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Introduction to the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE
The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE represents a groundbreaking milestone in automotive engineering, bringing the latest and most efficient Formula 1 hybrid technology from the race track to the road. This two-seater super sports show car, unveiled as part of AMG’s 50th anniversary celebrations, is designed to deliver over 1,000 horsepower and reach top speeds beyond 350 km/h. The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE combines outstanding racetrack performance with day-to-day usability, making it a true hybrid sports car that merges Formula 1 technology with exemplary efficiency. The development of this high-performance hybrid was a collaborative effort involving Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-AMG High-Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport team in Brackley. Alongside the four-door AMG GT Concept, the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE offers a glimpse into the future performance-hybrid drive strategy of the sports car brand within Mercedes-Benz.
Technical Specifications and Performance
The high-performance plug-in hybrid drive system of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is directly derived from Formula 1 and was realized in close cooperation with the motorsport experts of Mercedes-AMG High-Performance Powertrains in Brixworth. The drive system consists of a highly integrated and intelligently networked unit that includes one hybrid, turbocharged combustion engine and a total of four electric motors. One electric motor is integrated into the turbocharger, another is installed directly on the combustion engine with a link to the crankcase, and the remaining two motors drive the front wheels.
The 1.6-liter V6 hybrid petrol engine features direct injection and electrically assisted single turbocharging, directly sourced 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 To achieve high engine speeds, the mechanical valve springs have been replaced by pneumatic valve springs.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 mid-engined vehicle (ahead of the rear axle) can easily reach speeds of 11,000 rpm, which is currently unique for a roadgoing vehicle. However, for higher longevity and the use of commercially available Super Plus petrol instead of racing fuel, it 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, whereas the current state of the art is a speed of 20,000 rpm.
Turbocharger and Electric Motors
The very high-revving engine is additionally boosted by a high-tech turbocharger where the exhaust gas and compressor turbines are separated from one another and located at an optimum position on the exhaust and intake sides of the V6 engine, connected 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).
Another innovation is the electrically powered front axle, which generates a fascinating mixture of performance and efficiency. The overall system output is over 1,000 hp, which makes the hypercar handle as impressively as it looks. The thermal efficiency of the combustion engine with an electric turbocharger (MGU-H) in conjunction with the electric motor on the crankshaft (MGU-K) will be over 40 percent, a previously unattained peak value for series production vehicles. This means that the show car obtains significantly more drive energy from one liter of fuel than other cars, making it both economical and powerful. By way of comparison, the thermodynamic efficiency of conventional series production engines is around 33 to 38 percent.
Battery and Electrical System
The battery cells, their arrangement, and the cell cooling system are the same as those used in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 racing car. However, the number of battery cells in the AMG Project ONE makes it significantly more practical for everyday use. The lithium-ion, high-voltage battery and the DC/DC converter supporting and charging the 12 V onboard electrical system are space-savingly accommodated in the vehicle floor behind the front axle. Another innovation is that the high-voltage EQ Power+ drive system operates with 800 volts instead of the usual 400 volts. The higher voltage levels allow for elements such as significantly reducing cable diameters, thus saving design space and weight.
Driving Modes and Operating Strategies
The high-performance EQ Power+ plug-in hybrid drive system offers numerous intelligent operating strategies that are optimally tuned to different application scenarios. The driving modes range from purely electric operation to a highly dynamic mode which corresponds to a setting used in Formula 1 qualifying for optimum lap times. Despite the high system complexity, the driver will always receive the optimum combination of performance and efficiency. The Mercedes-AMG engineers make use of many years of experience and know-how from Formula 1, the SLS AMG Electric Drive, and Daimler AG’s research and development.
For instance, the driver can move off purely electrically, initially with just the electric motors on the front axle driving the hypercar and the electric motor on the crankshaft supporting short-term acceleration wishes. If the driver presses the accelerator more firmly and demands more output, the V6 engine also switches on. The drive system unfolds its full power as the engine speed increases. Impressive acceleration figures are possible with the Race Start function: acceleration from zero to 200 km/h takes under six seconds. If the driver’s foot leaves the accelerator again to let the car coast, the system switches to electric drive at the front axle. During normal driving conditions, braking can recuperate up to 80 percent of the energy, which is fed into the battery.
Transmission and Suspension
Power is transferred to the rear wheels by an 8-speed manual transmission that has been entirely developed from scratch for the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE. It is activated hydraulically and can be operated in an automated mode or manually using the shift paddles. The basis for the outstanding driving characteristics of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is provided by the lightweight, high-strength carbon-fiber monocoque body, the technology of which likewise comes from Formula 1. The same applies to the integration of the engine and transmission: both have load-bearing functions and completely support the rear suspension.
The suspension developers also gave their utmost. Multi-link designs are used at the front and rear. The adjustable coil-over suspension has several special features: Both push-rod spring struts have been installed across the direction of travel. The innovative arrangement of the spring/damper unit replaces the function and application of conventional tubular cross members. This solution reliably prevents rolling movements even during very rapid directional changes, without being uncomfortable.
The overall setup of the springs and dampers is configured for perfectly balanced, easily controlled, and sporty handling characteristics. These are also assisted by an all-wheel drive and torque vectoring. ABS is standard equipment, with ESP adjustable in three stages as is usual for AMG. ESP ON stands for a high level of safety, ESP SPORT HANDLING MODE allows greater yaw angles before system intervention for a sporty driving style, and ESP OFF switches the system off for sporty driving on enclosed racetracks.
Wheels and Brakes
Another completely new development is the 10-spoke forged aluminum wheel with a center lock, which is exclusively reserved for the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE. This has a radial carbon-fiber semi-cover with an aerodynamically sophisticated shape that improves the car‘s aerodynamics and Cd figure by optimizing the airflow around the wheels. At the same time, three flat ventilation slots per spoke section ensure optimum heat dissipation from the brakes. This is another example of how the AMG development team pays the utmost attention to even the smallest aspects to improve the efficiency of the hypercar.
At the front, the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE runs on 10.0 J x 19 dimension wheels with 285/35 ZR 19 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires which were exclusively developed for the hypercar. At the rear, the vehicle features 12.0 J x 20 wheels running on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 335/30 ZR 20 tires.
The car is equipped with an advanced, weight-optimized ceramic high-performance compound braking system. Its low weight reduces the unsprung masses, thus improving driving dynamics and agility. Furthermore, the ceramic brakes are distinguished by a longer service life, higher corrosion resistance, and higher thermal stability. The “AMG Carbon Ceramic” lettering and the specially painted brake calipers visually distinguish this unique braking system.
Design and Aerodynamics
The design of the show car is very obviously inspired by the premium class in motorsport. It embodies the Mercedes-AMG principle that fascination is always linked with function. Every part has a specific purpose. The result is a mid-engine concept with extremely muscular proportions, a cockpit well forward, large wheel arches, a wasp waist, and an extended rear end.
Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG, says, “The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is the hottest and coolest car we have ever designed. It combines our design philosophy of Sensual Purity with the performance of our Formula 1 racing cars and is the perfect embodiment of Performance Luxury. This hypercar’s extreme design marks a milestone in design—there are no lines, and the interior is stripped down to the essentials.”
Interior Design and Features
The interior design concept follows function on the racetrack, which is expressed in the radical design idiom. Formula 1 technology is made authentically tangible on both the race track and the road. Every detail has a function, with nothing included merely for visual reasons. In the monocoque interior, the reduced components are emphasized in a minimalist style both in design and functional terms.
The ergonomically contoured interior has room for two occupants. The bucket seats with adjustable backrests are integrated into the monocoque. The pedals and steering wheel are adjustable, allowing the driver to adopt the ideal driving position. The center tunnel visually separates the driver and passenger areas from each other. It blends fully into the seat sculpture and follows the principle of minimalism with its gently rising contour.
The lightweight construction is also obvious from the slim, wing-like profile of the dashboard. It appears to be light and free-floating. As a functional, structural component, it also rigidifies the monocoque of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE. The two high-resolution, free-standing 10-inch displays (one slightly raised in front of the driver, the other on the right of the center console angled towards the driver) are adapted with high-quality and weight-optimized solid metal components.
The double-nozzle ventilation unit is suspended under the center screen like a gondola. The screen and nozzles form a single unit, emphasizing the lightweight design principle of the whole. The displays’ rectangular basic form is echoed by the ventilation nozzles and by the center console in which the start/stop button is located. Also seamlessly integrated as a unit are a high-quality stowage compartment, a reduced switch array, and the engine start button. The storage compartment is fitted with a transparent lid.
The steering wheel with flattened upper and lower sections and an integrated airbag offers motorsport functionality, as do the two integrated controllers which can be used to set adjustment functions such as the driving modes and suspension setup, or the LED shift display in the upper steering wheel area.
The door panels are in functional, high-grade carbon-fiber and integrate smoothly into the sporty interior. As if to mirror the aero winglets of the exterior, the door paneling is visually interrupted to create space for technical implements and a generously concave door center panel. An aluminum cassette combines the air vents and power window switches, which are integrated as deeply recessed rectangles.
Neither have the Mercedes-AMG developers forgotten suitability for everyday use and operating convenience: small items can be stowed in two compartments on the left and right behind the seats. An air conditioning system and power windows are standard equipment, while the COMAND infotainment system ensures optimum connectivity.
The user interface is integrated as an autonomous concept. The most important information is displayed on the road in the line of vision above the steering wheel so that the driver is not distracted. To ensure optimum visibility to the rear, the rear-view mirror is replaced by a screen showing real-time images of the rear from a mirror cam. The aluminum screen housing is fully integrated into the roof and also holds other controls.
The choice of colors and materials takes its inspiration from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 racing car. The sculptured racing seats are in slip-resistant black microfibre, creating an unmistakable association with motor racing. The seat surfaces are interspersed with nappa leather in magma grey and inlays in a sporty textile mesh which optimally assists the air circulation of the seats. There is also yellow contrasting topstitching.
Conclusion
The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE not only brings current Formula 1 hybrid technology onto the road but also combines top-class racetrack performance with full day-to-day suitability. Its purpose is also to obtain extensive findings of performance-oriented plug-in hybrid drive technology, further developments of suspension layouts, and extended onboard electronics that will later benefit series production AMG cars. The Project ONE team is working hard on successfully bringing this vision onto the road.
Key Takeaways
- The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE brings Formula 1 hybrid technology to the road, delivering over 1,000 horsepower and top speeds beyond 350 km/h.
- The high-performance plug-in hybrid drive system includes a 1.6-liter V6 turbo petrol engine and four electric motors, with a thermal efficiency of over 40 percent.
- Innovative features such as an electric turbocharger (MGU-H) and an electric motor on the crankshaft (MGU-K) contribute to the car‘s exceptional performance and efficiency.
- The car features a carbon-fiber monocoque body, an 8-speed manual transmission, and a sophisticated suspension system designed for optimal handling and performance.
- The design is inspired by motorsport, with a focus on function and aerodynamics, while the interior is designed for both performance and everyday usability.
- The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE aims to provide valuable insights into performance-oriented plug-in hybrid drive technology that will benefit future AMG production cars.
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