Expect a long waiting list for Merc’s hybrid R50
Small 4-cylinder turbo engine mated to advanced hybrid systems could yield over 900kW for the R50 to become the fastest production Mercedes ever.
Fresh from the release of the ‘Beast Of The Green Hell’ Mercedes-AMG GT-R, the ladies and gentlemen at AMG are out for blood yet again, although this time it’s with a piece of machinery that nobody expected.
Enter the Mercedes-AMG R50, a hypercar rumoured to be released in 2017 to mark the company’s 50th anniversary. With a name like ‘R50’, a lot of people will have high hopes, and from what we know, it’s definitely going to be a badass piece of automotive art.
This highlight of the R50 is the engine, with sources reporting a power figure in the 970kW region. This immense power comes courtesy of a hybrid drivetrain made up of a 746kW 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine powering the rear wheels, assisted by two electric motors of 112kW each to power the front wheels.
The two-seat Le Mans inspired hypercar is expected to weigh in at around 1300kg thanks to the generous use of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials. A predominantly rear-wheel drive system and an adaptive suspension, combined with all the wonderful AMG tech goodies that we’ve become familiar with on their latest cars should make the Mercedes-AMG R50 a credible rival to the likes of the Bugatti Chiron and the AM-RB001.
Visually, the car will share a lot of its styling characteristics from the CLK GTR, with an aggressive front fascia and bodywork that would “look glued to the road”.
The 970kW spaceship will land just in time for AMG’s 50th anniversary will be part of a limited edition fleet of only 50 examples. The Mercedes-AMG R50 will also carry an out-of-this-world price tag of between 2 million and 3 million euros. Approximately R45.6 million at worst case.
