[imagesource: Mercedes]

Lewis Hamilton has just wrapped another dominant Formula One season, and can now lay claim to being the greatest driver of all time.

Michael Schumacher fans won’t go down without a fight, and the debate will rage on that one for many years to come, but let’s take things off the track and take a closer look at the Mercedes-AMG One.

As CNET points out, it is “not a typical supercar”, which is immediately apparent if you poke your head under the bonnet.

Is that how things work on a supercar like this?

Anyway, this beast is packing a turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 engine, married to a hybrid system, and it comes straight from the Mercedes-AMG team’s Formula One car.

There are still a few boxes to tick when it comes to getting roadgoing approval, but the carmaker reckons it should have the One on the road from as early as next year.

I’ll dash your hopes now before you get too carried away:

The first AMG One deliveries will start next year, and all 275 cars are sold out, if you were still mulling the idea of buying one. They also cost $2.72 million a pop…

Image: Mercedes

The One will sit as a halo vehicle for this sector with its electrified V6, but AMG said it has two additional electrified cars coming. It’s a massive shift for the brand, which long championed brute force and big engines over all, but 2021 marks a big turning point for everyone involved with Mercedes-AMG.

That’s around R40 million, if you’re the type that converts things you’ll never be able to afford to rands.

Hamilton has been putting the car through its paces, and will assist the development process as it enters the final stages, having been involved in consultation throughout.

On Sunday, Mercedes-AMG posted this video:

I reckon we should keep this one out of the hands of the McLaren and Lambo bros – they don’t have a great track record when it comes to handling powerful cars on Cape Town’s roads.

More on the beaut via CarAdvice:

While the 1.6-litre turbo V6 can rev up to 11,000rpm in race trim, Affalterbach’s engineers have lowered its redline for road use to support road-going ‘premium plus’ petrol (as opposed to bespoke race fuel) and allow for a “longer service life”.

Image: Mercedes

Complementing the high-performance hybrid system is race-derived pushrod system and an advanced aerodynamics package, including a large, active rear spoiler, centre-mounted rear sharkfin, an aggressive rear diffuser and flip-up louvres on the front wheel arches.

Hamilton said the car is “absolutely unique”, and even though he’s being paid handsomely to say that, it’s tough to disagree.

Whatever you’re driving, just remember to arrive alive.

[sources:cnet&caradvice]