This is the Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercar. One is the operative word, as right now there is only a single prototype in existence. When it goes into full production in 2019, 275 will be built, with a minimum price tag of €2.275m. And yes, they are all spoken for. Owners will receive a car that makes the most credible claim yet of translating Formula 1 technology to the road: its hybrid drivetrain is derived from the last three iterations of Mercedes F1 powerplants, and uses the same combination of turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine and twin electric motors that Lewis Hamilton drives at work.
It wouldn’t be a hypercar without astonishing performance claims, and duly Mercedes-AMG claims the Project One will reach 200kph in under six seconds and top out at more than 350kph.
Making it possible is a 500kW F1-derived V6 engine – re-tuned to idle at 1,100 rpm rather than 4,500, and estimated to have merely a 48,000km lifespan – working with four electric motors.
Two 120kW motors drive the front wheels; a third is connected to the turbocharger to reduce lag, and a fourth mounted directly to the driveshaft. Together they boast a level of thermal efficiency - i.e. the amount of energy in the fuel that is actually converted into motion - of 40 per cent, something Mercedes says is unmatched among production cars.
A new eight-speed transmission has been developed (which, unlike in F1, will be either fully automatic or paddle-shift controlled), and the car will be able to operate under electric power alone for 25km. Lifting off the accelerator shuts off the petrol engine, devolving all drive to the electric motors, and Mercedes states the regenerative braking captures up to 80 per cent of available energy.
The Project One’s most distinctive feature is a central rear fin, another element borrowed directly from the track. Its purpose will be to add lateral stability when cornering; integrated into the rear of the overhead air intake, it adds no drag to the car’s forward profile.
Airflow around the car is managed as seriously as possible: starting from the automatically extending front splitter, hot air is channeled down the sides of the car by the bonnet vents, leaving cold air to enter the roof-mounted air intake - another F1-derived feature, and a necessity when the engine will operate at up to 11,000rpm.
Inside, you can expect the Project One’s seating position to be a bit more forgiving than an F1 racer’s, but not by much. The seats are fixed, bolted directly to the carbon composite monocoque chassis, and adjustments are made to the steering wheel and pedals instead. (Just like a certain race series - have we mentioned it?) The oblong steering wheel houses an airbag and controls to adjust driving modes and suspension setup, with an LED readout along the top to show the engine’s revs. In a rare interior nod to visual theatre, the start/stop button gets its own red-rimmed housing on the central console.
The dashboard - itself a functional component, providing rigidity to the chassis - is equipped with two ten-inch HD flat screen displays, providing vital information to the driver on track, but, since this is a road car, also boasting Merc’s COMAND infotainment system. Expect voice recognition, 3D maps and compatibility with Apple Carplay and Android.
A third aluminium-edged screen is integrated into the roof, and replaces the traditional driver’s mirror with a feed from a rear-facing camera. Elsewhere there’s a lightweight aluminium air vent system, and even a storage unit with transparent lid.
Read more: The best cars from the 2018 Geneva Motor Show
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
