Mercedes hypercar
Details of astonishing F1-powered Mclaren P1 rival
MERCEDES-AMG’S F1-engined hypercar, codenamed Project One, will use a plug-in hybrid powertrain and develop upwards of 986bhp (1,000hp) from a 1.6litre V6 engine and four electric motors, the German manufacturer has announced.
It’s the first time in history an engine from a contemporary Formula One car has appeared in a production vehicle. The debut of Project One is scheduled for the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, while first customers will take delivery in 2019. Our exclusive main image shows what they can expect.
Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-amg, told Auto Express at the recent Nürburgring 24 Hour race, where Project One’s hi-tech powertrain was unveiled, that this would be “the most sophisticated car of its type”.
The Mclaren P1 rival takes downsizing to new levels, as it features a 1.6-litre V6 turbo – built at the brand’s High Performance Powertrain centre in Brixworth, Northants – and has very similar specifications to the one used in Mercedes-amg’s current WO8 F1 car.
It’s linked to four electric motors which are shared equally across both axles; the front two directly power the front wheels, and allow the car to cover 16 miles on electricity alone, according to Mercedesamg. The two rear motors have different purposes; one 80kw unit drives the turbocharger, while the other is connected directly to the engine via the crankshaft. A bank of high-density lithium-ion batteries beneath the floor powers the motors.
The mid-mounted engine, said to produce around 750bhp alone, will rev to a maximum of 11,000rpm. That’s 2,500rpm down on the F1 car’s unit, but is necessary in order to ensure that it is reliable enough for road
use. Moers described the powertrain as “the pinnacle of performance and efficiency”, citing the engine’s thermal efficiency figure of 43 per cent. In comparison, the AMG GT’S 4.0-litre V8 manages around 25 per cent.
Project One will put its power down through all four wheels via a bespoke eight-speed automated manual gearbox.
Moers wouldn’t be drawn on performance figures, but told us: “We’re not chasing top speed. Acceleration, lap times and overall performance are a different story.” It’s likely Project One will aim for a production car lap record at Germany’s Nürburgring race track, but despite its potential, Moers insisted it will be a “usable, daily driving car”.
Project One will use a racing-style fivelink pushrod suspension set-up at each corner, plus a large proportion of aluminium and carbon fibre in its construction to help keep the kerbweight low. Moers also said the car will feature active aerodynamics.
He added: “A sophisticated drivetrain needs sophisticated aero to set good laps. In the trade of weight to active aero, the balance has to be with aero on this car.”
Our image gives you an idea of how Project One could look. Several teaser images have revealed that it will feature an air intake on the roof, while the powertrain will be draped in a swooping, low-slung body.
Moers claimed that any comparisons with the P1, Ferrari Laferrari and Porsche 918 Spyder are irrelevant because they are all sold out, and “someone looking to buy this car may own most of the others already”. Only 275 Project Ones will be built, and it’s believed that a number of buyers have already stumped up the half a million-euro deposit. Moers admitted that around 1,000 people had shown an interest in buying one.