Mercedes-AMG One Breaks Its Own Record at the 'Ring

The Mercedes-AMG One has once again proven its dominance as the fastest production car at Germany's Nürburgring racetrack by breaking its own record. Behind the wheel, German racing driver and AMG brand ambassador Maro Engel achieved an impressive lap time of just 6 minutes and 29.090 seconds on September 23, completing the full 12.9-mile Nordschleife.

Remarkably, Engel was also the driver who set the previous record of 6 minutes and 35.183 seconds back in 2022. Due to the long distance of the racetrack, Engel had to adjust his driving style to prevent the One's hybrid system battery from depleting too quickly.

In certain instances, he lifted his foot off the accelerator earlier than usual, allowing the car to coast—a strategy identified during simulator testing. According to Engel, changes made to the Nürburgring in the two years since the previous record was set had actually lengthened lap times by a few tenths of a second.

However, he was still able to complete the second attempt much faster due to improved surface conditions, whereas the original attempt had him driving on a partially damp track. For the record run, the One was set in its Race Plus drive mode, specifically designed for track use, lowering the car by 37 mm at the front and 30 mm at the rear while maximizing aerodynamic and chassis settings. Engel also utilized the car's drag reduction system during the run, with tires that are the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R MO design, standard on the One and specifically developed for this hypercar.

According to AMG, Engel's latest run showcases the true performance of the One. "Two years ago, conditions were not ideal, with some sections of the track still damp," said AMG CEO Michael Schiebe in a statement. "Today we were able to demonstrate the maximum potential of the AMG One." The car is powered by the same engine found in the current crop of cars raced by the Mercedes F1 team—a turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6, specifically the unit from the championship-winning race car from the 2015 season.

However, the One features a more sophisticated powertrain than the F1 car. While the race car has only the turbocharged V-6 and a motor-generator driving the rear wheels, plus a second motor-generator integrated with the turbocharger, the One includes two additional motor-generators that drive each of the front wheels, providing all-wheel drive. With a peak output of 1,049 hp, the car is relatively heavy for a two-seater, tipping the scales at 3,737 pounds.

AMG will only build a total of 275 examples, each priced at 2.275 million euros (approximately $2.5 million). Although many of the build slots went to customers in the U.S., AMG was unable to certify the car and its finicky F1 engine for sale here without a substantial loss in performance; thus, it isn't selling the One in the U.S. However, there is some hope for U.S. customers under the Show or Display rule, which allows non-U.S. certified cars with historical or technological significance to be granted permission for private import, albeit with restrictions such as an annual mileage limit of 2,500 miles.