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Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg are branching out, we are only accustomed to seeing purely performance orientated models coming out of their factory doors but according to reports we will see a more practical four door version unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next year.

It has been in development for the past two years, but for the project to continue further investment is required which the Swedish believe they are likely to get from the middle east where the brand is most popular.

A clay model of the four door model exists so far and despite their being many resemblances between the new model and the CCX(pictured), it will not use the same engine. The Koenigsegg engineers have been developing a new 700bhp V8 engine solely made of carbon fibre which will enable the model to reach speeds of up to 350km/h. According to our record books, this will make the new four-door Koenigsegg the fastest unmodified production car in the world.

“The four-door will be slightly cheaper than the CCX, and we hope to build 70-80 cars a year”, Andreas Petre, Koenigsegg’s Dubai manager said. Half of those sales are expected to be shipped over to the US, with 30% going to Asia and 20% in the Middles East.

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A subsidiary of Swedish supercar marque Koenigsegg has been working on a new type of valve system for engines that does away completely with the camshaft, hence the descriptor “camless” is often used. That subsidiary is FreeValve (previously Cargine), which has published a video that shows the inner workings of its revolutionary engine.

The engine relies on pneumatic valve actuators to open valves, which are then closed by air pressure or springs. Each of the valves can be controlled individually, which enables infinitely variable valve lift and duration as well as easy cylinder deactivation. A pneumatic valvetrain also draws less energy from the engine than conventional cams.

This is all said to result in both significant gains in output (up to a 30 percent increase in horsepower and torque) and a jump in fuel economy (also up to 30 percent). Overall emissions are said to be reduced significantly as well.

So what’s the hold up? Reliability, refinement and noise levels aren’t up to scratch and remain the biggest hurdles in the technology's advancement. And while such technologies won’t ultimately save the internal combustion engine from being replaced by electric motors in more and more cars, they should at least help prolong it.

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SUVs are hot right now, and as a result, even exotic car companies are getting in on the action. You can't blame a company like Bentley or Maserati for offering products that are in demand, but at the same time, it's a little disappointing they feel pressured to do so. The good news is, Koenigsegg has no intention of following suit.

Speaking to Top Gear at the Geneva Motor Show this year, Christian von Koenigsegg said it's technically possible to build an SUV on the company's platform, but he doesn't want to.

To make our carbon chassis into an SUV, you'd have to stretch that chassis. You'd keep the front and rear ends as they are, go more extreme on the thickness of the honeycomb, you'd put a carbon cage structure up top . . . technically I don't see a big issue with it . . .But I'm just not a fan of SUVs. To me they are fundamentally flawed. Sure we could sell them, but I don't want to.
So if Koenigsegg isn't working on an SUV, what is it working on? A sedan.

"It's a project we've been working on for quite some time. I'd be surprised if that's the next thing we release—because we're getting such a good response for our traditional type of supercars—but it's a car I'd love to do," von Koenigsegg said.

What a Koenigsegg sedan would look like we can only guess, but we have a feeling it's going to be wild.

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RIP Agera: a fresh, non-hybrid, more track-focused Koenigsegg is coming

Koenigsegg isn’t resting easy after claiming the 0-400kph-0 and production car top speed records in a wild 2017. Founder and boss Christian von Koenigsegg tells Top Gear that work is well underway on a new supercar, to replace the Agera.

Christian said: “We have a replacement car coming after the Agera RS. The Regera is, let’s say, the best car we can build for ‘normal road use’. It’s a kind of GT car.

“The replacement for the Agera, Agera RS and One:1 is not a hyper-GT. It’s more race-like. It’s even more capable than the Agera RS.”

Considering whether or not Koenigsegg would pursue more lap and speed records – with either the Agera or the new model – the boss said: “I think both are capable, but the replacement is even more extreme.” Our tiny mind boggles.

When will we see it? “This year we are showcasing [the new car] to our customers in virtual reality,” confirmed Mr Koenigsegg. The car doesn’t yet exist as a model, we’re told. “We will reveal it here [at the Geneva Motor Show] next year,” he added. A whole year to wish away…

So, what of the spec? CvK divulged a few precious details. He confirmed the car won’t use a hybrid system, so as to separate it from the Regera. Instead, it’ll stick with a development of the company’s twin-turbo V8.

“We refining it, making it a little bit lighter, a little bit stronger… the thing with that engine is that there’s seemingly no end to what we can do with it. We polish it out, we open it up, and suddenly we have 20 or 30 more horsepower, and it’s even stronger and more reliable. It’s fascinating how capable the structure is.

“We’re going to raise the bar a little bit,” he continued. “[It’ll do] 8,800rpm, and it’ll be 20kg lighter – all billet [aluminium]. This [car] will be lighter, more track-focused than the Regera.”

Unlike the Regera, the ‘Son of Agera’ won’t use the Direct Drive transmission, and will instead use a (relatively) conventional paddleshift gearbox. However, like all Koenigseggs to date, it will keep its open-top targa-roof bodystyle. “Yes, it’s our signature thing, like our doors. We are two cars in one – and the roof fits in the front,” said Christian.

What about the Regera? That’s selling nicely. Koenigsegg has ramped up production capacity, and will double its factory space in October 2018. Impressively, the waiting time for the 1,500bhp hybrid ‘hyper-GT’ has been slashed from four years to less than two in a mere 12 months. “I’m expecting by the end of the summer to be employing over 200 people”, Christian said.

Yet more good news for the people of Angelholm, Sweden, and their most famous exports…

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Plus: Koenigsegg would also support a customer ‘Ring lap record attempt

In November 2017, the Koenigsegg Agera RS famously blasted through the Nevada desert at an average speed of 277.9mph, on only its second flat-out run. But it could have gone even faster.

Speaking to TopGear.com at the Geneva Motor Show, we asked boss Christian von Koenigsegg if he has any niggling, fleeting wishes about trying to push it a bit harder on the day.

“For sure, we could’ve gone even faster”, the Swede says matter-of-factly, “but when the record was clearly taken, I said that’s enough.”

“You could have tumbleweeds, a rock, a nail, or a raccoon… it’s pretty windy and bumpy [too]. I was just happy we nailed it. It was a clear statement, and we beat that old Mercedes record [from 1938]. That record had lasted for way too long – it’s incredible. We could’ve pushed it more, but the risk factors involved… you just never know. We were done.”

It’s heartening to see Christian isn’t tempted by bigger headlines, and puts the safety of his test driver, Niklas Lilja, as number one concern. Quite rightly too, you’ll agree. But does that mean he encourages Hennessey, Bugatti, Rimac or whoever not to run the high-speed, 280mph+ record risk?

“Oh, no no no”, he shakes his head. “I expect we will be beaten. I was expecting Bugatti to announce that they have beaten us at this [Geneva] show!

“Of course, Hennessey says 300 miles an hour… if you have 1,600bhp or whatever they have, it should be possible. What I don’t know about the Hennessey: is it a production car? Is it a rebuilt Lotus? Is it crash-tested, or homologated? I have no idea – and to me that makes a difference. Otherwise we could just put dragsters into the equation.”

After telling Top Gear about his plans for a new Agera-replacing, V8-powered hypercar in 2019, Koenigsegg mooted the idea of once again considering the prize of scoring lap records, at the Nürburgring and beyond…

“In fact, the owner of the [277mph] record car wants to break lap records with that same car”, says Christian von Koenigsegg. “That’s what I would say our ambition is – to not have compromise. It shouldn’t just be the fastest in a [straight] line, it should be the fastest around a racetrack. And that’s contradictory, because you have super-high gear ratios to go that fast, but we also have so much power, and grip, and downforce, we can also go super quick around a racetrack with the same car. And that’s exciting, because it shows the breadth of capability.”

So, would Koenigsegg provide support if a lap record was being attempted?

“We would.” Christian replies. “The replacement for the Agera, RS and One:1 is more race-like. Whether we do it with Agera or the replacement which is more extreme and capable – I think both have a chance.”

If successful, it’d cement Koenigsegg’s already verified position as current king among hypercars. Christian is happy to reflect on how crazy the past 12 months have been – and how he balances setting records with managing the risks…

“A lot of things have happened [since the last Geneva show]! It was a busy year. [The record run] wasn’t planned, really. It kind of just happened. It was completely customer-driven. Whether we help or not, the customer was hell-bent on doing it, and it’s dangerous, so it’s better we got involved.”

“We tried to shut down a road for many years, and gave up, because we couldn’t find a place that would allow it. With the Regera, we aren’t chasing top speed any more – we’re saying it’s how fast you get from 0-400kph, or zero to 250mph. We don’t need to go faster. If you can get to those speeds on a short road, that’s more doable.”

“But the Agera still had that top speed mentality in it. [It had] the potential, the gear ratio, the rpm, and the RS with the power from the One:1 but with less aero, was even faster. It just happened to be a good match for what the customer wanted.”

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Koenigsegg only builds a handful of its high-value hypercarseach year, and sells them through a small network of dealers around the world. So the opening of a new showroom might be news in and of itself. But what’s caught our attention here is not the opening of the dealership, but what the manufacturer showed there.

At the opening of the new franchise at Lorbek Luxury Cars in Melbourne, Australia, this week, Koenigsegg showed guests this teaser sketch for its next exotic hypercar.

Billed as the replacement for the Agera RS, the new model is slated to be unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show next March. With the Agera RS and Regera hybrid both completely sold out, this as-yet unseen new model is the only one that Koenigsegg currently has available for order. And we don’t know much about it yet.

From the bare outline, the bodywork (at least from behind) looks completely different to those of the Agera or Regera – curvier than the former, and more aggressive than the latter, especially around those rear fenders. That giant rear wing looks different too, but the stance and double-bubble cockpit look distinctly Koenigsegg.

Given the company’s track record, the new model will likely be faster and more powerful than anything Christian von Koenigsegg and company have made to date – and likely more expensive, too. It will also likely carry a new name to differentiate it from the Agera, but the big question on our minds is whether it’ll be a hybrid or a completely internal-combustion affair. Considering that it’s being billed as the successor to the Agera RS (and not to the Regera), we’d bank on the latter. But we’ll have to wait to find out more of the parameters as the reveal (about nine months from now) approaches.

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Removing the Regera’s combustion engine would turn it into the most advanced EV in the world, says company boss.

Koenigsegg was founded nearly a quarter of a century ago, but it wasn’t until 2002 when company’s first production model, the CC8S, was delivered to a customer. Fast forward to present day, the Swedish niche marque has assembled a total of only about 120 cars – enough to put the company on the high-end automotive map. The most popular model of them all is undoubtedly the Agera RS, officially the world’s fastest production car after that magical weekend in Nevada last November when it took down an additional four records.

While the Agera RS may be getting all the attention these days, let’s keep in mind the Regera pictured here is actually Koenigsegg’s flagship. Already sold out, the hybrid hypercar will be produced in only 80 examples at about $1.9 million a pop. Armed with a biturbo 5.0-liter V8 and three electric motors, the Regera catapults itself to 62 mph (100 kph) in 2.8 seconds and tops out at more than 250 mph (400 kph).

The Regera is a clear sign that Koenigsegg is ready to embrace electrification and could serve as a preview for a future entirely electric hypercar. Indeed, founder and CEO, Christian von Koenigsegg, had a chat with Auto Guide during the Canadian International Auto Show about the company’s EV agenda. The head honcho argued that by removing the Regera’s internal combustion engine, it could effectively turn it into “probably the most advanced EV in the world.”

He went on to specify the Regera’s electric hardware alone is good for approximately 700 horsepower and its battery pack weighs as little as 70 kilograms (154 pounds). Christian claimed the company’s latest gem “has the world’s first homologated 800V propulsion system” and at the same time “the most extreme battery system ever created for a road car.”

These arguments prompted the man behind Koenigsegg to say:

One way to do things in the future would be to increase the EV component of the powertrain without getting rid of the ICE to create powerful hybrids, but ultimately, Christian believes fully electric models will come as a direct consequence of the continuously developing technology.

But there is a problem with entirely electric vehicles, and that would have to be the noise. While EVs are not entirely silent, the sound generated by these zero-emissions cars is not exactly appealing when compared to the grunt provided by a big V8 engine. For this reason alone, Christian von Koenigsegg believes the Regera offers the best of both worlds by combining the benefits of an electric powertrain with the aural experience of an ICE-powered car.

Rest assured that Koenigsegg’s efforts regarding electrification won’t be about increasing efficiency as the company is more interested in boosting performance. With the conventionally powered Agera RS technically being able to hit the 300-mph mark, the future certainly looks bright for performance EVs since these bring improvements on basically almost all fronts compared to cars powered solely by ICEs. Well, with the exception of noise…

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Christian von Koenigsegg, the man behind the company that holds the current record for world's fastest car, does not like to be outdone. So he did not particularly enjoy hearing the numbers regarding the forthcoming next-generation Tesla Roadster and its vaunted 1.9-second 0-60 mph time.

"We kind of had our future mapped out, and then we heard about the new Tesla Roadster and its insane acceleration numbers, and we thought 'Damn, that's put the gauntlet down,'" the Koenigsegg founder and CEO told Top Gear.

As he told the site, he enlisted his engineers to start running numbers, and within a couple of days, they'd figured out a solution. "The simplest way of putting it is like this: It's combining direct drive with the hybridization we have in a different format with free-valve engine technology, in a peculiar layout," von Koenigsegg said. He said the powertrain could take a car from 0-250 mph in 14 seconds "or something like this," and said he wants to make a combustion engine with a higher power density than an electric powertrain "for as long as possible."

His talk about hybrids brings to mind the Koenigsegg Regera plug-in hybrid, which weighs just 3,505 pounds and puts out more than 1,500 horsepower. It does 0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds — impressive, but a full 0.9 seconds less than the Roadster's purported time. And not surprising for a company that is all about maximizing ponies, Koenigsegg likes to geek out over the details of things like the design of the 1,160-hp Agera RS engine. Could he be talking about the same vehicle as the successor to the Agera RS, rumored to be called Ragnarok?

Tesla, meanwhile, unveiled said Roadster at Grand Basel in Switzerland — or rather, it showed off what appeared to be a white, empty design shell that had been shown last year at Tesla's shareholder meeting.

And don't forget that the mad scientists over at Hennessey are tinkering with the 7.6-liter V8 for the Venom F5, the key to its quest to hit 300 mph. So buckle your seat belts, boys and girls: Things are about to get very fast.

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Koenigsegg, the Swedish supercar company that sells about 20 supercars a year, has plans for a new supercar for 2020, and one that will be made in higher quantities than Koenigsegg has traditionally made their supercars, Christian Koenigsegg told Top Gear in an interview published Thursday. This car is apparently not the Ragnarok, but something else entirely.

The car will also come at a lower price point than is traditional for Koenigsegg, or somewhere in the neighborhood of one million euros, or less than half the cost of the Agera RS, which is extremely fast. Top Gear is sure to say that this new supercar is NOT the successor to the Agera, but instead intended to increase Koenigsegg’s sales volumes, since only a handful of people can afford a $2.5 million car, but a bigger handful can afford a $1.1 million car.

The cheap car will be emissions neutral, Christian Koenigsegg said, using some pretty complex technology that the company’s been developing for its hybrid engine.

Here’s more from Top Gear:

Koenigsegg is making a calculated bet on a future in which batteries might get harder and harder to come by and increasingly expensive as electric cars become more common. This on paper, seems pretty smart honestly, even if I’ll never be able to afford a Koenigsegg on my own, which is probably for the best. Have you ever driven a supercar? Have you ever been inside one? The experience is amazing, but kind of like going to your in-laws house, as you spend most of the time stressed and worried you’re going to break something.

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There’s been big news coming out of Sweden over the past few weeks involving Koenigsegg. The hypercar company signed a $320 million strategic partnership with National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS) that will see the formation of a new joint venture that will result in a production increase, among other things. Christian von Koenigsegg's ultimate goal is to rival Ferrari.

We’re also only a couple of weeks away from the debut of an all-new Koenigsegg, the successor to the world speed record holding Agera RS, at Geneva. Only a single teaser drawing of its rear end has been released so far, and Koenigsegg has remained tight-lipped on all other details. And if that wasn't enough, a more affordable Koenigsegg supercar is supposedly on its way.

Building on the last point, a Twitter user going by the name ‘AutoPap’ posted on February 13 (which has since been deleted) a few interesting details about that vehicle, which could arrive as soon as 2020.

This person claims to have seen a new Koenigsegg model powered by a V-shaped "figure eight” 2.9-liter hybrid V8 producing upwards of 1,050 hp. This engine reportedly does not have a traditional camshaft but rather its main functions are performed by electronically-controlled valve actuators, called 'freevalve' technology. Here’s the wording of the now removed tweet: "This is a 2.9 liter V8 1050 hp hybrid engine. Aluminum and carbon body with carbon fiber wheels. It's stunning.”

A lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber body and wheels hardly come as a surprise, assuming this claim is factual. We already knew Koenigsegg's upcoming new and less expensive supercar will adopt some pretty advanced technologies but we didn't know the engine's displacement. If the above information is correct, we do now.

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Christian von Koenigsegg runs one of the industry’s leading supercar manufacturers when it comes to actual performance, but production barely exceeds a dozen vehicles a year.

The Swedish entrepreneur is not happy with being a boutique automaker anymore and wants to drastically up those numbers and turn Koenigsegg into a legitimate Ferrari rival.

Talking to Bloomberg, von Koenigsegg revealed that his company will be producing hundreds of vehicles a year by 2022, and after that, he plans to lift annual output to thousands of vehicles.

Koenigsegg recently confirmed that its working on an all-new ‘entry level’ model priced at roughly $1 million. According to reports, it could feature a 1050 hp hybrid V8 engine and will be the car to boost the firm’s annual production into the hundreds.

All current Koenigsegg models are constructed by hand at the firm’s sole production site in Angelholm, Sweden. However, production of this new model will be housed in a former Saab complex roughly three hours north in Trollhattan. Koenigsegg’s recent $320 million deal with National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS) is the catalyst for these bold production plans.

The more accessible supercar will use the company’s cutting-edge ‘freevalve’ camless combustion engine that allows the car to be started on pure alcohol, making the engine CO2 neutral. If the engine technology proves itself on the road, Koenigsegg will likely introduce it to other future models as well.

Von Koenigsegg didn’t tell Bloomberg how the company will eventually build thousands of vehicles a year, but in order to achieve this ambitious targhet will clearly call for the introduction of cheaper models, possibly even one to rival the Ferrari 488 GTB, Lamborghini Huracan, and McLaren 720S.

Despite the million bucks hypercar “entry level” hypercar being cheaper than the ones currently available by Koenigsegg, it’s very hard to imagine it selling a few thousand units per year. Which is very good news for any petrolhead, as it means even more supercars to enjoy, whether it’s owning, driving or simply viewing them in videos.

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In January, Koenigsegg struck a joint-venture and investment deal with National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS). The Chinese electric car firm put in $171 million to take a 20 percent stake in the Swedish supercar maker, and a 65 percent stake in a collaboration to "develop a product for new and untapped segments." One fruit of the union will be a less expensive supercar that uses Koenigsegg's "freevalve" camless tech and could be carbon neutral.

When the news first broke, the "affordable" Koenigsegg was estimated to come in around one million euro, or $1.15 million. In an interview with Road & Track, Christian von Koenigsegg nudged that downward in saying, "Let's say somewhere between 6-7-800,000, depending on the specification." That would be about $683,000 to $910,000. You might not find that kind of coin in your couch, but it's less than half the starting price of the $2M Regera KNC like the one pictured above.

Hitching up to NEVS no doubt surprised a few folk, but Koenigsegg explained that his company "has been working with NEVS for many years to utilize testing facilities in Trollhättan, where Saab used to be."
That's because NEVS bought Saab's assets when the erstwhile Swedish carmaker went out of business in 2011. NEVS hasn't produced it own car yet, but owns resources such as emission test labs, climate chambers, test tracks and crash facilities that Koenigsegg has taken advantage of for its own cars.

The coming supercar will be engineered, developed and built in Ängelholm and badged a Koenigsegg. With production volumes of a couple hundred units per year, NEVS could assist with extra production capacity for behind-the-scenes parts like subframes and wiring harnesses if needed. That will allow the hypercar brand to concentrate on using the car as a showcase for its in-house technologies like direct drive and its infotainment systems. Ultimately, Koenigsegg wants to work with other companies, helping with "platforms, electrical systems, carbon fiber wheels, and various other solutions that will trickle down to normal cars."

The firm's V8, in naturally-aspirated form, will provide power alongside some sort of battery-powered electrification. Under development for two years already, we should see it for the first time at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.

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You're looking at something unreal. We mean that in the literal sense—these are renders created by student designer Esa Mustonen for the RAW Design House, a design consultancy that's part of Koenigsegg. But it's also unreal in the figurative sense. It is phenomenal, a truly interesting interpretation of some major Koenigsegg design cues, but remixed and reimagined into something unique.

Mustonen, a student at Lahti University of Applied Sciences in Finland who has previously held internships at Renault and Genesis, worked with both Koenigsegg honcho Christian von Koenigsegg as well as RAW manager (and Koenigsegg head designer) Sasha Selipanov, who was responsible for the design of the Chiron while at Bugatti. And while RAW is a design group, there's some musing (based on the official input of two principals at Koenigsegg, and the nature of the project) that it could be a feeler for a new entry-level Koenigsegg sub-brand—RAW by Koenigsegg.After all, Mustonen reveals that the three-seat concept, which is as of yet unnamed, would have the company's groundbreaking three-cylinder Freevalve engine behind the passenger compartment. Aiming for a 700 kg target weight (a featherweight 1,543 pounds) and 700 horsepower, the RAW vehicle would have outrageous numbers.

But it's the styling that really amazes. After all, everything Koenigsegg touches has outrageous performance and mind-bending engineering. What sets the RAW concept apart is the look and attitude, which Mustonen tells us is is inspired partially by the wedge-shaped, angular concept cars of the 1970s in general, and the famous Giugiaro-penned Lotus Esprit in particular. Modern product and industrial design also inspired him, as did the typical aeronautical influences that inspire all Koenigseggs—jet afterburners are echoed in the rear diffuser, for example.

You won't be surprised to see, then, that Mustonen's most striking creations have sharp, striking edges and precarious overhangs. This is emphasized to an extreme in the RAW project, which is so aggressively cropped at the rear that the rear wheels extend beyond the headlamps. While the RAW concept isn't large nor tall, the extremely abbreviated rear gives some visual height to the slab flanks and the rectilinear shapes ahead of the front wheels. The angularity of the car below its belt line accent set off the traditional double-bubble Koenigsegg roof and the wraparound windshield, although the slitlike greenhouse is much more aggressive than any production Koenigsegg.
We think that whatever happens with this concept—whether it inspires a future RAW "entry-level" hypercar (which is an oxymoron if we've ever heard one) or just launches Mustonen's promising career, we're just happy it exists in digital form.

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In the world of hypercars, there are a surprising number of newcomers trying to push the boundaries of what we think four-wheeled automobiles are capable of. Brands such as Rimac with its all-electric Nevera are new to the scene , but are already breaking world records left and right. Not to be outdone by a bunch of young punks, hypercar legends Koenigsegg recently made a splash at the annual Monterey Car Week when the Jesko Absolut, and the upcoming Koenigsegg Gemera, finally made their official US debut. The showcase also came with a bittersweet message from the company: the Jesko Absolut will be the fastest Koenigsegg ever made. In Koenigsegg's exact words, "the company will never endeavor to make a faster series-production road car - ever."

This confirms what Christian had previously told CarBuzz, meaning the company remains firm on its position. The Jesko Absolut is an absolute feast of numbers: it's twin-turbo V8 engine delivers 1,600 horsepower, the car has a drag coefficient of just 0.278 Cd, and a top speed of just over 330 mph. The first Jesko cars are expected to reach customers in spring 2022, but the idea that this is the fastest car the company will ever build is a bit sad. According to Koenigsegg, the company will continue to focus on "internalizing its development paths that go beyond industry standards to push the boundaries of innovation and deliver ultimate performance" which sounds to us like more out of the box engineering projects such as its Free-Valve technology. If that's the case, we're all for it.

The Monterey Car Week debut also featured the highly-anticipated Koenigsegg Gemera, which the brand calls the world's first 'Mega-GT'. This will be Koenigsegg's first-ever four-seater car, but don't let that fool you into thinking it will be less performance-orientated: the Gemera will feature a 1,727 hp and 2,581 lb-ft gas and hybrid electric power plant, a 0-62 mph sprint time of 1.9 seconds, and a top speed in excess of 240 mph. Production of the Gemera is expected to start early in 2023. CEO and Founder Christian von Koenigsegg was pleased with the reaction the two cars got out of the crowd at Monterey car week: "I was overwhelmed by the extremely positive reaction the Jesko Absolut and Gemera received during our time in Monterey. It was gratifying to personally hear from people who have long followed our brand and our passion".

Here's to the future Mr. von Koenigsegg!

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Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg has long been a home for novel engineering, and that's evident in its new electric motor. Developed for the Gemera four-seater, this electric motor, dubbed the Quark, is a tiny powerhouse. In a package that weighs just 63 pounds, the Quark develops 335 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. For scale, that's a 330-mL energy drink in the pictures seen throughout

The Quark, announced Monday, combines both radial- and axial-flux constructions to offer a good balance between power and torque. Rather than explain the difference between the two, I'll turn you towards this article from EV trade publication Charged. All you really need to know is that this is a best-of-both-worlds solution—Koenigsegg claims the Quark has an industry-leading torque-power-weight ratio. Those peak power and torque figures are only available for 20 seconds, which is common among EV motors. After 20 seconds, the figures drop to 134 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. That's fine for the Gemera, which has three electric motors and a 600-hp three-cylinder

"The Quark is designed to bolster the low-speed range of the Gemera, where you need it, for brutal acceleration," said Koengisegg electric-motor design lead Dragos-Mihai Postariu in a statement. "The ICE then focuses on the high-speed range. What this means in terms of performance for the Gemera is a big power surge followed by a continuous record-speed push to 400 km/h [248.5 mph] without any torque or power losses.Naturally, Koenigsegg uses all sorts of interesting materials for the construction of the Quark, including aerospace/motorsport-grade steel, and hollow carbon fiber—Koenigsegg's Aircore technology—for the rotor. The company hopes the Quark will find a home in more than just the Gemera, as it was also designed for aerospace and marine applications.

"The Quark is unique in its high efficiency in combination with its class-leading torque-to-power-to-rpm-to-weight matrix," said CEO Christian von Koenigsegg in a statement. "This means, when using the Quark in applications such as marine, aircraft or VTOL, there is no need for a step-down transmission, instead direct drive can be achieved, as the RPM of the motor is right from the get-go. Small high-revving motors can have higher peak power-to-weight ratio, but they need transmissions in most applications in order to get to the desired output rpm and torque, causing energy loss and adding weight and complexity to do the same job. So any benefit in size is lost."

Koenigsegg is also marketing an EV drive unit made up of two Quark motors, plus its small-but-powerful inverter, and small low-ratio planetary gearsets at each output shaft. The unit is called the Terrier, and serves up 670 hp and 811 lb-ft in a package that weighs just 187 pounds, and which offers torque vectoring across an axle. A Terrier can be bolted directly to a car's monocoque as well

More information on the Terrier unit is forthcoming, and presumably, it will be featured on future Koenigsegg products. As ever, the numbers are deeply impressive and entirely unsurprising from the innovative Swedish firm.

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