Mercedes-AMG’s upcoming hypercar, codenamed Project One, will be powered by a 1.6-litre V6 engine – a road-ready version of the unit used in Mercedes’ W08 EQ Power+ Formula 1 racer. This motor features the MGU-K and MGU-H motor generator units as well.
The Project One's gearbox will be an automated manual unit. The car’s lithium-ion batteries power the car’s front wheels and are placed low and towards the front of the structure. This helps keep the centre of gravity down and helps distribute weight evenly.
AMG is targeting keeping the car’s weight to 1,300kg while it’s powertrain’s target is a whopping 1,014hp. This car will go head on against the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder, and the Aston Martin and Red Bull-developed Valkyrie. The car can drive on solely electric power for 30km.
The front wheels of the One can be driven individually, so torque can be distributed selectively – this is tech that the company calls AMG Torque Dynamics. The hypercar will be revealed at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show and will go on sale in 2018. The company will make less than 275 versions of the Project One.
AMG boss Tobias Moers said, "It will be up to local-market management to decide who gets a car," said Moers. "Beyond that, we expect to develop a special programme to support owners, but using the car will not be as complicated as many prospective customers seem to expect. Because of the F1 technology in the car, people are asking me ‘will I need a support crew or dedicated fuel to run it?’, and my answer is always no. This will be a street car. You keep it plugged in the garage. You fill it with '98' when you buy fuel. That's it."
Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche added, "Our aim is for [the Project One] to be the first street legal car with an F1 engine," he said. "Secondly, that it is perceived as the ultimate sports car. We have relatively good indications that this is possible."