The highly anticipated Mercedes-AMG One is almost ready to be delivered to its lucky customers, with only 275 units planned for production. However, there’s a slight hitch as some American customers have ordered these F1-powered hypercars, but the AMG One will not meet US street-legal requirements. The decision was made by management in Affalterbach not to modify the hybrid V6 to comply with US regulations, as it would compromise the performance of this plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Mercedes chose not to compromise on performance.
There is a workaround, though. Under the ‘show or display’ law, you could import the car but with restrictions on driving it more than 2,500 miles (or 4,023 km) per year. This would allow legal driving of the Mercedes-AMG One in the US, albeit with limitations. However, the process is not straightforward as it requires private party importation and an application for an exception, which necessitates the car to be deemed ‘historical or technologically significant’. This exemption typically applies to cars produced in limited numbers, with a threshold of 500 units. Additionally, the approval process is known to be costly, but once granted, others can import the same car under the same ruling. It remains to be seen who will take on this challenging process.
The Mercedes-AMG One boasts a Formula One-derived 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine (from the 2015-2016 era) capable of revving up to 11,000 rpm. When combined with four electric motors, the car delivers an impressive 1,063 hp for a weight of 1,695 kg, resulting in an excellent power-to-weight ratio. While not on par with a Koenigsegg 1:1, it is still an impressive feat. The 1.6-liter engine alone produces 574 hp at 9,000 rpm. Acceleration figures are equally impressive, reaching 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, with a top speed of 200 mph achieved in 7 seconds behind the F1-style steering wheel.
Enough with the technical details; let’s enjoy some videos of the Mercedes-AMG One being driven on the renowned Nurburgring track in Germany. First up, a behind-the-scenes video from Top Gear featuring Chris Harris driving this new multi-million dollar hypercar from Affalterbach:
Image Source: HT Auto
