The AMG Project ONE brings F1 technology and the actual F1 engine to the road in a first of its kind for a production model.
The Mid-engine Project ONE’s design certainly appeals to the Hyper-car genre with scissor doors, large front air inlets with U shaped flaps, low-stealth like front, LED headlamps, AMG logo and 3-star Merc logo. From the front, the roof mounted air intake hints at the models racecar link.
The side is shaped for aero efficiency with the target being to cut drag and enhance downforce. Carbon fibre wheels nestle on wide arches front and rear.
The F1 style shark fin is not for show as it improves lateral stability when cornering at high speed. The Petronas green paintbrush design on the flanks mimics Lewis Hamilton’s F1 car.
As the exterior follows the form over design philosophy, so does the minimalist Formula 1-for-two interior. Bucket seats with adjustable backrests are integrated into the monocoque. The pedals and steering wheel are adjustable, allowing the driver to adopt the ideal driving position. The free floating dashboard has two high-resolution screens with double-nozzle vents suspended under the centre screen. There are even a stowage compartments around the cabin to enhance the models day-to-day usability. The F1 flattened steering wheel has integrated controllers used to set adjustment functions, such as the driving modes and suspension setup, or the LED shift display in the upper steering wheel area.
The AMG Project ONE has over 740kW courtesy of the same engine used in AMGs F1 cars. This means a 1.6-litre V6 Turbo with one electric motor connected to the crankshaft, 2 (120kW each) electric motors driving the front wheels for a 0-200km/h sprint claim of 6 seconds on to a top speed of over 350km/h. The Project ONE has an electric only range of 25km. Power is transferred to the wheels via an Automated AMG Speedshift 8-speed manual transmission.
Production of the AMG-Project ONE is slated for 2018 with only 275 units produced. Pricing is $2.27million, roughly +R30 million before import taxes.
