Koenigsegg Swedish hypercars confirmed for Australia

AS LIAM Neeson’s Jedi Master Qui-Gon Gin once famously said during 2001’s Star Wars Episode 1 –The Phantom Menace, “there’s always a bigger fish”.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the automotive industry, after all, the likes of Toyota, Honda and Mazda are topped by Mercedes, BMW and Audi, and they in turn sit below Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini on the hierarchy.

But even those big fish better watch out because here comes something bigger. Enter Swedish hypercar-maker Koenigsegg into the Australian market as it positions itself to blow everything else away.

Though just a teaser image for now, the first factory-backed Koenigsegg model to hit Australian shores will be shown at next year’s Geneva motor show.

If the above picture, which was first seen at a special event in Melbourne, doesn’t exactly fill you with lust, it’s because the car coming to Australia has not yet been revealed – that’s going to happen in March at the Geneva motor show.

What else do we know about the incoming model? Well its going to replace the existing Agera RS and will likely be motivated by a twin-turbocharged 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine.

Mid-mounted in the Agera RS, it makes up to 1000kW/1370Nm that is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission for a zero to 100km/h time of just 2.8 seconds – but expect the new Koenigsegg to better those benchmarks.

Powered by a beefy twin-turbocharged 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, the Agera RS can pump out as much as 1000kW of power and 1370Nm of torque.

To put that into perspective, the Agera RS is more powerful than an Audi R8 V10 Plus and a Nissan GT-R Nismo combined, and produces about as much torque as 10 entry-level Renault Clios.

The Agera RS is also officially recognised as the world’s fastest production car, with a verified top speed of 447km/h to beat out the likes of the Bugatti Chiron, Porsche 911 Turbo S and Ferrari LaFerrari.

Also expect to see some crazy aerodynamic bodywork in the new Koenigsegg, which should cover a road-hugging bodykit, gigantic boot spoiler, huge rear diffuser and ankle-clipping front splitter.

With a verified top speed of 447km/h, the Agera RS is officially recognised by the Guinness World Records as the faster production car to date.

Unfortunately, the Agera RS will likely not touch down on Australian soil, as its production run has just wound down – with the final versions dubbed Thor and Vadar – and each one already accounted for.

Likewise, Koenigsegg’s other current model, the Regera, has already been allocated to customers around the world, meaning Australia will likely miss out on the ground-breaking hybrid hypercar.

Pairing the brand’s twin-turbo 5.0-litre V8 with electric motors means the Regera outputs 1119kW of power and 2000Nm torque for the same 2.8s 0-100km/h time.

Combining electric motors with a 5.0-litre twin-turbo V8 means the Regera reaches a scarcely believable 1119kW of power and mountain-moving 2000Nm of torque.

Company founder Christian von Koenigsegg even developed a bespoke single-gear Direct Drive system for the plug-in hybrid powertrain to replace a traditional transmission as a means to save weight.

But, Koenigsegg public relations manager Steven Wade said there still might be a chance for one well-heeled buyer to park a Regera on their driveway – and that way is to buy from a dealer overseas that has allocation and ship it Down Under.

It would cost the buyer somewhere in the vicinity of about $5 million though, given the circa-€2 million ($A3.13 million) base price, mark-up from the dealer, then shipping, stamp duty and luxury car tax.

All 80 examples of the Koenigsegg Regera are already accounted for, but someone from Australia still has a chance to buy one if they purchase from overseas and have it shipped Down Under.

It would likely be the only Regera in the country and would be even more exclusive than the upcoming Agera RS replacement that will be sold out of Melbourne’s Lorbek Luxury cars from around 2020.

The new car currently wears an indicative pricetag of between $4-5 million, with about five examples out of 125 earmarked for the Australian market.

However, the incoming Agera-replacing, or the Regera, will not be the first Koenigsegg to touch down on Australia soil – that distinction goes to the CCR and CCX.

With only 14 units built, the 601kW/920Nm Koenigsegg CCR is one of the rarest – and quickest –automobiles in Australia.

Powered by a Ford-sourced, but heavily Koenigsegg modified, twin-supercharged 4.7-litre V8 engine, the CCR produces 601kW of power and 920Nm of torque.

First released in 2004 with just 14 examples built, the CCR can accelerate from 0-100km/h 3.2s thanks to its super-slippery bodywork and aggressive aerodynamics.

The CCX meanwhile, succeeded the CCR in 2006 and uses the same powertrain, albeit in detuned form to meet US regulations, producing 593kW/920Nm.

If the eye-catching aerodynamic bodywork isn’t enough, Australia’s only Koenigsegg CCX is finished in an attention-grabbing bright orange paintwork.

With a chassis made from carbon-fibre reinforced with Kevlar and aluminium honeycomb and a removable targa hardtop, the CCX is one of the fastest open-top cars in world with a top speed of over 395km/h.

Just 30 examples of the CCX were produced, the first of which was infamously crashed on Top Gear’s circuit due to what the presenters cited as sub-optimal downforce.

Based on the brand’s history with world-conquering hypercars, Koeninsegg’s latest model should be equal measures fast and scary, but who is going to stump up $5 million for one?
 

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