F1-powered Mercedes-AMG One unveiled

A wild performance car with close links to Formula 1 technology has attracted the attention of seriously wealthy car enthusiasts Down Under.

The Mercedes-AMG One is ready for production.

Mercedes has unveiled the final production-ready form of its Formula 1-powered supercar.

The new Mercedes-AMG One has an F1-derived V6 hybrid engine that makes it one of the fastest cars on sale.

It will also be one of the most expensive new cars in Australia.

Clever technical solutions make the AMG a viable road car.

Sold directly to customers through Mercedes-AMG’s headquarters in Germany, the One costs €2.8 million ($4.18m) before options, on-road costs and local taxes that push its price well beyond the $5 million mark.

The manufacturer says eight Australian-based customers will travel to Germany to take delivery of their F1-powered machines.

The car lowers its suspension and raises spoilers when on track.

Mercedes’ Formula 1 team will arrange transport logistics for customers. Some are expected to have cars sent to Australia, while others may keep cars overseas.

First revealed as a concept car in 2017, the car has had a difficult gestation as engineers fought to make a Formula 1 engine road legal, complying with increasingly strict noise and emissions regulations that do not apply to motorsport.

Lewis Hamilton presented the original Project One concept at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show.

Unlike Grand Prix machines that run on carefully concocted fuel blends, the Mercedes-AMG One has to be powered by commercially available petrol. It must work in a variety of weather conditions and without dozens of support staff on hand.

Mercedes chief executive Ola Kallenius reportedly joked that executives “were drunk” when approving such an ambitious project.

Carbon wheels, brakes and aero elements are part of the package.

The car’s 1.6-litre V6 petrol engine makes 422kW and revs to 11,000rpm. As with Lewis Hamilton’s race car, it has sophisticated hybrid systems.

An electric motor linked to the turbocharger contributes 90kW to the cause. Motors powered by braking energy on the front wheels add 240kW of power and a third system attached to the engine’s crankshaft can deliver 120kW of boost.

The Mercedes-AMG One steering wheel combines F1 elements with controls from regular Mercedes models.

The combined maximum figure is 782kW of power, enough to reach 100km/h in 2.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 352km/h.

A 8.4kWh battery allows owners to run the car on electric power alone for up to 18.1 kilometres.

Remarkably. Mercedes claims an official fuel consumption figure of 8.7L/100km – the same as a V6-powered Toyota Kluger family SUV.

Exotic looks are part of the One’s appeal.

The car has several driving modes to account for a variety of excursions, including a dedicated electric vehicle setting, three different “race” modes for fast driving and a special setting derived from the qualifying mode used by racers on Grand Prix weekends.

The car has active suspension and aerodynamics, along with carbon ceramic brakes and lightweight carbon-fibre reinforced wheels.

The interior has digital mirrors, an F1-inspired steering wheel, and racing bucket seats that are effectively fixed in place – owners adjust the pedals and steering wheel to find their preferred posture.

The One is the most expensive on sale – and arguably the least luxurious.

Customers who take delivery of the car will join an exclusive club alongside current and former F1 drivers.

Along with the Aston Martin Valkyrie and Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, the Mercedes-AMG One will be one of the last petrol-powered hypercars before the automotive industry transitions to pure electric power.