Mercedes-AMG ONE to be revealed this week

The long-awaited 2022 Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar will make its official debut on June 1, with Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance division releasing one final teaser of the production model ahead of its full reveal.

Originally unveiled back in 2017 at the Frankfurt motor show, it has taken the F1-powered Mercedes-AMG ONE five long years to make the difficult transition from concept car fantasy to production reality.

In the final dark and moody teaser released by AMG, it’s difficult to make out if there will be any big last-minute changes to the advanced pre-production model that was previewed back in late 2020, with the teaser clearly showing the dominant dorsal fin silhouette that hints at its advanced aero.

Originally, the ONE hypercar was destined to touch down in all markets, including Australia, in 2019 before technical challenges hampered its development and saw the wild Bugatti Chiron rival delayed initially by two years and then a further year.

The biggest hurdle engineers had to overcome was ensuring the hypercar complies with the strict WLTP emissions regulations that were introduced midway through its development – something the ONE’s direct rival, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, has also struggled with.

Nothing less than fiendishly complex, the ONE harnesses the power of four electric motors and a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol V6 that’s closely based on the 2016 Formula 1 world championship-winning engine.

Some of the biggest issues have reportedly concerned the combustion engine’s cold-weather emissions performance, plus adapting it to idle at 1200rpm. Normally F1 engines tick over at a far higher 5000rpm.

Capable of operating in EV mode for up to 26km, the original 2017 concept was claimed to be able to accelerate from 0-200km/h in less than six seconds and achieve a top speed of more than 350km/h.

Mercedes-AMG originally said the 1.6-litre DOHC V6 would require a full rebuild every 50,000km, but recent changes to the engine have reduced its rev limit from 11,000rpm to improve its durability and extend its service life.

Performance details are still under wraps, but an advanced aero package promises to enhance its abilities on track while keeping it stable at its 350km/h top speed.

It’s believed the production ONE will attempt to set a new outright lap record at the Nurburgring that will coincide with its launch.

Of the 275 examples to be built, at least eight of the game-changing AMGs have been sold to Australian customers, who have reportedly paid close to $5 million each.

Despite all the delays and challenges of wrangling the hybrid powertrain to become a production reality, Mercedes-AMG’s chief technical officer Jochen Hermann told carsales last year that the ONE had “not killed the appetite for another AMG hypercar” and that a sequel is on the way.

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au