Watch the Mercedes AMG One rip around the Nürburgring with minimal camo
What would a successor to the famed CLK-GTR look like if it were built today using a wealth of F1 technology and hybrid power? Luckily we have the answer, as Mercedes has developed the AMG One hypercar with the goal of bringing efficient power and even short-range all-electric driving to the select few that will be able to own this exclusive hypercar.
Mercedes has teased the AMG One for years, and had hoped to deliver it to customers starting in 2020. Now it looks like the hybrid hypercar is finally getting close to a production reality as this spy video shows a pair of pre-production cars testing on the vaunted Nürburgring.
With no camouflage to break up the car’s shape, it’s clear that the AMG One will look just as the prototype promised, complete with a huge active wing, rear diffuser, center fin, and F1-inspired triple exhaust tips.
Just like its championship-winning F1 cars, Mercedes is using a 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 engine and a trio of electric motors to power its sleek hypercar. One motor, linked directly to the V-6’s crankshaft, helps power the rear wheels, while a pair of 120kW motors power the front wheels. In total, the AMG One is set to have 740kW of thrust, almost 1000 hp, but there’s a fourth motor that also plays a key role in performance. The single turbocharger is assisted by an electric motor on the turbocharger shaft between the turbine and the compressor. Its job is to spool up the turbocharger and eliminate lag, improving throttle response and allowing a larger turbocharger to boost the performance of the small V-6 to genuine hypercar levels. No surprise, this is another bit of technology that came straight from F1.
One thing we noticed in this video is how little noise the AMG One produces. While it’s tremendously powerful and promises a top speed of 350 kph (217 mph), the car is just as docile, when necessary, as you’d expect a Mercedes to be. It’s no small feat to adapt F1 engine tech for use in a reliable street hypercar, so we’re excited to learn how Mercedes tamed this beast for public streets. What’s obvious, for now, is that this car will be every bit as dramatic-looking in person as the CLK-GTR.
Dudes’ wearing a mask in the car by himself….SMDH