Mercedes-Benz Ciento Once by GWA Tuning

The Ciento Once is not an official Mercedes concept, instead its constructor is an American tuning firm called GWA.

Arturo Alonso, GWA's owner, decided that he wanted to build a one-off supercar which was inspired by theMercedes C111 prototypes from the 60s and 70s.

The original Mercedes C111 prototypes were technological tour-de-forces which were designed to showcase and test the company's latest technologies and materials.

However, unlike the first C111 which was powered by a rotary Wankel engine, the Mercedes Ciento Once (one hundred eleven in Spanish) will be powered by a Mercedes 6.0 litre, 48 valve, V12 which produces 408 horsepower. The engine will be put on display in the middle of the car, visible through a glass window on the rear deck. The power is sent to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox from Cima.

The Mercedes Ciento Once concept features a slightly shorter wheelbase than the C111, but the weight will be similar at 1,400 kgs (3,086 lbs).

In order to build the Ciento Once, GWA Tuning has borrowed elements from a variety of Mercedes models. The brakes come from the S55 AMG, while the wheels are GWA designed units normally designated for the SLS supercar.

Inside, the Mercedes Ciento Once has been designed to look somewhat like the original C111, but with updated features. The lightweight carbon fiber seats are trimmed in retro plaid fabric, while the instumentation is designed to mimic that of classic Mercedes models.

The Ciento Once's body will be hand formed out of aluminum and includes the electric-operated rear adjustable wing. To improve the aerodynamics, a rear diffuser and front spoiler with a big air intake will guide the air flow into the radiators and then out through the hood vents.