Promises Made, Promises Kept: Meet Mercedes-AMG’s Prodigious F1 Car Adapted For Road Use

• The 1.6-litre turbocharged motor is combined with four electric motors to produce 1063PS.

• Can hit 0-100kmph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 352kmph.

• Gets active aerodynamics, pushrod suspension and various driving modes.

• Has an F1-inspired cockpit area with a rectangular steering and deep sculpted seats.

• It will be tested at the north loop of the Nürburgring circuit soon.

• All 275 production units have been sold out.

After unveiling a concept in 2017 and five testing years later, it's finally road-legal. Mercedes-AMG has unleashed the production iteration of the manic AMG One hypercar. In simple words, let's just say it's a Formula One car you can drive on the road.

By that we mean its real party trick under the hood. It is powered by none other than the all-conquering 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine that currently powers Mercedes’ Formula One cars. The engine alone makes 574PS and screams up to 11,000rpm. But combine four electric motors with it and the output climbs up to 1063PS. 

The two electric motors on the front axle make 326PS each. A third motor is placed directly onto the internal combustion engine linked to the crankcase, while the fourth electric motor is integrated with the turbocharger. This motor in particular, can recover energy from the turbo and convert it into electric energy that can be sent either to the 8.4kWh Lithium-ion battery pack or the electric motor on the combustion engine. 

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So what does that translate into? Pair this setup with a 7-speed automated manual transmission and the all-wheel drive hypercar can sprint to 100kmph from standstill in under three seconds and top out at 352kmph. With the hybrid element being quite small, it can only run upto a WLTP-claimed 18.1km on pure electric propulsion.

Yes, an F1 engine being used on a road car is a technological marvel in itself, but the AMG One’s wizardry doesn’t end there as it has in its arsenal a pushrod suspension setup, as well a monocoque chassis aiding cornering prowess. It also gets bucket-loads of active aero in the form of active spoilers at the front, ventilated slots in the front wheel arches, and an extendable two-stage rear wing. 

You can also fiddle around a lot with the hypercar with S (Sport) and S+ (Sport+) suspension settings, and up to six different drive modes. Notice the codeword ‘Strat2’  which is said on radios during F1 races? Well it’s one of the drive modes on the AMG One. Limited to the race track, It gives a glimpse of how a qualifying lap in an F1 car feels like with firmer suspension tuning, the ride being lowered by 37mm (front)/30mm (rear) and unleashing full power from all four electric motors. 

As for how it looks, it's undoubtedly poster-worthy with every nook and cranny designed for speed. The carbon-fibre body is complemented by 9-spoke alloy wheels to make it look racy. Head inside, and you’ve pretty much got an F1 car for two with specially sculpted seats that are angled in a similar way to an F1 cockpit. Heck, even the steering ‘wheel’ is rectangular, similar to F1. Keeping it civilised are two high-res 10-inch displays, carbon-fibre/leather upholstery, air conditioning and a rear-view camera instead of a mirror.

While the Mercedes-AMG One is a manic achievement to bring the thrill of F1 to the road, unfortunately, all 275 production units have already been sold out at USD 2.75 million (around Rs 21.32 crore) a pop. That being said, it could certainly give the Aston Martin Valkyrie a run for its money. In fact there’s more in store for the AMG One as the hypercar will be put through its paces at the on the north loop of the Nürburgring circuit soon.