Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz.com
Let me just start off by saying, wow! This car, this creation, is a masterpiece! It's visually stunning, the pure power it makes is insane, and the technology that fuels this work of art is ahead of it's time. This hyper-hybrid makes a massive 1,086 bhp (1,134 bhp in overboost mode)! It's powered by a gasoline 1.6L v6 turbo charged engine, based off the design of the Mercedes 1.6l turbo Formula One engine, and 4 electric motors. One motor for each of the front wheels, One attached to the engine crankshaft to power both rear wheels, and a smaller electric motor to power the turbo charger. A very unique setup. The gasoline engine alone makes 603 bhp before the added assistance of the electric motors. Let that sink in for a moment. 603 bhp from a tiny 1.6L engine. And it revs to a whopping 11,000 RPM!!!
Photo Credits: Automobile Magazine
The hyper-car made an incredible debut at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show. Immediately drawing the attention of everyone nearby. It's incredibly smooth, aerodynamic design is nothing less than pure eye candy. On lookers couldn't walk away. And who could blame them? I'd be drooling over it as well. I mean how often does a company take their formula one, and reshape it into a perfectly street legal hyper-hybrid? Let me win the lottery, you can bet there will be one of these in my garage lol. The only problem to that dream, aside from the $2.72 million price tag, is that all 275 production models have already been pre-ordered. So on the rare chance one does show up at an auction, it will probably sell for twice that. Oh well, one can dream though!
Photo Credit: Car Magazine
Photo Credit: By Alexander-93 - WikiMedia.org
Photo Credit: Car Magazine
Now for the fun part, the official specs and stats on this amazing machine. Mercedes has declined to release the 0-60MPH time, probably because it gets there too fast to accurately time. But they stated 0-200kph (0-124mph) is "< 6 seconds"... UNDER 6 SECONDS 0-124 mph, no exact time, just "< 6 seconds". Can you imagine the g-force that pulls. There will forever be an indention of my body in the seat from that kind of acceleration. Top speed is stated to be, and I quote from Mercedes-Benz directly, "beyond 350kph (217mph)". Faster than 217, probably not fully measured because the test driver soiled himself trying to get there. In full electric mode, disabling the gas engine, it has a range of about 25km (~15 miles), so try not to run out of gas. It comes with an automated AMG SPEEDSHIFT 8-speed manual transmission, all-wheel drive and the motors on each front wheel adjust based on the speed you're taking a turn to provide maximum grip throughout the turn.
Photo Credit: Car Magazine
And the interior is nothing to over-look either. It's flawlessly designed, down to the last detail. It's designed to feel like you're in a formula one car. Since it's praised as a street-legal formula one car. Both seats are "futuristic, minimalist style and innovative materials" as quoted from Mercedes-AMG.com. It also features formula one style pedals and steering wheel, and most of the interior is carbon fiber. Nearly everything is controlled through a touch screen interface, so no clutter of knobs and buttons across the dashboard. Even the gauge cluster is presented through a high-def screen positioned behind the steering wheel. It is unknown at this time, or at least I was unable to find information on it, if it has a heads-up display. But based on the videos and pictures I have reviewed, I would say it doesn't. But with a fairly large screen in front of you, there really is no need for a HUD.
Photo Credit: Mercedes-AMG.com
Photo Credit: Matti Blume - WikiMedia.org
So in closing, would I purchase a Project ONE? Hell ya I would. Everything about this car is incredible, including the massive price tag that comes with it. But if I had a couple hundred million in the bank, I'd drop $2.7 on one. It really does redefine the term, "eye candy". One question it does leave me with, though. Will other manufacturers involved in formula one see a street-legal, formula one hyper-hybrid and follow in Mercedes' footsteps to design street legal versions of their own formula one cars? Only the future can tell, but my hopes are they do!