Koenigsegg CC8S (2002)
There are other good things about Sweden, apart from köttbullar (Swedish meatballs)
If you think that Sweden is just a place to find boxy Volvos and weird Saabs, then the following fact will surprise you: One of the three fastest production cars in the world was designed and built in Sweden.
In a world dominated by Italian, German, and England exotic car manufacturers such as Pagani, Bugatti (this is a French brand though), Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, McLaren, Porsche and Audi, a Sweden company has managed to sneak in with a series of astonishing ultra-exotic cars. The term “hypercar” was created to describe a category of take no prisoners, no expenses ceiling, the sky is the limit vehicles that started to appear in the last fifteen years and began with the 2005 Bugatti Veyron.
Do hypercars make any sense at all?
There is a lot of negative things that can be said about hypercars: they are absurdly expensive overengineered status symbols, and they are in fact not really driven most of the time. The usual buyers of this kind of cars consider them an investment rather than a transportation device.
So, most of these concoctions spend their days in climate-controlled garages, with maybe a few hundred km on their odometers. But these cars are, in some way, the contemporary equivalent of the Renaissance arts of work made by artists for their patrons.
Christian von Koenigsegg
Back to Sweden, let me introduce you to Christian von Koenigsegg, a seemingly average bald guy born in Stockholm in 1972 in a well being family. He showed a remarkable interest in cars since his early age, he studied in a Swedish boarding school and after studying some economics, decided to pursue his true dream: to design, build and sell the highest performance sports cars in the world, period.
He started to pursue his dream aactively in 1994, when he was 22 years old, by creating his own company called Koenigsegg Automotive AB and focusing on a series of engineering developments that he patented and worked out as the basis for his goal.
Koenigsegg factory building in Ängelholm, Sweden. a formeer Sweden Air Force base.
The CC8S, Koenigsegg Automotive AB’s first creation
Eventually, after 8 years, Koenigsegg Automotive AB presented its first creation: the Koenigsegg CC8S sports car. Six units were built and sold at a base price of 580000 USD, contributing to the creation of the hypercar concept and putting every existing exotic car into shame.
The 2002 CC8S
Equipped with a Ford designed, 665 Hp modular V8 that was almost completely rebuilt inhouse by Koenigsegg’s team, the CC8S matched or surpassed the performance of its contemporary: the Ferrari Enzo, which was designed and built to be the ultimate Ferrari and the last model signed by Enzo Ferrari before his death. Curiously, the Enzo was more expensive than the CC8S with a base price of 660000 USD and a lot less exclusive, since 400 units were built. This means that there are 66 Enzos for each CC8S in existence.
The CC8S presented the basic Koenigsegg design elements which have been employed until the present: a rounded shape that is defined as much by aerodynamics as well as for aesthetics. A middle-mounted engine with a low center of gravity and the patented dihedral synchro helical actuation doors, perhaps the most overengineered method for car door opening ever employed. You must watch it in action to get the idea.
Going deep into hypercar territory
The CC8S was followed in 2002 by the CCR, which received an improved Ford Modular V8 engine that now produced 806 hp due mainly to the twin Rotrex Superchargers added, one for each group of 4 cylinders. It also featured improved aerodynamics like a rear wing and a redesigned front splitter for increased downforce. Suspension and brakes were also upgraded to cope with the 920 Nm of torque that the engine delivered.
On February 28, 2005, a standard CCR was sent to the high-speed test track built by Fiat in Nardó, Italy. It achieved a world record as the fastest production car with a top speed of 387.87 km/h (241.01 mph).
This record lasted less than 2 months, when a Bugatti Veyron prototype reached 408.7 km/h (253.81 mph).
It must be mentioned, though, that the Veyron has a monstruous engine: an 8-liter W16 equipped with quad turbochargers that delivers 1000 hp and 1250 Nm of torque. Two additional facts: even the Veyron is more common than the CCR: there production run of Veyrons was 500 coupes and 300 convertibles, with a base price of 1.6 million Euros. There are only 14 CCRs in the world, and they had a base price of 650000 USD.
The record breaking CCR
The CCR was succeeded by the CCX in 2006, and this model was designed to be compliant with regulations in all the world, so it could also be sold in the US. In order to comply with California’s environmental requirements, the Ford modular V8 engine was replaced with an inhouse designed and built Koenigsegg 4.7-liter twin turbo V8 that equaled the Ford’s 806 hp power output while being able to run on 91 octanes fuel, the most common type available in the US. It could reach 395 km/h (245 mph). Its list price was 700000 USD, a price which looks like a steal when compared with its challenger, the Bugatti Veyron.
CCX, a continuous evolution
The Koenigsegg CCX
A total of 49 CCXs and its variants were built until 2010, being the following the most notable:
The CCXR, which was an “environmentally friendly” version adapted to use E85 or E100 ethanol-based fuel as well as standard 98 octane fuel. When using ethanol, the engine’s power output increases to 1032 Hp and torque goes up to 1060 Nm. This is due to the higher-octane rating of ethanol and because the engine runs cooler with this fuel.
The CCX Edition and the CCXR Edition received a remapped 4.8-liter twin supercharged Koenigsegg V8 with 888 Hp on normal gasoline, further improvements on aerodynamics and a track-oriented suspension.
The CCXR Special Edition offered more downforce thanks to a special rear spoiler and some aerodynamic tuning. It also was the first Koenigsegg equipped with a paddle shift gear change system.
Finally, there was the CCXR Trevita, three units that featured the patented “Koenigsegg Proprietary Diamond Weave”, which is a diamond finish layered over the cars carbon-fiber bodywork. This process proved to be too complex and was never used again. The three Trevitas were sold at 4800000 USD and are the most coveted Koenigsegg cars by collectors.
One of the three Trevitas built
From the total run of 49 CCX units built in all its variants, one was used for crash test and therefore destroyed, and another is used at the factory for testing purposes.In the hypercar environment last year’s top of the line model becomes passe very quickly, so in 2011 the CCXR was replaced by the Agera.
Agera, playing in the major leagues
The Agera has a 5-liter twin turbo V8, which initially delivered 947 hp and 1100 NM of torque. The engine features a carbon-fiber manifold and it is entirely made from aluminium. It weighs just 197 kg. The specially developed 7 speed dual clutch transmission weighs only 81 kg.
The 2011 Agera
The manufacturer specs claimed a 0 to 100 km/h time of 2.8 seconds, a 0 to 200 km/h time of 8 seconds, and a 0 to 200 to 0 km/h time of 13.5 seconds. Top speed was claimed to be 400 km/h.
The Agera was continuously improved over its 7 years of production life. With each new version delivering more power. So, power went from the original Agera’s 947 HP, through the Agera R with 1124 hp, the Agera S with 1016 Hp using normal fuel and 1030 Hp using ethanol, to the last version called The Agera Final or Koenigsegg One:1, which delivered an astounding total of 1360 Hp thanks to some hand tuning.
The Agera Final or Koenigsegg One:1
Every Koenigsegg is unique
By this time, each Koenigsegg made car was in fact unique, due to the almost infinitely available options or customer’s requests. Koenigsegg Automotive AB had become a world class leader in the design and fabrication of carbon-fiber components and had regained the worlds record as the fastest production car reaching 458 km/h on November 4, 2017, using a standard Agera RS. It also took the 0 to 400 to 0 km/h record at 36.44 seconds, 5.56 seconds better than the Bugatti Chiron. The Agera RS production run ended in 2018.
The interior of an Agera Final or One of 1
Regera, going hybrid into the GT class
The next step for Koenigsegg was the Regera, a car which is still in production. The planned production run is 80 units, al of them are already sold.
The 2019 Regera
The Regera signals a change on the basic concept of Koenigsegg’s approach towards car design. Switching from a track-oriented design, which made emphasis on light weight and a somewhat spartan approach to comfort, the Regera is Koenigsegg’s view on what a GT car should be like.
Additionally, its other radical innovation was the use of and hybrid powertrain.
Christian von Koenigsegg had acquired a Tesla Model S P85+ and was baffled by the immediate response of an electric motor. To provide the Regera with such a response, Koenigsegg took the hybrid approach.
Damn the transmission!!!
The Regera ditches the 7-speed dual clutch transmission for a single gear direct-drive system. By doing this, the additional weight from the three electric motors and the required batteries is compensated. These motors provided the quick initial response of an electric car, leaving the 5-liter twin turbo V8 to take charge at higher speeds, where the electric motors are not as effective.
The Regera’s torque converter equipped hybrid engine
So, the Regera does not have a gearbox, it employs a custom designed torque converter which works as a hydraulic continuous variable transmission.
Carbon fiber is the new black
The company’s expertise on carbon-fiber components fabrication was complemented with the incorporation of 3d printing techniques, The car design employed advanced virtual reality technology.
The Regera naked carbon fiber body exposed
Carbon fiber 3d printing allowed the creation of hollow carbon-fiber wheels, which are lighter than the actual tires that the car uses. To minimize lag the turbochargers feature variable geometry turbo rotors. 3D printing is also employed for large parts of the body and the exhaust port.
Some facts and figures
The Regera has a combined power output of 1797 hp, but, due to the torque converted the mechanical power output is 1500 Hp.
The car has a 4500 Wh, 800 V battery that is recharged using a kinetic energy recovery system battery, just like current F1 cars.
The use of the Koenigsegg Direct Drive system makes it possible for the Regera to be only 88 kg heavier than an Agera.
The Regera is as fast from 0 to 100 km/h as the Agera at 2,8 seconds, but is faster from 0 to 200 km/h, 300 km/h and 400 km/h.
On September 23rd, 2019, a Regera broke the 0 to 400 to 0 km/h world record at 31,5 seconds.
Jesko, back to the track
The emphasis on luxury and comfort made the Regera almost a Grand Touring hypercar. But some customers demanded a track-oriented vehicle from Koenigsegg.
The company delivered just that with the Jesko, which is under production in parallel with the Regera. The planned production plans are for 80 Regeras, all of them are already sold.
The 2019 Jesko
The 2019 Jesko employs an improved version of the Kopenigsegg’s designed 5.0-liter twin turbocharged V8.
It delivers 1281 Hp with standard gasoline and 1603 Hp on Ethanol based biofuel. Several design changes allowed for some weight savings. In order to minimize turbo lag the car has a 20 liter carbon fiber air tank that works as a reservoir to provide enough compressed air to the turbochargers.
The transmission is an inhouse developed 9 speed dual clutch system that weighs only 90 kg and is smaller than the previous 7 speed dual clutch one used in the Ageras. It’s a really fast transmission system, its shift time is between 20 and 30 milliseconds. The driver can upshift or downshift as required but the transmission will shift to the gear it considers appropriate.
The Jesko generates a lot of downforce, up to 1400 kg at its claimed top speed of 531km/h (330 mph), although this claim is still unverified.
12 Jeskos are planned to be built in a three-year long production run, all of them are already sold.
Gemera, Koenigsegg family car
Finally, in March 2020 Koenigsegg presented a truly revolutionary vehicle, the Gemera.
The 2020 Gemera
Unlike all the previous Koenigsegg cars made, the Gemera is not a two seat sports hypercar, but is a four-seat grand touring coupé.
Gemera’s huge doors opened
It is full of radical innovations, starting from a radically new Koenigsegg engine:
The Gemera has a compact internal combustion engine with a strange layout, with a 2.0-liter twin turbocharged three in line cylinder configuration. The engine is camlesss, this means that the valvetrain is actuated by solenoids managed by the engines control computer instead of using a camshaft. The compact engine weighs just 70 kg. It also features a cylinder deactivation system that can reduce fuel consumption by up to 20%, depending upon driving conditions.
The Gemera’s hybrid drivetrain
The compact engine produces 600 Hp and 600 NM of torque and works in parallel with three electric motors (two for each rear wheel and one for the front wheels. The combined power output is 1700 Hp and 3500 NM of torque when run on ethanol-based biofuel. Working in a hybrid mode, the Gemera’s range is 1000 km. Extra features include all wheel drive and torque vectoring. Although it has two doors, they are long enough to make access to either the front or the rear seats without difficulty. All imaginable comfort amenities are available. A production run of 300 Gemeras is planned.
Claimed top speed is 400 km/h (249 mph) and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 1.9 seconds. Using only the electric motors, the car can reach 300 km/h.
The Gemera’s interior
Some final thoughts
This is it. The full account of the evolution of Koenigsegg as a company and of the cars it builds. So why the brand is so obscure, known only to car geeks and shameless rich collectors?
My guess is that Christian von Koenigsegg approach is based not in massive exposition, but on a careful marketing approach directed to the connoisseurs. Also, this approach is reinforced by reaching technological new grounds, which are somewhat difficult to appreciate by the average person.
In comparison, Bugatti’s approach is backed up by VWs big money pockets and is based not so much on high tech but on brute force. Koenigsegg’s approach seems more relevant in an age where the use of fossil fuels is starting to be perceived as environmentally negative and politically incorrect.
It is also probable that these hypercars are the last manifestation of the car as the ultimate personal transportation symbol. The ongoing trend to EVs and autonomous vehicles certainly eliminates most of the points that were the basis for the development of car culture. If this is the case, well, then Koenigsegg’s approach to car design is the engineering equivalent of a supernova, going away with as much drama as it can.