Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix on May 26, Mercedes-AMG unveiled the PureSpeed concept car, the first in the incredibly rare Mercedes Mythos series. A two-seat roadster designed for open-air driving is called the PureSpeed. It gives up a roof, windshield, and side windows for the focal point, a halo bar modeled after Formula 1.
The PureSpeed is fairly obviously Mercedes’s SL-class convertible without the roof and windshield, though the firm hasn’t stated this explicitly. The concept also steals the headlights and taillights from the conventional SL in addition to the bodywork.
Additional design influences for the concept are derived from historical motorsport icons associated with the company. Mercedes claims that the 300 SLR, which Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson drove to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia, served as inspiration for the flying buttresses behind the seats. Additional stylistic cues, such as carbon-fiber wheel coverings that enhance aerodynamic performance and aid in cooling the brakes, are modeled after the AMG One hypercar.
The car’s gradient paint job transitions from red in the front to graphite gray and black in the back. Mercedes claims that the red paint is a reference to the 1924 Targa Florio race in Sicily, when the firm painted its cars red to keep fans from getting in the way during the competition.
Mercedes has not revealed the PureSpeed’s powertrain or output, but it’s likely that the limited edition vehicle will come with either the insane 805-hp hybrid system seen in the SL63 S E Performance or the 577-hp twin-turbocharged V-8 from the SL63.
AMG chairman Michael Schiebe stated, “As the concept of our first Mythos vehicle, it embodies the highest level of exclusivity.”
Even if you have the money, obtaining a PureSpeed would be difficult because the price has not been disclosed. This is due to Mercedes’ decision to limit manufacturing of the new Mythos series to just 250 cars worldwide. Mercedes will even include a set of “aerodynamically optimized” helmets if you’re fortunate enough to purchase one. Cool.
