedes-AMG, right?
The cited publication suggests that, according to “AMG insiders,” the name bestowed upon the supposed model is Mercedes-AMG R50. Under the hood, the belly of the beast is rumored to displace 2.0 liters and use turbocharging.
Projected output from the engine alone? 1,000 horsepower. In a car that's supposed to weigh less 2,900 pounds (1,315 kilograms), that's plenty enough. On the hybrid side of things, the Mercedes-AMG R50 could be aided by three electric motors for an additional 300 horsepower: two driving the front wheels, one integrated into the transmission housing.
From a design standpoint, Automobile Mag is adamant that the R50 “resembles a hardtop Le Mans prototype racer, with vestigial gullwing doors that nod to Benz’s iconic 300 SL and its C111 and C112 mid-engine concepts.” Active aero is also on the menu. What’s more, the publication is similarly adamant that the pedals and steering wheel are fully adjustable.
In addition to that, the seats are said to be “lined with inflatable elements that adjust to accommodate drivers of different shapes and sizes.” In terms of 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h), it’s said that the Mercedes-AMG R50 will be able to hit that velocity in “about 2 seconds.” Then again, these are nothing but rumors.
What caught our attention about Automobile Mag’s report aren’t the numbers or details. In fact, it’s a line that reads: “the Daimler board approved the R50 as a one-off concept, but AMG boss Tobias Moers wants a production run of 25 to 250 units.” Make-believe or factual intel, nobody actually knows.
My humble opinion on this particularity is that the hypercar will be approved for production provided that the Mercedes-AMG skunkworks will actually build a concept version of the R50. If Adrian Newey and Aston Martin could do it with the AM-RB 001, then why couldn’t Mercedes-AMG, right?
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