Superstar will.i.am and Mercedes-AMG corporation have prepared to take the innovation of vehicles — and students of disadvantaged communities — to the next level.

During the Formula 1™ Grand Prix USA Weekend, the two have reimagined collaboration through “The Flip,” a revolutionary automotive structure. With the one-off vehicle — named WILL.I.AMG — Mercedes AMG and will.i.am are putting the visual behind pushing boundaries to drive new ideas forward.

“I grew up in a ghetto. I grew up with hip hop. I watched legendary hip hop artist rap about Mercedes, so it was always a dream to own a Mercedes. For a lot of inner-city kids, owning a Mercedes is a symbol of progress and advancing out of struggle,” said will.i.am in an exclusive statement. “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. The story of the founders of AMG truly inspires me and it is energizing to collaborate with like-minded people who also seek continuous improvement.”

“The Flip”

The world premiere of the new invention will take place during this weekend’s Formula 1™ Grand Prix USA set to take place in Miami, FL.

The vehicle, which builds upon the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé, features modifications that aim to set the standard for vehicles in the future.

“Our cooperation with will.i.am has reached a new peak with ‘The Flip.’ We have inspired and motivated each other in the realisation of this holistic concept, which is far more than an exceptional automotive one-off. We take our responsibility to society seriously. The success of Mercedes-AMG as a Performance Luxury brand also depends to a large extent on inspiring the next generation and giving them easy access to the latest technologies and digital progress. It is part of our tradition to always be pioneers and to dare to do something new. We are continuing this legacy into the future together with will.i.am and ‘The Flip,’” said Philipp Schiemer, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

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Representation Matters

In a world where extravagant cars are often seen in music videos or while flipping through a magazine, the overarching goal of will.i.am and Mercedes-AMG’s project is to provide disadvantaged students with more access to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM).

The pair believes providing children with that access will equip them with skills needed for jobs that could potentially change the trajectory of technology forever.