Welcome to the future of driving performance. With the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, a Formula 1 vehicle is road-ready for the very first time. From the collaborative minds of Mercedes-AMG and the Petronas Motorsport team, it features a highly-integrated powertrain with a turbocharged combustion engine and four independent electric motors: one for each front wheel, one linked to the crankcase, and one in the turbocharger itself. This results in over 1,000 horsepower and a blistering top speed of 217 mph.
The front axle electric motors are capable of 50,000 rpm alone, and selective torque distribution allows for extra high levels of vehicle dynamics. This, combined with the Race Start function and the elimination of turbo lag, allows the Project ONE to go from zero to 124 mph in under six seconds.
While the power and handling is unrivaled, the efficiency of the Project ONE is equally impressive. An EQ Power+ hybrid drive system allows for multiple driving modes, from purely electric to highly dynamic, and the regenerative brake system recoups up to 80% of braking energy. The end result is optimum output and efficiency.
Visually, the Project ONE evokes the premium class of motorsport with muscular proportions, numerous air inlets, and forged aluminum wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The interior is radically minimal, with lightweight bucket seats and a Formula 1 steering wheel. But it´s the complete package that resonates, pushing the limit of what´s technologically feasible, and opening a new chapter in the history of Mercedes-Benz.
Key Highlights
- A 1.6-liter V6 hybrid engine with direct injection and electrically assisted turbocharging
- Four electric motors for a combined 450 kW
- Total output of over 1,000 hp
- Automated AMG SPEEDSHIFT® 8-speed manual transmission
- 800-volt EQ Power+ drive system
- Adjustable ESP® with ON, SPORT HANDLING, and OFF modes
- 10-spoke forged aluminum wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires
- Flat-LED headlamps and tail lamps with rhomboid design that echoes the AMG logo
- Rooftop air intake and vertical shark fin
- Vertical spoiler lip and two-section rear diffuser
- Two high-res, free-standing 10-inch displays in the interior of the cabin
- Formula 1-style steering wheel with integrated controllers and LED shift display
World premiere of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE show car
Mercedes-AMG brings Formula 1 technology to the road
Frankfurt/Affalterbach. The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE will celebrate its
world premiere at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt: for the
first time, the two-seater supersports show car brings the very latest and
efficient, fully-fledged Formula 1 hybrid technology from the race track to
the road almost par for par to represent the highlight of AMG’s 50th
anniversary. This high-performance hybrid produces over 1,000 hp and
reaches top speeds beyond 217 mph (350 km/h). The show car combines
outstanding racetrack performance and day-to-day suitable Formula 1
hybrid technology with exemplary efficiency. This is a world first. The
overall responsibility for the realization of Project ONE lies with MercedesAMG.
The complex development work was carried out in close cooperation
with the Formula 1 experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance
Powertrains in Brixworth and with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport
Formula 1 team in Brackley. Together with the four-door AMG GT Concept,
the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE show car provides another insight into the
future performance-hybrid drive strategy of the sports car brand within
Mercedes-Benz.
Ever since the early days of motorsport, engineers have dreamed of bringing
motor racing technology to the road. Mercedes-AMG is now making this dream
a reality at the very highest level. "Motorsport is not an end in itself for us.
Faced with intense competition, we develop technologies from which our
production vehicles also subsequently benefit. We are drawing on our
experiences and successes from three constructors' and drivers' world
championships to bring Formula 1 technology to the road for the first time: in
Mercedes-AMG Project ONE," says Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of
Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
"The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is the first Formula 1 car with MOT approval.
Our highly efficient hybrid assembly stems from motor racing and the electrically powered front axle generates a fascinating mixture of performance
and efficiency. With a system output of over 1,000 hp and a top speed
beyond 217 mph (350 km/h) this hypercar handles exactly as it looks: it takes
your breath away," Ola Källenius says, Member of the Daimler AG Board of
Management responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars
Development.
The concept car gives specific indications of what to expect from the upcoming
production model. "The hypercar is the most ambitious project we have every
undertaken. It marks yet another pinnacle of the successful, strategic
development of Mercedes-AMG towards a performance and sports car brand.
Project ONE raises the bar in terms of what is currently technologically feasible
and thanks to its combination of efficiency and performance it represents an
absolute benchmark. At the same time, Project ONE provides an outlook on
how AMG will define driving performance in the future," Tobias Moers
explains as the Head of Management at Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
Powertrain: one turbocharged engine and four electric motors
The high-performance plug-in hybrid drive system of the Mercedes-AMG
Project ONE comes directly from Formula 1, and was realized in close
cooperation with the motorsport experts of Mercedes-AMG High Performance
Powertrains in Brixworth. It consists of a highly integrated and intelligently
networked unit comprising one hybrid, turbocharged combustion engine with a
total of four electric motors. One has been integrated into the turbocharger,
another has been installed directly on the combustion engine with a link to the
crankcase and the two remaining motors drive the front wheels.
The 1.6-liter V6 hybrid gasoline engine with direct injection and electrically
assisted single turbocharging comes directly from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas
Formula 1 racing car. The four overhead camshafts are driven by spur gears.
To achieve high engine speeds, the mechanical valve springs have been
replaced by pneumatic valve springs. The vehicle is mid-engined (ahead of the
rear axle) and it can easily reach speeds of 11,000 rpm, which is currently
unique for a roadgoing vehicle. For higher longevity and the use of
commercially available “Super Plus” gasoline instead of racing fuel, max
engine speed remains significantly below the F1 engine speed limit.
The electric motors on the front axle are also true rev wonders, with rotor
revolutions up to 50,000 rpm – current state of the art is a speed of 20,000
rpm.
The very high-revving engine is additionally boosted by a high-tech
turbocharger. The exhaust gas and compressor turbines are separated from one
another and located at an optimum position to the exhaust side and to the
intake side of the V6 engine, and connected to one another by a shaft. This
shaft features an electric motor with approximately 90 kW which, depending
on the operating status, electrically drives the compressor turbine with up to
100,000 rpm – for instance when moving off or following load changes. The
Formula 1 designation for this unit is MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit Heat).
Lightning-quick response, faster than a naturally aspirated V8 engine
The major advantage of the advanced engine: the delayed response to accelerator pedal commands owing to the inertia of the large charger, known as turbo lag, is completely eliminated. Throttle response time is greatly reduced, and is even shorter than that of a naturally aspirated V8 engine. The electric turbocharger brings about another advantage: it uses parts of the surplus energy from the exhaust system to generate electricity, and either stores it in the high-voltage lithium-ion battery as part of recuperation or provides additional drive power by feeding it to an additional electric motor. This motor produces 120 kW, has been installed directly on the engine and features a link to the crankshaft via a spur gear (MGU-K = Motor Generator Unit Kinetic) – another technology that ensures maximum efficiency and performance in Formula 1.
Technical data at a glance
Rear-wheel drive : 1.6-liter V6 with direct injection, four valves per cylinder, four overhead camshafts and electrically boosted single turbocharger, electric motor connected to the crankshaft
Engine capacity: 1,600 cc
Rear-wheel drive output:> 500 kW
Front-wheel drive output: 2 x 120 kW
System output: > 740 kW (> 1,000 hp)
Electric range: 25 km
Drive system: Variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive with hybrid-drive rear axle, electrically driven front axle and torque vectoring
Transmission: Automated AMG SPEEDSHIFT 8-speed manual transmission
Acceleration: 0-200 km/h < 6 secs.
Top speed: > 350 km/h
