2018-09-19 23:01
Following on from the reveal of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2017, the full production model has been teased while undergoing testing before its official 2019 release.
The closest thing we’ll possibly ever see to a Formula 1 car for the road is undergoing testing at Millbrook Proving Ground. The camouflaged mule isn’t quite a final production spec model - the bonnet air intake and tail lights aren’t the final items, for example - but even through the camouflaged body, the overall shape looks near-identical to the model we saw last year.
This revolutionary hypercar is driven by a contemporary F1 power unit. It uses a version of the 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid V6 that has propelled the Mercedes team to every Formula 1 drivers and constructors world championship since 2014, and it’s assembled in the same Mercedes High Performance Powertrains plant in Brixworth.
The V6’s 11,000rpm rev limit is lower than the race cars’ (they’re mandated to a 15,000rpm red line, though rarely go beyond 13,000rpm in reality), but the Project ONE’s plug-in hybrid system - four electric motors in total - makes up for that by delivering a greater electrical output.
One of the electric motors forms part of an electronic turbocharger in a bid to reduce turbo lag, while the other is linked to the crankcase to augment the 1.6-litre engine’s output with an additional 161bhp, feeding off excess energy from the turbo system. Two more 161bhp motors drive the front wheels to turn the Project ONE into a four-wheel-drive hybrid hypercar.
Mercedes says that the Project ONE’s power unit is good for 986bhp. In terms of outright performance, a top speed in excess of 217mph is promised, and while there’s no 0-62mph time, the Project ONE can dash to 124mph in under six seconds.
The lithium-ion battery packs, how they are arranged and the system used to cool them are the same as that found in the Mercedes F1 car, but the Project ONE boasts far more cells to unlock an all-electric driving mode – the firm claims you’ll be able to drive around 15.5 miles on battery power alone. The charging voltage is rated at 800 volts, which Mercedes says the charging system allows space saving by reducing cable diameters. The battery system lies on the floor behind the front axle.
With the front axle motors, Mercedes says that up to 80 per cent of the braking energy dispelled during normal driving can be recuperated into the battery pack, while independent acceleration and braking mean that they can act as a torque vectoring system. The rear wheels are fed power via a brand-new eight-speed gearbox, which can be operated via shift paddles on the steering wheel.
As well as being able to operate as a pure EV, the driving modes range include a ‘highly dynamic’ mode, which Mercedes says uses similar settings used by the Formula 1 car during qualifying laps. In some driving modes, the car can automatically switch from electric power to coaxing the turbocharged 1.6-litre engine into action, while lifting off the throttle to coast switches the car back to electric drive. The Project ONE’s combustion engine will be able to cover the equivalent of over a quarter of an F1 season before it needs servicing.
In terms of design, the Project ONE avoids contemporary Mercedes styling cues in its racing car-inspired shape. Huge vents on the front apron and beneath the windscreen dominate the car’s front end, while a pair of flat LED headlights are sunk into the bonnet. Naked carbon aerodynamic flaps are pinned to the car’s sculpted sides, while an air intake perched on the roof is hard to miss.
Around the back, an F1-style shark fin sits above the engine compartment and divides the rear end, while a huge rear diffuser and retractable rear spoiler are also present to provide plenty of downforce. Active aero is found at the front too, with an extending front splitter and movable flaps positioned over the front wheels. The body itself is a carbon-fibre monocoque, but Mercedes has not revealed how much the Project ONE concept weighs.
Under the skin, the car makes use of adjustable coil-over suspension with push-rod spring struts, carbon ceramic brakes, and the traction control system is three-way adjustable – at start-up the system is switched on completely, but a ‘Sport Handling Mode’ raises the threshold before computer assistance steps it. The traction control system can be switched off entirely, too.
Mercedes describes the cabin as ‘Formula 1 for two'. Deep bucket seats with adjustable backrests are present, while the square steering wheel is noticeably F1 inspired. The skinny, uncluttered carbon-fibre dashboard is home to two 10-inch displays – one placed behind the steering wheel, and the other sprouting from the centre console and angled towards the driver. A third screen acts as a rear-view mirror and is linked to a camera at the back of the car.
While it’s intended as an eye-catching performance flagship, Mercedes says that findings from the project will drip down into future hybrid AMG models. If you want to buy a Project ONE, you'll need around £2.4million.
Is £2.4million a bargain for a Formula 1 car for the road? Let us know your thoughts below...
from Featured Articles https://ift.tt/2xyUefv
No comments:
Post a Comment