Mercedes-AMG didn’t unveil the much-talked about hypercar that it was developing at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. But it did confirm its existence, which some, myself included, think is the next best thing. The thought of a Mercedes-AMG hypercar is exciting enough in it of itself and according to Motoring, a Mercedes customer in Australia took his excitement over the car to the next level by actually making a deposit for it and reportedly becoming the first person in the world to pay for the chance to own the highly anticipated hypercar.

Mercedes-Benz Australia Senior Manager for Product and Corporate Communications David McCarthy confirmed the unusual bit of customer excitement, even though he refused to disclose the amount paid for by the customer. Considering the expected seven-figure price tag of the car, it’s within reach to think that the deep-pocketed customer shelled out a significant amount to be first in line to get the car when it arrives in late 2018.

The hype surrounding the hypercar is as real as it gets, even in a right-hand-drive country like Australia. Despite AMG boss Tobias Moers confirming that the hypercar would only be built in a left-hand drive configuration, McCarthy nevertheless confirmed that there would be stocks of the car that will head Down Under.

It’s unclear how the LHD hypercar can navigate around the country’s transport rules, but if the customer wants to have it licensed for road use, some kind of conversion could take place, otherwise the car will likely end up being a showpiece in his garage.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Rules in Australia make it tricky to own one

While I don’t subscribe to the practice of making a deposit for a car that’s still a few years away from getting released, it’s hard to blame this customer for getting his slot booked for this particular car. See, the AMG hypercar is not just any car; it’s going to join the rarefied air of hypercars that today only includes a handful of models. Aston Martin’s AM-RB 001 is expected to follow suit before the yet-to-be-named AMG model gets its turn in the spotlight. So yes, that customer probably shelled out a six-figure sum just for the deposit, but I don’t think he’s sweating having his money tied up on something he can’t recoup for a few more years.

The more pressing issue, for me at least, is the fact that there’s a chance that when the hypercar does arrive in Australia, it’s going to be illegal to drive on public roads. It’s one thing to be able to buy a multi-million exotic and drive it for all the world to see; it’s another thing to buy the same car and be barred from taking it out on the road because of the road laws in that country.

I’m not well-versed with the rules in the country, but I did find out that there are conditions set by Australia’s Department of Transport regarding RHD cars that can be used on the road in the country. One way to do it, as I said, is a conversion of some sort that puts the steering wheel on the other side of the cabin. It’s unclear if the AMG hypercar can accommodate such a dramatic conversion but if Mercedes-AMG green lit some models for Australia, I imagine that it’s an issue that’s already been discussed within the company and that steps are being made to allow for the car to be used in RHD countries.

Mercedes-AMG hypercar

Read our full review on the Mercedes-AMG hypercar here.

Read our full review on the Aston Martin AM-RB 001 here.