Even though the Formula 1-powered Mercedes-AMG hypercar is two years from launching, the company has confirmed it has almost sold out.
According to Mercedes-AMG chairman Tobias Moers, between 200 and 300 examples will be produced and that the list of buyers is encroaching its limit, says Autonews. “It’s close to our production capacity. It’s an amazing car. There’s nothing else on the market,” Moers said.
It was recently confirmed that the hypercar will have the same powertrain as the brand’s championship F1 car, including its high-revving 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine. Moers has confirmed that the internal combustion engine will be modified to idle at lower revs but that its pistons will still be capable of spinning at over 10,000 rpm.
Describing the car, Moers said “If you combine both worlds, the most efficient powertrain on the planet, which is the F1 powertrain, with the competencies and capabilities from AMG, to make a very performing hypercar, this is the pinnacle of engineering in automotive now.”
When it hits the market in 2018, the AMG hypercar will face stiff competition from the Aston Martin AM-RB 001. Developed between Aston Martin and Red Bull, it promises the same 1 to 1 power-to-weight ratio of the AMG but will make use of a naturally-aspirated V12, potentially joined by an electric motor.
Some predicted the death of performance cars years ago but these two upcoming hypercars prove that such vehicles still have some life left.
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