AMG Project One Rolls Up To The ‘Ring For Testing, Breaks Down Before Getting On Track

Although Formula 1 cars no longer race at the Nurburgring’s Nordschleife, it seemed like only a matter of time of before AMG’s F1-inspired hypercar, the Project One, showed up to the track for some testing. And it didn’t exactly go to plan.

These may not be the most dramatic shots of a hypercar breaking down – the class of car does have a proclivity for catching fire – our spy photographers report that the breakdown occurred just outside the track entrance, about to 2 km (a mile and a bit) away from AMG’s new test center.

The pictures show the hypercar pulled over to one side on a roundabout with a, we imagine, very displeased handler looking in.

The benefit of the breakdown is that our spy photographer did manage to get in pretty close to the car, revealing the interior and its F1-style square steering wheel with its rev light on at the top and a wealth of carbon fiber.

Even more interestingly, the tester seen here has the same flowing red and black lines on the wheel-top vents as the demonstration cars we’ve seen in previous AMG promotional material. The shots of the rear, meanwhile, reveal the hydraulic actuators that will move the active rear wing.

The Project One will be the first performance hybrid car from AMG, according to no less an authority than Sir Lewis Hamilton. It will share its engine with the F1 cars that brought him to six of his world championship titles.

That means a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine with four electric motors that will combine to churn out more than 1,000 hp and will allow the Project One to hit a projected top speed of 217 mph.