AMG ONE

The Mercedes-AMG ONE began life as Project ONE, announced in 2017 with the audacious promise of putting a genuine Formula One hybrid powertrain into a road-legal hypercar. The concept was simple in ambition but extraordinarily complex in execution: take the 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 hybrid power unit from Mercedes' dominant Formula One cars and engineer it to pass emissions regulations, start reliably in cold weather, idle smoothly, and survive the demands of road use, all without compromising its race-bred performance.

The power unit is derived from the Mercedes-AMG F1 W06 that powered Lewis Hamilton to the 2015 World Championship. It combines a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 internal combustion engine with four electric motors: one integrated into the turbocharger (eliminating turbo lag), one on the crankshaft acting as a starter-generator, and two driving the front wheels individually for torque vectoring all-wheel drive. Total system output exceeds 1,063 hp, with the V6 revving to an otherworldly 11,000 rpm. A custom-developed eight-speed automated manual transmission handles power delivery to the rear wheels.

The carbon fiber monocoque chassis was developed in collaboration with the Mercedes F1 team, with pushrod suspension front and rear mimicking F1 geometry. Active aerodynamics include a deployable T-wing on the roof and a large DRS-equipped rear wing, generating over 350 kg of downforce at speed. The car set a production car lap record at the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 2022 with a time of 6:35.183, demolishing the previous record and proving that the F1 technology transfer was genuine and not merely marketing.

Limited to 275 units, all pre-sold at approximately 2.75 million euros before tax, the AMG ONE represents the ultimate expression of Mercedes-AMG's technical capability. The development challenges were immense, with the project delayed several years as engineers worked to make an F1 engine compatible with road-car requirements including cold starts, emissions compliance, and acceptable NVH levels. The car's significance extends beyond its performance figures; it proved that the gap between Formula One and road car technology can, with sufficient investment and engineering talent, be closed entirely.