BREAKING: This is the new Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, commemorating 50 years of AMG in Frankfurt

On the heels of the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA), Mercedes-AMG revealed its much anticipated Project ONE show car.

What’s going on?

The Frankfurt Auto Show is about to, that’s what’s going on. And to help kick off this week’s list of reveals is the all-new, stunning Mercedes-AMG Project ONE supercar. Representing the year’s peak of commemorating 50 years of AMG, the Project ONE boasts to bring Mercedes-AMG’s Formula 1 technology to the road. That means 1,000 horsepower and a top speed of over 350 km/h or 217 mph.

This is achieved thanks to the latest and greatest hybridized Formula 1 technology, much like the sort of stuff we found on the Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1, and LaFerrari. Ultimately, like the aforementioned, the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE seeks to serve up an uncompromised combination of racetrack and road-going performance.

The Project ONE joins the four-door AMG GT Concept at the Mercedes-Benz and AMG display at the Frankfurt Auto Show this year.

“The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is the first Formula 1 car with MOT approval. Our highly efficient hybrid assembly stems from motor racing and the electrically powered front axle generates a fascinating mixture of performance and efficiency,” Ola Källenius, Daimler AG board member overseeing Mercedes’ R&D. “With a system output of over 1,000 hp and a top speed beyond 350 km/h this hypercar handles exactly as it looks: it takes your breath away.”

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What powers it?

In the middle of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE sits a hybridized 1.6L V6 with around 671hp. It features direct injection and a single, electrically-assisted turbocharger lifted directly from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 car. With a quad-cam valvetrain arrangement with specially designed spur gears and pneumatic valve springs (versus mechanical spring), the mill can out rev a sport bike with a redline of 11,000 rpm.

That turbocharger also features some wicked witchcraft for instantaneous response to throttle changes. For instance, when moving on and off the throttle, the turbocharger comes equipped with a special shaft and an electric motor, which keeps the turbocharger spooled and pressure constant, for smoother and quicker throttle changes.

But because of the Project ONE’s road-going abilities, it has to use traditional pump gas instead of race gas. The engine also has to maintain greater longevity for the owner. So although the engine has a ridiculous redline, it’s still well below the abilities of the motor’s application in the actual F1 car.

Channeling the gas engine power to the rear wheels is the very latest AMG SPEEDSHIFT eight-speed dual-clutch box and is bespoke to the Project ONE.

Assisting that 1.6L V6 are two 120 kW (161hp) electric motors at the front axles, which also set new benchmarks for revolution speeds. They’re capable of spinning at 50,000 rpm while the current greatest can rev only up to 20,000 rpm.

Because the gas engine powers the rear wheels and the electric motors, the front, such a combo makes the Project ONE all-wheel drive. Because of this arrangement, Mercedes-AMG believes that up to 80 percent of braking energy can be harnessed to regenerate the electric battery.

What handles it?

Multi-link suspension arrangements sit at both the front and the rear with fully-adjustable coil-over struts. Though like many other supercars and Formula 1 racers, the push-rod struts are placed across the direction of travel, rather than up and down diagonally in a normal car. This ensures the best handling control and operating efficiency for the suspension. The wheels are special center-lock 10-spoke aluminum, wrapped in sticky 285/25 ZR 19 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires at the front, and 335/30ZR 20 tires at the back, specially developed for the Project ONE.  This also means the front and rear wheels are staggered in size.

To keep things civil for the everyday driver, ABS and electronic stability control are standard with special AMG Sport Handling modes geared towards performance. Of course, for tire-roasting and smoking hoonery, all the traction aids are defeatable.

What else is cool about it?

The Project ONE also sets a new level of thermal efficiency for automobiles. The general average of thermal efficiency from a traditional internal combustion engine is capped at around 33 to 38 percent. With Mercedes-AMG and their clever technology, the Project ONE’s engine achieves a thermal efficiency percentage of over 40 percent.

The Project ONE’s hybrid system also comes with plug-in capabilities to charge the new lithium-ion battery. It’s fitted with a DC/DC support system to charge the 12 V electrical system, all in a space-efficient package on the floor behind the front axle.

Because the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE still promises to be a Mercedes in addition to being a Formula 1 car for the road, it comes with plenty of luxurious gear. Helping to display all the typical and necessary information for the driver are two 10-inch high-definition displays, forgoing any traditional gauge setup. It also comes installed with the latest software for the COMAND infotainment system.

How much will it cost and when will it go on sale?

Mercedes-AMG didn’t announce when the Project ONE will hit showrooms. Chances are however, they won’t even end up in showrooms because of their exclusive status–they’ll most likely be made to order, if they’re all not sold out already.

Cost? Expect it to demand a lot of dough.

– By: Chris Chin


2017 IAA – Mercedes-AMG Project ONE Quick Specs

Mercedes-AMG Project ONE show car
Rear-wheel drive 1.6-litre V6 with direct injection, four valves per cylinder, four overhead camshafts and electrically boosted single turbocharger, electric motor connected to the crankshaft
Displacement 1,600 cc
Rear-wheel drive output > 500 kW
Front-wheel drive output 2 x 120 kW
System output > 740 kW (> 1,000 hp)
Electric range 25 km
Drive system Variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive with hybrid-drive rear axle, electrically driven front axle and torque vectoring
Transmission Automated AMG SPEEDSHIFT 8-speed manual transmission
Acceleration 0-200 km/h < 6 secs.
Top speed > 350 km/h

2017 IAA – Mercedes-AMG Project ONE Photo Gallery

 

Chris Chin

Chris Chin is the Editor-In-Chief of egmCarTech and is a regular contributor to Automobile Magazine.

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