Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes-AMG “The Flip” revealed as one-off sports car for will.i.am

Music star will.i.am has partnered with Mercedes’ high-performance division to produce a bespoke two-door coupe, called “The Flip”

Mercedes-AMG has revealed a new sports car created in collaboration with music star will.i.am, a founding member of the Black Eyed Peas. Called “The Flip”, the radical coupe is based on the AMG GT 4-Door and takes its cues from the iconic G-Class SUV and the SLS Gullwing supercar.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The American music mogul and star of The Voice TV show enlisted the help of vehicle modification specialists West Coast Customs to design the new car. Supporting disadvantaged students was one of the project's key motivations - activities surrounding “The Flip” will fund the singer’s i.am/Angel Foundation, which promotes STEAM-based careers (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths).

Speaking about “The Flip”, will.i.am said: “For a lot of inner-city kids, owning a Mercedes is a symbol of progress and advancing out of struggle. Now I’ve reached my goal and pushed even higher by re-imagining and creating my own vision of an AMG model. But I didn't touch the engine, because AMG really does make the best engines.”

While this indicates that power output will be unchanged from the donor car, Mercedes hasn’t revealed which variant of the AMG GT 4-Door underpins “The Flip”. The most powerful pure-combustion engined model is the GT 63 S, which produces 630bhp and 900Nm of torque from its 4.0-litre twin turbocharged V8.

However, the AMG GT 4-door 63 S E-Performance is the most potent variant outright, and adds hybrid assistance. If “The Flip” borrows its powertrain from this model, then expect a colossal power output of 831bhp and 1400Nm of torque. 

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The car’s design is quite unlike anything currently offered by Mercedes’ performance division. “The Flip” has a traditional long-bonnet profile, but the details are less conventional - the sports car adopts the bluff front end design from the brand’s G-Class SUV, which frames the music star’s unique BEAR WITNESS logo. 

Like the G-Class, this one-off AMG has a flat front surface and a pair of round LED headlights. The clamshell bonnet has a central crease that splits in two over a glass roof, and there’s a hard-edged shoulderline along the car’s flanks. 

The doors are particularly striking, with a rear-hinged design similar to that of the Rolls-Royce Wraith. There’s also a deep vent cut behind the front wheels, which are diamond-cut five spoke items, not dissimilar to AMG’s famous ‘monoblock’ design. 

There are no images of the rear of the car, but a previous teaser video revealed a pair of slender LED tail lights similar to those of the standard AMG GT 4-Door. The cabin hasn’t been shown either, but will.i.am has chosen a blend of cream and black upholstery with diamond-stitched seats. “The Flip” will make its public debut at this weekend’s Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami.

Which artist and manufacturer collaboration would you like to see? Let us know in the comments...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Most expensive cars ever sold at auction
Most expensive cars - header image

Most expensive cars ever sold at auction

We count down the ten classics that have fetched the highest prices at auction
Features
6 Feb 2025
Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond
Best new cars coming soon - header image

Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond

These are the biggest and most important new cars headed our way, from brands including Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more
Best cars & vans
1 Jan 2025
New Mercedes-AMG electric super-SUV getting in shape to fight Porsche Cayenne
Mercedes AMG electric super SUV teaser

New Mercedes-AMG electric super-SUV getting in shape to fight Porsche Cayenne

AMG’s new bespoke electric car platform will underpin the large high-performance SUV, as well as a sleek four-door GT
News
12 Dec 2024
Mercedes-AMG C 63, GLC 63 and GT 63 get Brabus power tweaks
New Brabus 750 GT, 730 C63 and 730 GLC 63 headshot

Mercedes-AMG C 63, GLC 63 and GT 63 get Brabus power tweaks

The performance upgrades promise to take the Mercedes-AMG range-topper’s driving experience to the ‘next level’.
News
10 Dec 2024

Most Popular

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?
BMW X3 and Lexus NX - front tracking

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?

BMW’s much-lauded new X3 is one of the best luxury compact SUVs on the market – but is it good enough to topple the cheaper hybrid-powered Lexus NX 35…
Car group tests
8 Feb 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month
Jaguar I-Pace - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month

The I-Pace shows how good an electric Jag can be. It’s our Deal of the Day for 7 February
News
7 Feb 2025
Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month
Mazda CX-5

Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month

The Mazda CX-5 is fun to drive, features a driver-focused, premium interior and is our Deal of the Day for 9 February
News
9 Feb 2025

Find a car with the experts