A Formula 1 car for the road: the Mercedes-AMG One.
Mercedes-Benz
published2. June 2022, 05:00
The Mercedes-AMG One is much more a Formula 1 road car than a hypercar. We weren’t allowed to drive the extremely expensive and super-fast car, but we were allowed to try it out.
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- Isabelle Riederer / A&W Verlag
There are cars and there are cars. The Mercedes-AMG One is clearly one of the latter. In 2017, the developers from Affalterbach presented the Mercedes-AMG Project One at the IAA in Frankfurt. The engine from the Silver Arrow of the 2015 season was in the rear of the carbon racer – including recuperation and hybridisation. The developers promised a top speed of more than 350 km/h and a time of under 2.5 seconds for the hundred sprint. If your knees didn’t go weak, then at the latest when you saw it.
Editor Isabelle Riederer was allowed to take a close look at the three million euro projectile…
Mercedes-Benz
Five years later, the bullet is finally here. The project has been completed and is now simply called AMG One. A unique hypercar with Formula 1 technology that is actually street legal. The technology of the 1.6-liter V6 hybrid petrol engine with electrically assisted single turbocharging and four additional electric motors on each wheel corresponds to the current Formula 1 engine and has a system output of 1063 hp. The starting price is three million euros, and all 275 copies have already been sold. In addition to the six-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who provided active support in setting up the hypercar, the buyers also include his former teammate Valtteri Bottas and the ex-Grand Prix drivers Nico Rosberg and David Coulthard.
It took a long time, but now the time has finally come: the Mercedes-AMG One is scheduled to be delivered to future owners this year.
Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes-AMG One is the first hypercar from Affalterbach with Formula 1 technology under the carbon body.
Mercedes-Benz
Thanks to its Formula 1 drive, the super flounder has an incredible 1063 hp.
Mercedes-Benz
radically reduced
And I can go in there now! Completely sealed off and well guarded, the super sports car is waiting in a separate room for me to take over for 20 minutes. I have to hand in my camera and cell phone. The door opens and there stands the flounder. The carbon body is truly reminiscent of formula sports cars. Air inlets larger than mailbox slots, the air inlet derived from Formula 1 dominates on the roof, through which the engine sucks in fresh air as required. The gullwing doors are remarkably easy to open and reveal a view of the monocoque. Two displays, a few buttons, lots of carbon and – who would have thought it – there are even two USB ports. The rest is radically reduced.
Getting started takes a bit of practice, but once you get in, your heart will beat in your mouth. I caress the steering wheel, which is reminiscent of Formula 1, in awe, the seat shells are hard. What if I just pushed the start button now? The experts look closely. The engine stops. You wouldn’t hear anything anyway, the Mercedes-AMG One initially starts silently when the electric motors on the front axle are switched on. At the same time, the catalytic converters are preheated. The combustion engine only starts when the correct catalytic converter temperature has been reached.
He should also come to Switzerland
Instead of letting the engine roar, I get to see the pushrod chassis in action. In a few seconds, the flounder will jack up. It goes up and down. The rear wing can also be extended in two parts with a wing blade plus an integrated, adjustable flap. Can you do weekend shopping with it? At least the windows can be opened. Some of the 275 copies will also be delivered to Switzerland from the second half of the year. Interesting detail: Future owners of the AMG One will have to have their bullets serviced regularly, that’s a must. Ideally once a year or at the latest following 50,000 kilometers. The problem: You can’t just have the service done quickly at the garage you trust, the Mercedes-AMG One is only serviced in Brixworth, England, in the Formula 1 forge of Mercedes-AMG. But for a 3 million car, that’s probably in it …
