As we approach the debut of Mercedes-AMG’s “Project One” at September’s 2017 Frankfurt auto show, more and more details on the hybrid hypercar are surfacing.
AMG recently gave a sneak preview of the car to its closest clients, many of whom have already reserved one of the 275 build slots for the car, and Automobile has managed to gather some of the details.
The magazine reports that the car’s hybrid powertrain, essentially lifted straight out of one of the Mercedes AMG Formula One’s team championship-winning race cars and augmented with an electric drive system on the front axle for all-wheel drive, will deliver a peak 1,020 horsepower.
Teaser for Mercedes-AMG Project One F1-dervied hypercar
Around 748 hp is said to be coming from the internal combustion component alone, in this case a turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 with the ability to rev to 11,000 rpm. A combination of four electric motors will deliver 408 hp, though not all of this will be going directly to the wheels.
At the rear of the car, one electric motor will be connected to the engine via the crankshaft and help power the rear wheels, as well as recapture energy. A second electric motor will be integrated with the turbocharger to help spin its compressor as well as recapture wasted exhaust energy. So far the setup is the same used in F1.
But the Project One will feature two additional electric motors at the front axle to create the aforementioned all-wheel-drive system. F1 cars don’t have this, though the LMP1 Hybrid prototypes competing in the World Endurance Championship do. Current cars like the Acura NSX and Porsche 918 Spyder also benefit from a similar setup.
Mercedes AMG W07 Hybrid 2016 Formula One car power unit
Based on previous hints from AMG boss Tobias Moers, the Project One should weigh roughly the same as its peak power output in kilograms. Automobile is reporting a figure less than 2,900 pounds (approximately 1,315 kilograms). This includes the weight of the battery which should hold enough charge for a pure electric range of 30 miles.
The Project One—this is only a code name, by the way—helps celebrate AMG’s 50th anniversary this year. It’s also a precursor to the new hybrid performance route the Affalterbach tuner is about to embark on.
While there are still a few build slots remaining, unfortunately there are none left for buyers in the United States. The starting price, not that it matters much for its potential buyers, is 2.27 million euros (approximately $2.4 million).
Source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1110079_mercedes-amg-project-one-hypercar-tipped-to-have-1020-hp-4-electric-motors
