Mercedes-AMG Teases ‘Project One’ Hyper Car With F1 Powertrain And 217 MPH Top Speed
The Mercedes-AMG “Project One” is by all accounts a street legal F1 car, using a 1.6-liter direct-injected turbocharged V6 engine derived from the Mercedes F1 program. But rather than the screaming 13,000 RPM rev limit of the race car, the Project One will have a more “sedate” redline of 11,000 RPM. The engine will produce a peak of 1000 horsepower, which puts it on par with the McLaren, Porsche and Ferrari, but well below that of the heavyweight (literally) Chiron with its 1,500 horsepower.
The engine is also enhanced by four electric motors. One motor helps spool up the turbocharger to eliminate turbo lag (giving the engine responsiveness comparable to a naturally-aspirated V8), while a Motor Generator Unit Kinetic (MGUK) is connected directly to the crankshaft. The remaining two electric motors are connected to the front axles, delivering an additional 120 kW of power.
According to Mercedes, the engine will be capable of going 31,000 miles between major rebuilds. Since the vehicle is simply be teased at the moment, other details are relatively scarce. We do know that it will strictly be a two-seater, and that it will incorporate a pushrod suspension that will be capable of hustling the car around the track, while not punishing the driver and passenger too much during day-to-day driving.
However, when the Project One does make it to the track, you will be able to push the car up to a maximum top speed of 218 MPH. Mercedes has plans to produce 275 of the vehicles, and at least 1,000 people have expressed interest in purchasing one. As for pricing and further details, you have to wait until the vehicle is unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show, which kicks off on September 12th.
