Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven previews advanced new tech but draws inspiration from 1969 C111
The stunning Mercedes Vision One-Eleven concept has been revealed overnight, previewing a wild all-new, all-electric Mercedes-AMG hypercar due for release in 2025.
Set to rival hyper-EVs like the Rimac Nevera, Pininfarina Battista and incoming production version of the Porsche Mission X, the Mercedes Vision One-Eleven concept is heavily inspired by the original 1969 Mercedes-Benz C111.
But there’s no looking backwards with this technological showcase and experimental testbed for the German car-maker’s next-generation powertrains, with the concept featuring an advanced new battery-electric propulsion system developed in co-operation with YASA – the Benz-owned EV specialist renowned for its axial flux in-hub wheel motors.
Painted in a striking orange paint that matches the C111, the Vision One-Eleven will benefit from the development already carried out on the Mercedes-Benz EQG off-roader, with the supercar drawing an unlikely link with the rugged battery-powered SUV.
As well as being powerful, the new powertrain is also lightweight and offer levels of torque vectoring well beyond current EVs.
No power, torque or performance figures have been released, but Mercedes-Benz says the Vision One-Eleven also features high-performance batteries developed by the Mercedes-AMG F1 team.
The liquid-cooled cylindrical cells are capable of discharging their current at far higher levels compared to today’s Mercedes-EQ models, as well as being more resistant to charging rates well beyond 450kW.
Expect a 900-volt electrical architecture and the ability to top-up the cells in less than 10 minutes for a 10-80 per cent charge.
Set to be positioned as a Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar sequel when it arrives in 2025, the hypercar is expected to weigh less than 1500kg, meaning it will likely carry only a small battery that limits its range to 300-400km.
Rumours suggest the stunning exterior styling will not make it to production, so the mid-engine profile, C111-inspired glass canopy, gullwing doors and bluff front-end may not carry over.
That said, the advanced front splitter, aggressive sills and lower air blades all hint at state-of-the-art aerodynamics knowhow that will be reapplied.
At the rear there’s a huge diffuser that maximises downforce, while above it is an oval light bar that features a pixelated screen that displays ONE-ELEVEN lettering.
Inside, the two seats are integrated into the floor that, along with the F1-style steering wheel, provides the driver with a motorsport-inspired AMG ONE position.
Ahead of the driver and passenger is a large pixelated display that stretches across the dash, while a prominent landscape-mounted infotainment screen is positioned to the right of the tiller.
The silver and orange seat upholstery pays further homage to the 1970s original, while the neat packaging of the electric motors means the One-Eleven is far roomier than a traditional hypercar.
Other new cabin tech includes the car-maker’s Magic Leap 2 augmented reality headset which turns the entire car into a user interface and allows you to look through the A-pillars for better visibility.
It’s fitting the homage to the C111 comes with Mercedes-Benz’s next-gen powertrain as the original mid-engine supercar was created as a testbed for myriad powertrain and design technologies including three- and four-rotor Wankel rotary engines, high performance five-cylinder diesels and even a twin-turbo V8.
All of the vehicles were phenomenally fast for their time; the rotary topped 300km/h and was later bested by a five-cylinder turbo-diesel that topped 322km/h.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, in 1978 the Mercedes C111-IV returned with a bored-out version of the S-Class’ 4.5-litre V8. By adding a pair of turbochargers to the 4.8-litre, engineers managed to liberate 375kW – a towering figure at that time.
On its debut at Italy’s Nardo test facility, the most powerful C111 ever clocked an incredible 404km/h.
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Keyword: Wild 2025 Mercedes-AMG EV hypercar concept revealed