OCTANE LOUNGE
Automakers sometimes say that the technology lessons learned from racing eventually trickle down to production cars. In this case it’s more of a direct transplant of Formula One technology for the road
The new Mercedes-AMG Project ONE
In the rarefied air of hypercars, the global arms race continues to escalate at a rapid pace as automakers develop new technologies that push cars to unheard of levels of performance.
Consider the new Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, a two-seat beast that uses Formula One technology to produce astonishing performance levels: Acceleration to 200 km/h from rest takes less than six seconds, which makes the Project ONE quicker than a Bugatti Veyron or a Porsche 918 Spyder. Top speed is a crisp 350 km/h, or about 217 mph.
Mercedes-Benz is actually going to build and sell 275 of these cars. The price tag? How about US $2.7 million or so, assuming you can somehow work your way into the queue of buyers. That’s highly unlikely since most, if not all, of the examples already have long since been spoken for.
The Project ONE is a remarkable accomplishment, both from a technology standpoint and for the mere fact that it’s actually going into production, even in small numbers.
At the heart of the car is the powertrain, which consists of turbocharged 1.6-litre V-6 engine and four electric motors. One of those motors is connected to the V-6, another integrated into the turbocharger and the other two power the front wheels on this all-wheel-driver.
Mercedes says the V-6 can “easily reach speeds of 11,000 rpm, which is unique for a road-going vehicle,” while the electric motors spin at up to 50,000 rpms, or 2.5 times faster than current road-going technology. The automaker also says that the throttle response with the turbo V-6 is superior to that of a conventional non-turbo V-8.
All this power — 1,000 horsepower total — connects to an eightspeed gearbox especially designed for this vehicle. Although Mercedes refers to it as a manual transmission, it can be operated either man- ually with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles or left in automatic mode.
The Formula One technology extends to every facet of Project ONE. The body is a carbon-fiber monocoque — the body forms the structure — similar to what’s used for the F1 Mercedes racer. Both the engine and transmission are built to support the rear suspension, just like in a Formula One car.
The wheels use a centre lock, which is also something a proper race car would use. Rather than being held on with lug nuts, one larger centre nut holds the wheel on. Wide Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and carbon-ceramic brakes ensure that performance on twisty roads is every bit as good as the straight-line acceleration is.
Inside is a fascinating mixture of technology and practicality. The technology component is epitomized by the F1-inspired steering wheel that has built-in functions to let the driver adjust suspension settings and driving modes, among other things.
Another nifty touch is that the traditional rear-view mirror has been replaced by a screen showing images from the rear of the car taken in real time by a camera.
Despite the racecar performance touches, there are also nods to comfort and convenience in the form of air conditioning, power windows and Mercedes-Benz’s infotainment system.
Taken as a whole, the MercedesAMG Project ONE is a remarkable piece of design. Reaction to the Project ONE hypercar has been, well, hyper.
“This car rewrites history,” wrote Forbes.com.
“The Project One is a true watershed moment as it becomes the first ever road-legal car to employ a Formula One engine, a powerplant that will be built in the same factory, right next to the engine that powers (Lewis) Hamilton’s F1 car.” CNET.com was equally excited. “With over 1,000 horsepower in a low, lightweight package, Mercedes-AMG promises that the Project One will offer performance on par with a Formula One car in a package that is not only road legal, but that anyone can buy,” the website declared.
“Anyone who is phenomenally wealthy, anyhow.”