The Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed concept, unveiled on a floating barge in the Monaco Harbor this week ahead of the F1 Monaco Rich Folks Festival, is a wild-looking two-seat sports car without roof or windshield. I have made no secret of the fact that I am a simp for car without windshields, and this one is no exception. I’ve never been the biggest fan of Mercedes, but its best cars come without windshields. The company’s SLR Stirling Moss is one of the coolest cars of all time, a hill I will fight to the death to defend. This new model is a modern interpretation of that coolness manifest.
“The Concept Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed offers a glimpse of what is probably the most direct way to experience performance and driving pleasure. Radically open, neither a roof nor the windscreen separate the two passengers from the elements. You can experience light, air and passion unfiltered with all your senses. As the concept of our first Mythos vehicle, it embodies the highest level of exclusivity. Design elements such as the HALO also create a Formula 1 feeling. There is therefore no better place for its world premiere than Monaco.” Michael Schiebe, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG
A limited production run of 250 PureSpeed units will be built for “the most dedicated Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts.” The unique bodywork is meant to ape that of the AMG One hypercar, with flared front nostrils and a blunted nose. Nothing is said about the car’s powerplant, but it is quite obviously based on the brand’s SL, which is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making up to 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. I would guess that AMG has cranked up the boost for the PureSpeed, to make sure you’re getting even more bugs in your teeth.
The red livery of the PureSpeed is meant to evoke the brand’s success at the 1924 Targa Florio in which driver Christian Werner took the victory in a Mercedes 2-litre. The car was painted red to prevent the Sicilian locals from interfering with the German car’s progress, as they might think it was a local hero Alfa-Romeo instead. That kind of clever camouflage, along with a fast car, won them the race. That car wore the number 10, as this car does as well.
There’s no word yet on what the production Mythos version of the car will cost, but given that the AMG SL 63 Roadster starts at $183,000 even, it probably won’t be cheap. Start saving your pennies for when the production version bows for next year.