problem hypercar The AMG One gave Mercedes a lot of headaches. Originally scheduled for a 2019 launch, the model has yet to hit dealerships until today. a problem perhaps underestimated by the German automaker: the adaptation of a powertrain designed for single-seat cars – in this case Formula 1 – to a street model. The brand’s CEO Ola Kallenius himself joked about the launch delay last Thursday (19) while talking to investors, saying he must have been “drunk” when he agreed to the project.
“About four years ago, the AMG team and its Formula 1 powertrain division approached us and said, “We have a great idea: let’s put a Formula 1 engine in a road car.” I’ll have to go back to check the minutes of the meeting, but I’m sure we were drunk when we said yes,” Kallenius joked when asked about the hypercar’s launch date.
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The Mercedes AMG One uses a 1.6 V6 hybrid engine borrowed from the Constructors’ Championship-winning car in Formula 1 in 2017. With all-wheel drive, it was originally slated for early 2019. At the moment, it still doesn’t have a set release date, although the company says it will announce news about the model “in a few weeks.” With 1,000 horsepower, the car has a top speed of 350 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 200 km/h in just 6 seconds.
Ola Callenius (centre) with Lewis Hamilton: The executive wants the automaker to be more involved in F1 (Cristiano Barmi/Shutterstock)
The documentary will show the history of the project
Mercedes is also promising to release a “very honest” documentary on the development of the hypercar, marketing director Bettina Fetzer announced at the same investor event in Monaco.
The German automaker should draw inspiration from the successful Drive to Survive series. about reality show Formula 1 on Netflixto close the function. Executives are betting on an approach that shows the daunting task of adapting a single-seat engine to a street car, likely to soften the tight launch delay skirt and brand image.
Mercedes said last year that production of 275 AMG One units would begin in 2022 and that each was sold for €2.27 million (about R$11.6 million). According to Kallenius, this will connect the company’s activities in Formula 1 with its road cars. “This demonstrates that our participation in Formula 1 has a direct impact on the AMG brand,” he said.
Main image credit: Mercedes-Benz/Disclosure.(AMG One design in detail)
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