Someone Please Explain Why The Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed Makes Sense

Whenever an automaker unveils a new limited-run performance car, the best possible reaction is one of awe. Internet commenters abuzz with interest, social media absolutely popping off, just utter dominance of the discourse with a positive general outlook, even if just for the moment. Think Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. Unfortunately, not everything can be an obvious hit. This is the Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed, and it elicits one reaction: huh?

Let’s start with power. Under the hood sits AMG’s beloved four-liter twin-turbocharged V8 pumping out 577 horsepower, or the same as an SL 63. Mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive, AMG claims a zero-to-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds, which — oh wait, that’s exactly the same time Mercedes-AMG claims for an SL 63 4MATIC+. There’s no plug-in hybrid system here, but also no turning up the wick, which means it’s probably time to move onto something a little more interesting.

Instead of the expected windscreen and roof you’d find on pretty much every production car on the planet, the Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed gets a tiny strip of Perspex and an F1-inspired halo that ties in with roll hoops to complete a rollover protection system. This is certainly more involved than the setups seen on the McLaren Elva and Ferrari Monza SP, and an overt nod to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team. While it certainly makes a statement, it’s not hard to imagine a few potential drawbacks.

It’s easy to guess that highway speeds in a car like this usually offer a particularly loud in-cabin experience, so Mercedes-AMG has fitted the PureSpeed with an intercom system that doesn’t just let the driver and passenger talk, it also beams music and phone calls directly into their helmets. That makes sense, but then it also comes with a 15-speaker, 1,170-watt Burmester sound system that’s hard to imagine being particularly light once you add up all the components.

Speaking of weight, it’s hard to ignore that this thing looks a whole lot like a Mercedes-AMG SL. So, is this.a case of some SL panels like the doors being draped on something entirely different? Well, not exactly, because AMG states that this thing’s “based on Mercedes-AMG’s sports car architecture,” meaning the PureSpeed is really just a windshield-less limited-run SL 63, right down to the aluminum spaceframe. I don’t know about you, but there’s something odd about taking a 4,321-pound grand touring convertible and trying to turn it into a hardcore, bugs-in-your-grill machine.

You wouldn’t enter the Kentucky Derby riding a rhinoceros, or play competitive basketball wearing full Victorian formal garb, or have your sole form of communication be carrier pigeon, so why start with something heavier than a two-door Ford Bronco if you’re planning on making a stripped-down special posturing as a supercar?

It’s easy to understand the heritage-evoking plan of Mercedes’ Mythos series, but in an era when authenticity is king, this might not have been the best option to win the hearts of Benz-collecting diehards. For instance, the brand could canonize the notorious Red Pig AMG-tuned S-Class race car with a stripped-down, stiffened up, boosted-to-the-moon hardcore version of the S 63 that’s sincere to its inspiration. Considering the PureSpeed is supposed to be a nod to the 300 SLR, SLR McLaren Stirling Moss, and AMG Vision One, it comes across as more of an appearance treatment than anything.

Of course, there’s also the possibility that Mercedes-AMG has shaved enough weight off of this thing to make it a proper sports car, but without actual figures, it’s hard to tell where the PureSpeed actually fits into the landscape. Considering a McLaren 750S weighs 3,062 pounds in its lightest spec, it’s a bit hard to imagine AMG shaving anything close to 1,259 pounds off of an SL to creature the PureSpeed. Still, with a global run of just 250 cars, this thing should have enough interested buyers. As it stands, one thing’s for certain: Of all the ways you can spend the value of a house on a limited-run performance car, this is certainly one of them.

(Photo credits: Mercedes-AMG)

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