We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
The world just lost one of only 275 Mercedes-AMG One hypercars that will ever be made, after one burned to a crisp inside a car carrier in England. According to The Sun, the $2.7 million, Formula 1-powered hypercar was being transported inside of a closed car carrier, when it suddenly burst into flames, claiming the trailer with it. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
While details are a bit hazy at the moment, Mercedes UK did confirm the fire. “We are aware of this incident involving a car that was being transported in a closed trailer as part of its assembly process,” a Mercedes UK spokesperson told The Sun. “Fortunately, as far as we are aware, nobody was injured.”
The knee-jerk reaction is to assume that an issue with the battery or hybrid system caused the fire, especially since this specific car wasn’t fully assembled yet, but it’s too early to speculate.
“At this point in time, we do not know what caused the fire and, if needed, we will support the investigation of the insurance company,” the spokesperson added.
In the photographs published by The Sun, you can see that there’s almost nothing left of either the car or the trailer. The fire was so intense that it melted the AMG One down to its bare chassis and powertrain. It’s rather easy (and sad) to see its roof structure, chassis bracing, engine, and pushrod-actuated suspension, all melted inside of the skeleton frame that used to be the enclosed trailer. Everything else has been reduced to ashes.
It’d be sadly ironic if it was a battery fire that caused the ultra-rare AMG One to burst into flames, given that the hybrid powertrain is its calling card. The AMG One uses an actual Formula 1 powertrain—the very same 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 that powers Lewis Hamilton’s F1 car. It’s paired with four electric motors, which combined produce over 1,000 horsepower, and the V6 revs to 11,000 rpm. It’s arguably the most complex and impressive production automotive powertrain in the world. However, that complexity has led to some technical and developmental issues, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the hybrid powertrain was the culprit here.
Seeing such a rare and impressive car reduced to rubble is painful. Here’s to hoping Mercedes figures out the problem and prevents it from happening ever again.
Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com
