Final work on the Mercedes-Benz AMG One hypercar is underway ahead of its delayed 2021 launch, and the latest tests have seen a prototype hit the Nürburgring circuit for the first time.
AMG has two prototypes at its Nürburgring development center, and the first of them suffered a breakdown earlier this week on its way to the racetrack.
The prototype breakdown is just one of several setbacks that have plagued the development of the Formula 1-powered hypercar. Recall that the car was unveiled in concept form at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show and was confirmed at that time for a 2019 release. However, getting its Formula 1 engine road-worthy, certainly no easy task, is taking longer than expected. The latest information indicates that the car will be delivered to customers starting in 2021.
The major issue has been with emissions, a task made more difficult by the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) emissions standard that came into effect in Europe in 2019. It’s a stricter standard than the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) it replaced, and to comply with it, AMG is believed to have needed to develop multiple exhaust gas treatment systems, among other measures.
The One features the actual engine used in multiple championship-winning Mercedes F1 cars (specifically the unit from the 2015 championship-winning car) mounted in its center, in this case, a 1.6-liter, 11,000-rpm turbocharged V-6 and an electric turbocharger-generator.
The combined power is above 1,000 hp. The unique setup also allows for electric driving, although an estimated range is not clear as there are no details about the onboard battery size.
Some performance estimates we know include 0-60 mph acceleration in under 3.0 seconds, 0-124 mph acceleration in under 6.0 seconds, and a top speed of around 217 mph (likely aerodynamically limited). Former AMG boss Tobias Moers even suggested that the One could break the long-standing Nürburgring lap record set in 1983 by a Porsche 956 race car with Stefan Bellof at the wheel, making it the fastest production car by a significant margin.
Beyond the special powertrain, the One benefits from high levels of aerodynamic downforce. The active aerodynamics, wind-tunnel-tested with the help of F1 engineers, features a two-stage extendable rear wing and various parts for maximum aerodynamic downforce in race mode.
Also taken from the F1 world is the push-rod suspension design and the One’s lightweight carbon fiber construction.
Production is expected to take place at Mercedes’ F1 base in the U.K., using the same suppliers as the F1 team. Unfortunately, only 275 units will be built.
When it finally arrives, the One will face another F1 tech-laden hypercar, the Aston Martin Valkyrie. The Aston was also originally slated for 2019 but was also delayed to 2021. Road-going versions of the new Le Mans Hypercar contenders from Toyota, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus, and ByKolles Racing are also expected to provide some competition.
