Now the cat is out of the bag! For days, Mercedes-AMG caused a stir on Instagram with mysterious teasers. Together with the artist Will.i.am, the people from Affalterbach have put a spectacular one-off on wheels. As part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami 2022, the “WILL.I.AMG” christened special conversion from the “The Flip” project will be shown publicly for the first time!
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In co-operation with
Mercedes-AMG presented Will.i.am as a brand ambassador back in September 2021. Under the slogan “Everything but quiet”, William James Adams Jr., as Will.i.am is called by his full name, presented the 843 hp Mercedes-AMG GT 63 SE Performance in a 60-second film.
The basis is the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door
Now the collaboration has been taken to the next level. Based on the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door, Will.i.am, in cooperation with the well-known US tuner West Coast Customs, has created a spectacular vehicle that is only slightly reminiscent of the GT 4-door.
Two doors instead of four: the spectacular one-off doesn’t have much in common with the base vehicle, the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door.
Let’s start with the angular front, which was taken over almost one-to-one from the Mercedes G-Class. Round headlights sit in square housings, including additional air intakes with AMG logos. The grille is equipped with slats, and even the logo is completely new. Here, Will.i.am came up with a bear-like symbol that incorporated the Mercedes star.
Under the name “Bear Witness” there will be a limited collection of clothing and accessories, which was also created in cooperation with Mercedes-AMG and will be available from May 6, 2022, 6 p.m.
But back to the car: air slits can be seen on the bonnet, which are supposed to be reminiscent of the SLS AMG. The side view is much more spectacular, because the former four-door sedan has become a two-door coupé with rear-hinged suicide doors, the silhouette of which resembles the Rolls-Royce Wraith.
The angular lines are also noticeable in the profile, together with a style-defining air guide element that runs from the front fender to the rear.
The engine was not touched
There is currently no picture of the rear view. But you can see that the “WILL.I.AMG” has two glass roof inserts – the whole thing is reminiscent of the Sky View option from Bugatti. The chromed AMG monoblock rims, on the other hand, are a reference to the base vehicle.
It has not yet been communicated which version of the AMG GT 4-door this is. However, it is more than likely that the top model GT 63 SE Performance with 843 hp advertised by Will.i.am served as the basis.
A six-part documentary series called “Drive” has been created for the complex conversion, which will be premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Anyone who now thinks that the one-off is an eccentric project of self-portrayal is wrong, because Will.i.am and Mercedes-AMG want to achieve more with the “The Flip” project. The aim of the project is a good cause in which socially disadvantaged students should have easier access to subjects such as math, IT, natural sciences and technology in order to learn better skills for future-oriented professions.
Against this background, part of the proceeds from the “Bear Witness” collection and all other campaigns related to the unique piece will go to the will.i.am foundation “i.am.angel Foundation”.
