Koenigsegg Will Try To Break The Production Car Speed Record, Again

Back in 2019, when the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport hit 304.77mph, we sort of assumed it was a line in the sand for road car top speeds. Not only did it seem like we were reaching the limits of what might be physically possible in a production car, but 300mph seemed like a sensible place to stop anyway - there are only a few places in the world where it’s possible, even then, it’s not like the Chiron’s owners can just pitch up and have a go. The only reason to continue is bragging rights.

Clearly, Christian Von Koenigsegg doesn’t feel the same way. Speaking to Swedish website Carup, the CEO and founder of Koenigsegg has confirmed that a new record attempt is in the works, using the firm’s wild Jesko Absolut, the first production example of which has recently been delivered.

In the article (translated from Swedish), Von Koenigsegg said: “Hopefully we can go for the record… this year. We are currently looking for a straight stretch that is long enough and where the traffic can be shut down.”

The Absolut is one of two versions of the Jesko, the latest in Koenigsegg’s long line of organ-rearranging fast hypercars that stretches right back to the original CC8S from 2002. While the Jesko Attack is a hunkered-down, downforce-heavy beast designed to go as fast as possible around a track, the Absolut is built with one thing in mind: top speed.

It’s powered by a 5.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 that can produce nearly 1600bhp when run on E85 bio-ethanol fuel. It puts that power down through Koenigsegg’s hideously complicated nine-speed, seven(!)-clutch Light Speed Transmission. Designed to be as slippery as possible, it has a drag coefficient of 0.278 - exactly the same as a McLaren Speedtail. Koenigsegg hasn’t had the opportunity to give it a top-speed run yet, but their simulations indicate a top speed north of 310mph.

Von Koenigsegg is clear that he wants this to be an official record attempt. To make it official, the speed run needs to be done in two directions, with an average taken as the final figure. It’s for this reason that the officially recognised record is already held by Koenigsegg - 278mph, achieved by the Agera RS in 2017. Though that speed has since been bested by both the Chiron and the 295mph SSC Tuatara, both of those cars only achieved their speeds in one direction, so technically don’t count.

So, Koenigsegg wants to take the record back… from itself. Still, if it really can breach 310mph, it’s hard to see anything else coming close for a long time. We’ll be waiting with bated breath.