► Mercedes PureSpeed Concept revealed
► Comes with an F1-style Halo, not a roof
► Previews new ultra-exclusive Mythos model line
Just occasionally a major mainstream car manufacturer loses its head a little. Here’s Mercedes providing a textbook example – this is the AMG PureSpeed concept, and it’s a Mercedes SL with its head cut off.
Previewing the first model in a what Mercedes is calling a ‘Mythos series’ of limited run vehicles, the PureSpeed has been unveiled ahead of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. Which is appropriate not only because Mercedes’ Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were on hand to lend a little extra glamour but also because the PureSpeed has an F1-style Halo.
This reminds me of something?
Yeah, we’re getting heavy McLaren-Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss vibes here – the last time Mercedes went ahead and built a totally roofless production vehicle (and we got to drive it). Funnily enough, Mercedes doesn’t mention this in the official info, instead preferring to reference the OMG-is-it-on-sale-yet Mercedes-AMG One hypercar, which it says influenced the front-end design and some of the details.
Stirling Moss does get a look in, however, alongside Denis Jenkins, as the flying buttresses behind the passenger compartment are supposed to be reminiscent of the 1955 Mille Miglia winning 300 SLR.
And if you’re worried about getting a bug in the face at 150mph, don’t. The PureSpeed comes with a pair of specially made ‘aerodynamically optimised’ crash helmets.
The paint job’s pretty striking…
Ah, this is pretty interesting, too. It’s red and has a number 10 on the side in reference to another road race winner – this time the Mercedes 2-litre that Christian Werner drove to victory in the 1924 Targa Florio. It’s probably no coincidence that was 100 years ago this year.
The original was painted red at a time when Mercedes racing cars were usually white. This was so it would blend in with the competing Italian entrants and therefore ‘deter the local fans from impeding the car’s progress.’
Anything info on the performance?
Nothing official, but being based on a Mercedes SL suggests 805bhp or more should be available. Which should also enable a top speed in the region of 200mph and 0-62mph in under 3.0 seconds.
And this Mythos stuff?
It’s a new ultra-luxury sub-brand that will create cars that will only be offered to ‘the most dedicated Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts and collectors’. These will be the ‘pinnacle of exclusivity’, apparently, though in the case of the production version of the PureSpeed there will be 250 examples for potential buyers to fight over.