Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing Team Up to Produce the Blistering 515 Project One
Mercedes-AMG has teamed up with Cigarette Racing yet again to produce the stunning 515 Project One powerboat—it’s a Formula One machine that...
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Mercedes-AMG has teamed up with Cigarette Racing yet again to produce the stunning 515 Project One powerboat—it’s a Formula One machine that goes flat-out on water.
This 51 feet and 5 inches long and 9 and a half feet wide racing boat was inspired by Mercedes-AMG's Formula 1-derived hypercar. The unveiling of this powerboat, which churns a whopping 3100 horsies, took place at Cigarette Racing's headquarters in Miami, Florida, in the midst of the allure and glamour of the 2018 Miami Boat Show.
Going over 100 miles per hour on water is dangerous; hitting the top speed of 140 miles per hour is knocking on death’s door. Propelled by two Mercury Racing 1,550-horsepower quad-cam engines and M8 stern drives, it is one heck of a powerboat.
The 515 Project One offers a 30 percent greater surface area than its predecessor, the 50-foot Marauder, and allows six passengers to sit comfortably on the Dinamica-wrapped seats kept in place by carbon fibre shells.
The partnership between these two performance powerhouses has produced its lightest model yet, weighing a staggering 5,000 pounds less than a shorter Cigarette Racing model, the 41’ SD GT3. By utilizing Kevlar and carbon fibre in areas like the bulkheads, cabin liner, engine hatch, consoles and storage hatches, the total weight was brought down significantly.
"For 11 years, Cigarette Racing has been our trusted partner that has allowed us to extend our likeminded core performance principles from the land to the water," said Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes AMG GmbH.
"By directly translating Formula 1 technology from the track to the street, the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is our most ambitious and awe-inspiring vehicle yet. It is incredible to see our vision reimagined for the water in such an impressive and highly compelling form," he added.
Founded in 1969 by self-made millionaire and powerboat enthusiast, Don Aronow, Cigarette Racing was a marquee brand in the powerboat scene. Aronov was a two-time World Champion and a famous boat designer and builder. He built these high performance machines for the Shah of Iran, Charles Keating, Malcolm Forbes and George H.W. Bush, to name a few. Sadly, he was gunned down in his car in 1987.
The then bankrupt company was bought by Skip Braver 16 years ago, and he was instrumental in revitalizing the brand.
“Cars, planes, and boats — it’s all speed. I used to work on the ski patrol. I like being outside. The water to me is very relaxing,” said Braver.
Gorden Wagener, Mercedes-Benz's design chief, worked with Braver on the design of this flagship model.
If you have spare change of say US$2 million, this baby could be yours.
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| Image credit - via www.motorauthority.com. |
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| Image credit – via Time Inc. |
This 51 feet and 5 inches long and 9 and a half feet wide racing boat was inspired by Mercedes-AMG's Formula 1-derived hypercar. The unveiling of this powerboat, which churns a whopping 3100 horsies, took place at Cigarette Racing's headquarters in Miami, Florida, in the midst of the allure and glamour of the 2018 Miami Boat Show.
 |
| Image credit – theverge.com |
Going over 100 miles per hour on water is dangerous; hitting the top speed of 140 miles per hour is knocking on death’s door. Propelled by two Mercury Racing 1,550-horsepower quad-cam engines and M8 stern drives, it is one heck of a powerboat.
 |
| Image credit – via Time Inc |
The partnership between these two performance powerhouses has produced its lightest model yet, weighing a staggering 5,000 pounds less than a shorter Cigarette Racing model, the 41’ SD GT3. By utilizing Kevlar and carbon fibre in areas like the bulkheads, cabin liner, engine hatch, consoles and storage hatches, the total weight was brought down significantly.
"For 11 years, Cigarette Racing has been our trusted partner that has allowed us to extend our likeminded core performance principles from the land to the water," said Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes AMG GmbH.
"By directly translating Formula 1 technology from the track to the street, the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is our most ambitious and awe-inspiring vehicle yet. It is incredible to see our vision reimagined for the water in such an impressive and highly compelling form," he added.
Founded in 1969 by self-made millionaire and powerboat enthusiast, Don Aronow, Cigarette Racing was a marquee brand in the powerboat scene. Aronov was a two-time World Champion and a famous boat designer and builder. He built these high performance machines for the Shah of Iran, Charles Keating, Malcolm Forbes and George H.W. Bush, to name a few. Sadly, he was gunned down in his car in 1987.
The then bankrupt company was bought by Skip Braver 16 years ago, and he was instrumental in revitalizing the brand.
 |
| Skip Braver, the man who brought Cigarette Racing back to life. Image credit – theverge.com. |
Gorden Wagener, Mercedes-Benz's design chief, worked with Braver on the design of this flagship model.
