A cult Swedish hypercar manufacturer is challenging Bugatti for its most prized automotive record

The automaker claims that its latest car is capable of an eye-watering speed.

Feb 8, 2024 - 04:30

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A cult Swedish hypercar manufacturer is challenging Bugatti for its most prized automotive record

Anyone who knows a little bit about cars might bring up names like Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini or even Bugatti if you ask them to name the fastest cars in the world.

Though the exotic marques mentioned produce cars capable of breaking 200 miles per hour, a small automaker from Sweden with a cult following thinks such breakneck speed is light work — and it is prepared to lay its name in the history books once and for all.

In a recent interview with Swedish automotive publication CarUp, Koenigsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg said that his firm is running to break 310 miles per hour with a car that customers will be able to purchase.

The Swede's latest creation is called the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut, an aerodynamic sports car-shaped bullet designed solely to be fast in a straight line. Powered by a 1,625 horsepower 5-liter twin-turbo V8 that takes E85 biofuel, Koenigsegg believes that the car can easily break such an eye-watering speed.

"What we have said is that our theoretical models show that the car can handle over 500 km/h (310 mph). Now we want to show what the car is capable of in reality," Koenigsegg told Carup, translated from Swedish.

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In a statement made during the car's reveal three years ago, Koenigsegg vowed that the Jesko Absolut would be the "fastest Koenigsegg ever made," so fast that it would "never endeavor to make a faster series-production road car – ever."

Given such a promise, Koenigsegg seeks to make things right with the history books.

In 2019, Volkswagen-backed Bugatti (VLKAF) announced that it broke the Swede's 2017 speed record, with a specially prepared pre-production version of its Chiron hitting 304 miles per hour — edging out Koenigsegg's 277.9 miles per hour record with the Agera RS.

To achieve the 300+ mile an hour burst, the Bugatti was tuned to make more power than the normal run-of-the-mill Chiron, including more power and modified aerodynamics. Additionally, the car was fitted with a racing-spec roll cage and seats, a longer seventh gear and purpose-built, non-DOT Michelin tires.

A pre-production Bugatti Chiron at the Ehra-Lessien test track in 2019.
Bugatti

Because of such technicalities, such a "record" does not sit well with Mr. Koenigsegg.

"Bugatti has only driven in one direction and with a car in a specification that customers cannot buy,” Koenigsegg said. “Even SSC's [formerly known as Shelby SuperCars] record is set with a car that is not homologated for road use. Our record with the Koenigsegg Agera was set with a production car, and the new record attempt will also be made with a series-produced Jesko fully approved for street use.”

Koenigsegg also wants to go the extra mile and attempt the record on a public road, as SSC and Bugatti have used test tracks.

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"We are currently looking for a straight stretch that is long enough and where the traffic can be shut down; it is not entirely easy," Koenigsegg said. "It will probably not be in Sweden, but abroad."

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