Mercedes-AMG has confirmed at the Paris motor show that it is preparing a hypercar stuffed with extreme F1 technology, as the world champions look to bring some of their track brilliance to the road for AMG's golden anniversary.
Dubbed R50 by insiders, the AMG hypercar - depicted in CAR's exclusive artist's impression above - is practically a street-legal F1 racer but with two seats instead of one, an extreme four-cylinder engine with e-motor assistance, and a power-to-weight ratio approaching one kilogramme per horsepower.
That 1:1 target would make the R50 a close rival for the Aston Martin 001 hypercar (below), which is a collaboration with legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey and Red Bull Racing
So, with Daimler owning 5% of Aston Martin, why hasn’t AMG elbowed out Red Bull and teamed up with the British sports car maker?
Closer ties were deemed politically and economically troublesome; Aston CEO Andy Palmer’s response is: ‘Daimler is cool about it [the AM-RB001]. We have a technology deal with Daimler, but an arm’s length relationship commercially. We also have a relationship with Red Bull, and Ford – this industry is about relationships.’
Tobias Moers, CEO of AMG and father of the SLS and current GT, has decided to go it alone on the hypercar. The gullwing coupe will be a roadgoing car, although full series production is unlikely. Speaking to reporters in Paris, sales and marketing chief Ola Källenius refused to divulge how limited production could be but confirmed it would be road-legal.
'It will be a road car and you could drive it every day,' he said. Although no officials would comment on the timetable, CAR understands the car is being planned for AMG's 50th anniversary. Expect to see it at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show.
During the announcement on the eve of the Paris show, the company flashed up a silhouette of the new AMG supercar (above). It's remarkably reminiscent of an LMP1 race car's profile.
Tech chief Thomas Weber (above) said it was only a matter of time before Mercedes' F1 and road car ambitions overlapped. 'What would you do if you were looking for an AMG that redefines efficiency with performance?' he asked reporters. 'You would combine the best of both worlds. Tonight I am very excited to officially confirm our next big project at AMG is already in the pipeline: we are going to create an AMG performance hybrid featuring our F1 drivertrain technology.’
It comes as AMG announced 10 new models arriving by 2017, bringing the total number of AMG derivatives to a staggering 48 - forty-eight! - models. There's high margin in those performance cars, remember
Probably. Like the silver single-seater raced by Messieurs Hamilton and Rosberg, the AMG R50 sports a carbonfibre monocoque and a mid-mounted engine. While the Aston Martin-Red Bull effort is claimed to weigh under 1000 kilos, the AMG grapevine suggests that R50 tops 1300kg – which would require 1300bhp of muscle mass.
Lewis Hamilton: soon to be driving an F1 car on the road, too?
Sounds challenging, but the Bugatti Chiron is good for 1500bhp, although it weighs about 600 kilos more than the blitzen Benz. As far as the 0-62mph acceleration time is concerned, even four-wheel drive high-performance sports cars are handicapped by the tyres which can only cope with a certain momentum. Right now, the physical limit puts the fastest contenders in the 2.4 to 2.6sec bracket. Top speed is also dictated by the footwear, and by the ESP software which currently is flaky beyond 220mph.
To underline the F1 connection, a super-rigid lightweight carbonfibre monocoque was a must. To cash in on the Mercedes-Benz brand image, AMG has opted for a gullwing door concept which is minimalist in form and function. Active aerodynamics are another windfall element inspired by F1. Those in the know talk about adjustable front flaps, a ground-effect floorpan design and a multi-functional rear spoiler, depicted in our artist's impression.
We believe that the rear air dam can do four things: switch to low-resistance mode at high speed which has the same effect as DRS, support the cornering stability by means of downforce-enhancing air blades on both sides, adjust the front-to-rear aerodynamic balance, and double-act as air brake. Because of the high speed and grip levels involved, a fully variable active suspension is a must. In combination with torque vectoring, the system can momentarily support the wheel that needs it most.
The target power output of 1300bhp is no mean feat, no matter how it will be achieved. The 1.6-litre V6 developed for the Mercedes-Petronas F1 car (seen in action in Australia, below) delivers around 680bhp, but that is not good enough for the Swabian batmobile.
Nico Rosberg's Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 car at the 2016 Australian grand prix
Sales boss Källenius confirmed that the road car would use 'the entire drivetrain' from the F1 car; the engine will be developed in the UK in Brixworth, although the project is being masteminded by AMG in Affalterbach.
This quashes earlier specualtion that the AMG R50 would use a multiple-turbo 2.0-litre four claimed to churn out close to 1000bhp. Sounds ludicrous, but remember the 2.0-litre BMW engine which propelled Nelson Piquet to the 1984 F1 World Championship kicked out 1000bhp-plus.
The electric front axle acts as secondary drivetrain, enhancing traction and stability. We expect two e-motors rated at around 150bhp each. If that's not enough, a third motor could be slipped into the transmission housing, and then there is of course the boost effect provided by the ERS energy recovery system.
Complex aero: from race track to road
Rear-wheel steering completes the high-tech set-up which is claimed to be docile enough for the road and sharp enough for the circuit.
Designwise, the AMG R50 is allegedly reminiscent of a hard-top LMP1 racer. Driver and passenger sit low down in a transverse tub, feet stretched out almost horizontally, pedals and steering-wheel fully adjustable, the bucket seats lined with inflatable elements, facing a head-up display and an LED rev counter en lieu of conventional elements.
A panoramic windscreen fuses with a double-bubble roof, the forward field of vision is framed by massive front wings, all major controls are at the driver's fingertips. With safety being a key brand value, MB-AMG is working on numerous innovative assistance systems conceived to build up and cement confidence. Algorithms assess the abilities of the person in charge while step by step increasing the available longitudinal and lateral acceleration. On the track, R50 can select the optimum brake and turn-in points, the fastest line and the appropriate gear.
Wait until you see the real thing at the Frankfurt show in 2017; we anticipate a price stretching easily past £1 million, probably several times that.
But for the lucky few, they'll finally be able to claim to drive something of an F1 car for the road. Which is a fitting birthday present to AMG, which clocks up its golden anniversary next year.
source carmagazine - http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/spy-sho...-r50-hypercar/