Mercedes Benz has long been known for its unprecedented reputation when it comes to its luxury vehicles. The German manufacturer has coined various attributes of cars that have now become a standard today; such as airbags and seat belts. Over the past few years, we’ve had cars such as the SLR Mclaren, SLS AMG and now more recently the AMG GT, but none of these cars have ever pushed the envelope when it comes to sheer performance. That though could soon come to a change because at the Frankfurt Motor Show Mercedes just took the wrap off its very first hypercar, the Mercedes-AMG Project One.
The Mercedes-AMG Project One is meant to be a Formula 1 car for the road, and at first glance, it’s not hard to see the subtle resemblances between the Project One and the current Mercedes Formula 1 car. The front end is where the Project One is meeting the most controversy as people are still unsure as to whether it’s as aggressive as a 1000bhp record shattering hypercar should be. But this is Mercedes we’re talking about. So all the design elements that the company decided to go with are all probably in the pursuit of superior aerodynamics. The overall silhouette of the vehicle is very much like an F1 car with sharp declines and elongated slanting curves. Around the rear end, the Project One even comes equipped with a massive roof scoop that looks somewhat like a large shark fin but will no doubt help in aiding airflow to the engine. The rear end of the vehicle also houses a large rear spoiler, a large central circular exhaust, and a massive diffuser.While at the end of the day it may not be the best looking Mercedes ever made, according to most
While at the end of the day it may not be the best looking Mercedes ever made, according to most it’s right up there with the top.
By taking one look at the car and its 1000bhp headlining power figure, you probably expect there to be a huge V12 engine under the hood or at least a massively upgraded versions of Mercedes bi turbo V8 that they use in most of their AMG products. But no Mercedes decided to create an F1 car for the road with the Project One and that is exactly what they have done. Mounted in a mid-engine configuration is a 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid F1 engine that revs all the way to 11,000rpm. To put that into context, a Porsche GT3, one of highest revving cars you can buy today can only rev till 9,000 rpm. Power output exceeds 1000bhp and top speed is said to be beyond 350kph (217mph).
The company still hasn’t released any performance figures but is confident the Project One will be able to accelerate from a standstill all the way till 124mph in under six seconds. To once again put that in context a 1500bhp Bugatti Chiron manages to do the same feat in 6.5 seconds. But Mercedes still claims that the Project One can be easily driven on the streets in a day to day conditions. The hypercar even comes with an EV mode in which the Project One becomes front wheel drive and runs on electric power alone. Stepping into the interior and you will find a pair of dual ten-inch screens that appear to have been taken straight out the S-Class, an F1 inspired rectangular steering wheel, carbon seats, air conditioning, a dock for your smartphone but not a whole lot besides that. With the Project One being a hybrid hypercar, you can expect to be writing a check in the millions for an example, more especially $2.72 million if you want to get your hands on this one of a kind F1 road car.
