Mercedes-AMG’s One Hypercar Is 9 Months Behind Schedule Due To Powertrain Adjustments

Developing a hypercar with a proper F1 powertrain for the road comes with plenty of challenges, according to Tobias Moers, the man who runs Mercedes AMG.

In an interview with Top Gear magazine, Moers said that they faced a delay in the development of the Mercedes AMG One hypercar as adjustments were needed to be made on the race-derived powertrain but now the project is back on track.

One of the biggest challenges is to get a stable idle at 1,200rpm. F1 cars run at 5,000rpm idle, but getting the powertrain to operate at a stable 1,200rpm idle is crucial for the AMG One, as it’s meant to be a machine with number plates and pass emissions tests.

“You have leakage in the throttles in Formula One and nobody cares, because it runs at a 5,000rpm idle,” said Tobias Moers. “At a 1,200rpm idle, you have to meet the emissions regulations. You need a stable, proper idle. If it’s unstable, your emissions are unstable.”

The powertrain’s redline has been reduced to 11,000rpm, down from the F1’s 14,000rpm, and the final output is expected to be over 1,000hp from a 1.6-liter V6 backed by electric motors. As for straight-line performance, the Mercedes-AMG One will be able to complete the 0-124mph (200km/h) in less than six seconds and top out at over 217mph (350km/h).

Moers also added that they’ve informed future One owners of the nine-month delay.”You know what they tell me? ‘Make sure that the car works. Because of what we experienced in the past with hybrid cars, take your time.’”

The upcoming hypercar is being engineered in the UK by Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) but prototype testing is limited to tracks like Millbrook for the time being. Owners will be given access to a specially-designed simulator to help them prepare for the AMG One’s performance, but according to Moers the AMG One will be easy to drive on public roads, even in stop-and-go traffic.

According to AMG’s boss, the first production examples of the Mercedes-AMG One will be delivered at the middle or end of 2020. Production is capped at 275 units and all of them are already spoken for.