Since October 2022, the fastest production car around the ring has been the Mercedes-AMG One. However, Mercedes‑AMG thought it could do better and so, with DTM driver Maro Engel behind the wheel, the One was sent around the infamous green hell again, and posted a lap time of 6:29.090 min – knocking more than five seconds off its previous record. This makes the AMG One the only production car to breach the 6:30 min mark around the 12.944 mile (20.832km) track.
“We’ve held the record for road vehicles for almost two years now. But at AMG, we always want to push the boundaries of what is possible to the maximum or even push them a little further. That’s why we have once again demonstrated what is possible with the unique AMG One” said Michael Schiebe, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes‑AMG and head of the Mercedes‑Benz G‑Class and Mercedes‑Maybach divisions.
“Two years ago, the conditions were not ideal, and some sections of the track were still a little damp. We knew we could do more, and we wanted to show that,” added Maro Engel, Mercedes‑AMG brand ambassador.
To achieve this feat, the track conditions had to be ideal. On September 23, 2024, at 6:56pm, on the third timed lap, Engel set the new record. With temperatures of 15°C (air) and 20°C (asphalt), the Nordschleife was dry throughout and offered good grip.
Engel used the AMG One’s four-stage Energy Flow Control (EFC) system and in some cases deliberately took his foot off the accelerator a little earlier than he normally would (also known as ‘lift and coast’) to optimize the hybrid output. Preliminary tests in the driving simulator in Affalterbach and on the Nordschleife itself provided the necessary insights, which the team and driver were able to optimally implement for the record lap.
The Mercedes‑AMG hypercar develops 1,049hp (782kW) from its 1.6-liter V6 engine, with the top speed capped at 218mph (352km/h). Being a Formula 1 car for the road, it borrows numerous bits from the race car and features a fully variable AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel drive with a hybrid-driven rear axle and electrically driven front axle with torque vectoring.
The hypercar also features a Drag Reduction System (DRS) that can be activated by the driver to retract the louvers on the front fenders as well as the upper aero element of the two-stage rear wing. The record-breaking car was shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R MO tires.
