The launch of Mercedes-AMG's
One hypercar has been pushed back to mid-to-late 2020. That's the word
of AMG boss Tobias Moers who spoke recently with Top Gearmagazine.
The One was previewed
in prototype form as the Project One at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show
and confirmed at the time for a launch in 2019. But getting the car's Formula 1
engine suitable for road duty—certainly no easy feat—is taking longer than
expected.
“We have a delay; it’s not a secret,” Moers said. “There
were some adjustments to be made on the powertrain.”
He went on to explain that there are many issues, singling
out a stable idle as one that's particularly challenging.
The 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 at the heart of the One's
hybrid powertrain normally idles at 5,000 rpm in Mercedes-AMG's F1 race cars,
but for road use AMG needs to get the idle down to 1,200 rpm while still
meeting emissions regulations.
“You have leakage in the throttles in Formula 1 and nobody
cares, because it runs at a 5,000-rpm idle,” Moers gave as an example of one of
the issues. “At a 1,200-rpm idle, you have to meet the emissions regulations.
You need a stable, proper idle. If it’s unstable, your emissions
are unstable.”
Moers and his team at AMG are working closely with
Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in the United Kingdom to sort
the issues. HPP is the division that develops and builds the Mercedes-AMG F1
team's engines and has been integral in the development of the One hypercar.
The good news is that the project is now back on track,
Moers assured. He also mentioned that customers aren't concerned because they
want the car to be launched without issue, as some have experienced problems
with previous hybrid hypercars they've owned.
Other interesting tidbits revealed by the AMG boss is that
the One will sound just like an F1 car and when
pushed to the limits will feel like a GT3 race car in fast forward. He
also confirmed an 11,000-rpm redline (down on F1's 14,000 rpm), an engine life
of 50,000 kilometers after which a rebuild will be neccessary, a top speed of
217 mph, and the possibility of slick tires being made available for drivers
that want to track the car. AMG's tire partner in the project is Michelin.
source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1119382_mercedes-amg-one-hypercar-delayed-until-2020#image=100672661
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http//:www.boscheuropean.com
No comments:
Post a Comment