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Mercedes-AMG F1 team working on new hybrid hypercar – report

The Mercedes-AMG Formula One team is working on a new hypercar to take on the upcoming Aston Martin AM-RB 001, according to a new report.


In an article by the UK’s Evo magazine, a source “within the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team” has confirmed that the hypercar is in its final stages of design before the company commences development.

The new road-going race car is expected to be revealed some time next year as part of AMG’s 50th anniversary.

According to Evo’s source, the new hypercar will be powered by the same 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine from Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s W07 Formula One race cars.


Above: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 car

Power output is expected to be around 1000hp (746kW) to 1500hp (1119kW), with 900hp (671kW) coming from the turbo V6 engine. The rest will come thanks to the addition of two 160hp (119kW) electric motors, one for each front wheel.

However, the project presents several challenges in order to make the hypercar’s engine production-ready – today’s F1 engines cannot be fired out without using an external power source, for starters.

Other factors that will take a lot of development will include a transmission that can withstand the pressure of day-to-day use, along with a cooling system – something that F1 cars are able to go without.

The report speculates that Mercedes-AMG may expand the engine’s displacement to 2.0-litres since it is free of motorsport regulations, which should add a layer of drivability and reliability, while an additional turbocharger could also be added.

In terms of the car’s performance, Evo says top speed is likely to exceed 220mph (354km/h), though this would be dependent on the road tyres that are developed to withstand such high speeds. A sub-2.5-second 0-100km/h sprint is mentioned, though this would also be determined by the capability of the car’s tyres.


Above: Aston Martin AM-RB 001

Like the Aston Martin AM-RB 001, the Mercedes-AMG hypercar will be super aerodynamic so the featherweight (around 1000kg-1300kg) has the grip and traction to handle the power on tap.

The car’s construction will be mainly carbon-fibre for the tub and body, while other lightweight materials will be used for the front and rear collision structures.

While little official details have been released yet, the report speculates production will be limited to just 50 units – as it’s the 50th anniversary – with a price around 4 million euros ($5.9 million).


Above: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren roadster

It's been a while since the company has had an limited-run performance flagship, the last being the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren supercar co-developed with then F1 partner McLaren, which went out of production in 2010.

Stay tuned to CarAdvice for more updates on the Mercedes-AMG hyper car as they come to hand.

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