Koenigsegg News

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Tyler Rampersaud – July 29, 2022

Koenigsegg Announces A Partnership And Investment In Sola...

Partnering with Lightyear, Koenigsegg invests in an ambitious future. Lightyear is a Dutch brand that is currently developing the world’s first solar car, the Lightyear 0, which is said to enter production this fall. It features solar panels that allow the car to be charged while driving and parked, and with investment and partnership from Koenigsegg, the Lightyear 2, Lightyear’s second model, will get the benefits of Koenigsegg’s technology by the time the model goes in production in 2024 or 2025. MUST READ: The First Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Test Car Is Alive Koenigsegg is known the world over for its unfathomably fast and capable cars, feeling the need to coin a term beyond hypercars, “megacars,” to describe the creations the brand is responsible for. The innovations that the brand is responsible for are incredible, like the direct drive system in the Regera, the TFG engine in the Gemera, and plenty of others that redefine performance. Together, both Koenigsegg and Lightyear plan to partner with the hope of shedding some light on not only the performance car industry but the automotive world as a whole. View All Koenigseggs For Sale Source: Lightyear

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 25, 2022

The First Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Test Car Is Alive

Koenigsegg has a running prototype for its fastest car ever. The new Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut makes quite the statement. The “Absolut” name has quite the incomprehensible weight to it because Christian von Koenigsegg, founder and CEO of Koenigsegg says that it indicates the Jesko Absolut’s status as the fastest car that Koenigsegg will ever make. With a roster full of some of the greatest hypercars the world has ever seen, to the point where Koenigsegg spurred the use of a new term: megacar. MUST READ: Koenigsegg’s First Driveable Gemera Prototype Is Being Tested And Tuned The Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut promises to deliver 1600 horsepower and over 1100 lb/ft of torque. Combined with Koenigsegg’s 9-speed “Lightspeed” transmission, the Absolut is slated to reach speeds and achieve performance that will change the automotive world. Now, the development of the Absolut has taken an amazing step forward, with a Graphite Grey test car being made, which will be an official Koenigsegg factory testing vehicle. It sits alongside the pre-production Jesko Attack released last year. If we can count on one brand to push the world of performance forward, it’s Koenigsegg. View All Koenigseggs For Sale Source: Koenigsegg

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 15, 2022

The Koenigsegg Jesko Interrupts An Easter Egg Hunt With S...

Snow still covers the ground in northern Sweden, but nevertheless, the Koenigsegg Jesko springs into action. It’s nearly Easter, but the weather in northern Scandinavia isn’t exactly ready to bow out to the change of seasons. Considering the holiday, this video shows an Easter Egg hunt that takes place in the Swedish forest, ending at a Koenigsegg test facility. However, the eggs and the basket are completely abandoned once the egg hunter sees a Koenigsegg Jesko in the testing facility garage. MUST READ: Koenigsegg’s First Driveable Gemera Prototype Is Being Tested And Tuned Then, we get to see the Jesko take on the snow and dominate hot laps along the icy Koenigsegg test track. Being a car that performs like few others in the world, seeing it sliding around and kicking up snow is a rare opportunity, with its twin-turbo V8 engine noise adding to the show. While Scandinavian weather remains cold, leave it up to the Koenigsegg Jesko to heat things up for spring. Source: Koenigsegg

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 04, 2022

Koenigsegg's First Driveable Gemera Prototype Is Being Te...

The most revolutionary Koenigsegg yet is driveable and in testing. And that’s saying something because Koenigsegg seems to specialize in revolutionary cars. However, the Gemera is completely different. To start, it is Koenigsegg’s first four-seater. But that’s far from the only aspect about it that’s a first for the entire automotive industry, let alone for Koenigsegg. It’s a plug-in hybrid with a twin-turbo three-cylinder engine, and Koenigsegg’s incredible Koenigsegg Direct Drive transmission, all combining for a total combined 1,700 horsepower, which gets put down through all four wheels. MUST READ: What production cars have the most torque ever? FIND OUT The engine is called the Tiny Friendly Giant, or TFG, and that’s in reference to the fact that the engine, while being as small as it is at around 150 pounds, is both low on emissions and capable of using carbon-neutral renewable fuel, and big on power, revving up to a crazy-high 8.500 rpm, and capable of nearly 600 horsepower on its own, let alone in conjunction with the electric motors. Christian von Koenigsegg also says that the car is fun and easy to drive, which is probably the biggest departure from the intimidation of the “megacars” we are used to seeing from Koenigsegg. While the Gemera is still in development, it gets closer and closer to being a reality on our roads, and changing the automotive world forever, as Koenigseggs tend to. Source: Koenigsegg

By Edward Jones – February 04, 2022

Koenigsegg Announces Expansion And New Factory

Koenigsegg is poised to grow exponentially in more ways than one. If you're familiar with Koenigsegg, you may know that their production location is Valhall park where the F10 Air Force Ghost Squadron used to reside. Now, Koenigsegg is building upon that location with a massive expansion that will allow the automaker to ramp up production for the Gemera and create space for even more growth. This new expansion will create a substantial footprint of 30,000 square meters at the Valhall park location. Within the expansions, plans are many exciting bits, including the new customer lounge, Gemera factory, on-site track, experience center, and more. Due to the expansion, Koenigsegg is prepared to hire more engineers and production staff. And, let me tell you if you thought working for a company like Koenigsegg was cool before, wait until you hear about what they're doing for employees. On-site, Koenigsegg will have plenty for employees, like outdoor gyms, alfresco decking, tree pods for meetings, and what looks like a beautiful landscape. CEO and Founder Christian von Koenigsegg said: “Looking back at where we started 27 years ago, it’s incredible to think of the journey we have been on. Our expansion is a mark of our past and future relevance where we are geared towards delivering bleeding-edge mobility tech and our handcrafted ultimate performance automobiles.” Source: Koenigsegg

By Edward Jones – January 03, 2022

Koenigsegg Teases New Hypercar for 2022

Koenigsegg made an epic New Year's resolution. We've learned that the automotive world will be getting a new hypercar in 2022 thanks to an Instagram post from Koenigsegg. In the post, the automaker says: "Dear 2022, here's our New Year's resolution - More ultimate performance through clever engineering and optimal design." For the image post, there's a vehicle that's undeniably a Koenigsegg but all that is visible is its silhouette. We can speculate all day in regards to the fine details of the silhouette, but we really won't know anything concrete until Koenigsegg fully unveils their new hypercar. So, be sure to stick with us for more information as it's released. See All Koenigseggs For Sale View this post on Instagram A post shared by Koenigsegg (@koenigsegg) Source: Koenigsegg

By Jordan Aquistapace – December 27, 2021

Discover the Cover – January 2022: Silver Carbon Koenigse...

This month we are excited to feature the performance-focused Koenigsegg Regera on our cover. The hybrid hypercar is one of the most powerful production cars on the market, highlighting the abilities of the design and engineering team of the Swedish automotive manufacturer. Powering the Regera is Koenigsegg’s twin-turbocharged 5.0L V8 HEV, which produces a mind-blowing 1,502 hp and 1,450 lb-ft of torque. Buy Issue Now The power delivered to the rear wheels is managed through its state-of-the-art 1-Speed Direct Drive transmission. This makes it the most efficient hypercar on the market, capable of going 0-249 mph in only 31.49 seconds. The Koenigsegg Regera displays its nimbleness on and off the track using its state-of-the-art aerodynamic system, which blends the comfort of a luxury vehicle with the performance of a true race car. This 2021 Koenigsegg Regera is presented in Silver Carbon over Clear Carbon with Apple Red stripes to highlight its unique body lines. Inside is a Desiato and Glacier leather interior with contrasting Lingonberry stitching. It is available now through the hypercar professionals at Koenigsegg Charlotte for $5,649,996. View Online Listing

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By Edward Jones – September 23, 2021

Koenigsegg CCX Turned Into the World's Fastest Coloring B...

Although the title of the World's Fastest Art Car belongs to another Koenigsegg x James Jean project. Koenigsegg and James Jean have revealed yet another art car to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Festival of Children Foundation. The first art car was a Koenigsegg Agera RS art car covered in a wrap that features James Jean's "Pomegranate" artwork. For this Koenigsegg CCX, nicknamed "Big Brother" it has been wrapped in his images titled, "Les Forestiers II." Across the car, you'll discover imagery of fiction fauna and flora in a completely seamless pattern. When this Koenigsegg is on display at Ancillary Studios in Southcoast Plaza on September 25th and 26th, guests will be able to color the hypercar just as if it were a coloring book. For more information about the event, be sure to check out @ancillarystudios on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CUKzXzulUd9/?utm_medium=copy_link

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By Edward Jones – September 07, 2021

World Record Koenigsegg Agera RS Gets Wrapped With Artwor...

All done for a great cause. On November 4, 2017, A Koenigsegg Agera RS managed to reach a record-breaking average top speed of 277.9 mph on Nevada State Route 160. This Agera RS actually has a name, Ruthie, and it has actually been given an artistic wrap to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Festival of Children Foundation. This wrap is made from one of James Jean's paintings titled "Pomegranate". Jean worked with Wrap Legends to make the new look happen and the results are phenomenal. If you'd like to see the Koenigsegg x James Jean x Ruthie collaboration for yourself, it will be on display at Ghost Squadron at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California. If you'd like to learn more about the Festival of Children Foundation, click here. Source: @jamesjeanart/Instagram Source: @jamesjeanart/Instagram Source: @jamesjeanart/Instagram

By Edward Jones – July 19, 2021

Full Koenigsegg Jesko Walkthrough With Christian von Koen...

A look at the exciting Jesko, courtesy of Christian von Koenigsegg. Now that the pre-production version of the Koenigsegg Jesko has been unveiled, the automotive community is waiting patiently for the first customer deliveries. To help us bide our time, Koenigsegg recently uploaded a full walkthrough video of the Jesko. Hosting the walkthrough is none other than the man behind the company, Christian von Koenigsegg. In the video, found up above, he takes us through every little detail of the Jesko. From the massive active rear wing to the Ultimate Power On Demand (UPOD) system, it's all in this video. He also takes the Jesko out and absolute rips it, allowing us to hear the brutal sound this hypercar creates. See all Koenigseggs currently for sale by clicking the button below. Koenigseggs For Sale Source: Koenigsegg

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