Will Mercedes-AMG and musician.i.am have collaborated to transform an AMG GT into a cross between an SLS Gullwing and a G-wagon SUV.
The one-of-a-kind concept, dubbed “The Flip,” will be unveiled at the Grand Prix USA in Miami, Florida. It is the latest result of a partnership between the automaker and the hip-hop artist, which began in September 2021 and was designed to help underprivileged communities gain access to arts and science education.
It is not immediately apparent that the project is based on an AMG GT 4-Door coupe unless you can see the rear end from your vantage point. The four conventionally opening doors on each side of the GT have been substituted with a single rear-opening suicide door.
The true shocker, however, is the square-jawed nose, which is clearly inspired by the front end of the G-Class SUV, a perennial hip-hop favourite. However, the low coupe roof also reminds us of a fake 1965 Ford Mustang fastback. A pair of circular headlamps are affixed on either side of a rectangular grille in which the traditional Mercedes three-pointed star has been repurposed as a bear’s mouth.
The “Bear Witness” feature is a visible link to a collection of apparel with the same name that will be available at the Mercedes-AMG Experience Centre in Miami and online. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the i.am/Angel Foundation, which aims to provide STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education to communities in order to help them escape poverty.
The lower half of the bumper is crammed with voracious air intakes, the outer pair of which feature AMG’s segmented stripe logo, and the pronounced hood bulge alludes at the unspecified number of horsepower housed below. AMG does not specify which engine The Flip is equipped with, which seems odd if the goal is to encourage children to pursue careers in technology. No matter if it’s the 362 hp (367 PS) inline six from the AMG GT 43 or the 630 hp (639 PS) twin-turbo V8 from the GT 63 S, it’s standard.
Will.i.am said in a statement, “I didn’t touch the engine because AMG really does make the best engines.”
We don’t get a good look at the rear design or the interior, so we assume they’re stock as well, but the rims are not. Will.i.am alludes to their antiquated design, which features five short, fat spokes, as being influenced by wheels on AMG vehicles from the 1990s, such as the E55.
“I was raised in a barrio. I was raised on hip-hop. I heard legendary hip-hop artists croon about Mercedes, so it was always a goal of mine to own one,” the celebrity explained. “For many inner-city youth, owning a Mercedes is a symbol of progress and overcoming adversity. Now that I’ve accomplished my objective, I’ve pushed myself even further by reimagining and constructing my own vision for an AMG model.”