Mercedes Reveals AMG One – An F1-Derived Hypercar Polished By Lewis Hamilton
After five years of waiting, finally we’re able to set our eyes on the Mercedes AMG One. It’s a hypercar derived from Formula 1 technology, and polished by 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to celebrate 55 years of AMG.
The powertrain comprises of a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine used in Mercedes’ coveted F1 cars, producing 1,049 hybrid horsepower.
“With the Mercedes-AMG One, we have more than pushed the boundaries. The immense technical challenges of making a modern Formula 1 powertrain suitable for everyday use on the road have undoubtedly pushed us to our limits,” Philipp Schiemer says, chairman of the management board for Mercedes-AMG.
“Many may have thought, during the development period, that the project was impossible to implement. However, the teams in Affalterbach and Great Britain never gave up and believed in themselves. I have the greatest respect for all the participants and I am proud of this teamwork.”
This hasn’t been an easy task for AMG. Not only have they had to battle with the effects of the pandemic, but configuring an F1 engine to work on the road is not an easy task. The V6 revs to an 11,000 rpm redline with a single turbo and four electric motors to accompany it. Two motors power the front wheels creating 322 horsepower, a third is coupled to the engine, and the fourth is tied to the turbocharger adding 121 horses to the car’s output. This motor can even take energy from the spinning turbo and push it elsewhere in the car.
There aren’t heavy batteries weighing the car down, with the system consisting of only 8.4 kWh. This is kept cool with liquid cooling, but means it can only travel 11.2 miles on battery power alone. Not that we’re complaining, of course, when this means the car only weighs in at 1,695 kilograms.
0-62 mph comes in just 2.9 seconds thanks to an AMG 4Matic + all-wheel-drive system and a 7-speed, automated manual transmission. 124 mph comes and goes in just 7 seconds. And with your foot to the floor, it’ll max out at 219mph. Not quite Bugatti levels of speed, but this hypercar’s home is the track, not a straight road.
It’s pushrod suspension setup has been honed by AMG and Lewis Hamilton, with five arms and two adjustable struts both in the front and rear. These are mounted transversely to lower body roll. Torque vectoring is also implemented to make the most of this high performance layout.
To make it even stickier, AMG has used what it’s learnt from its Formula 1 campaign to optimise the aerodynamics of the AMG ONE which houses countless active aero bits and pieces such as spoilers, venting, diffusers, and a complicated rear wing. In fact, the car makes so many changes in its Race Plus and Strat2 modes, it produces five times the amount of downforce than its highway mode. Press the DRS button, and it allows you to hit its top speed on the straightaway.
Inside you’ll find plenty of tech derived from F1, with hugging seats and a wheel that looks like it’s straight form a racing sim. There are two 10-inch screens, one placed on the centre console and one behind the wheel. There are air-conditioning vents, speakers, and a camera for a rear-view mirror, but what really stands out is the carbon fibre and leather work that sits around you. Or maybe the butterfly doors?
It’s sat on optional forged magnesium wheels which are sculpted to allow air to be removed from the wheel wells quickly and efficiently. Sat behind these are 6-piston calipers (four pistons at the rear) and 15.6-inch carbon ceramic brake rotors.
It’s setup for a quick lap, and if the rumours are true, we’ll likely see it hit the Nurburgring very soon to prove just how fast it can be.
