Farewell, Agera RS: welcome to Sweden's new 1,578bhp twin-turbo hypercar

Just when you thought the Hennessey Venom F5 or Bugatti Chiron was on course to top 300mph first, Koenigsegg once again reminds us that nobody does speed like the Swedes. OK, they haven’t cracked it yet, but according to the boss, Christian von Koenigsegg, his all-new Jesko hypercar is capable of over 300mph in simulations (the current production record-holder, the Agera RS, hit an average of 277mph in 2017), albeit in a lower downforce set-up than you see here. They would still need to find somewhere to do it, someone mad enough to drive it and a tyre manufacturer to back an attempt… but the science says it’s possible.

Before the details, the name. Jesko is Christian’s father, the man who helped him set up a supercar company when he was a skint 22-year old with a dream, and has supported him every step of the way. Now 80 years old, this is Christian’s way of thanking him. It certainly beats chocolates and a card. Better still, the name was kept a secret from Jesko until the car’s unveil at the Geneva show. Christian even had his PR team work up a fake press release to placate his dad, who was desperate to know all the details. Sounds like our kind of guy.

Let’s start with the engine, a heavily modified version of the Agera’s 5.0-litre twin-turbo V8, now with a flat-plane crank shaft that’s 5kg lighter than the old 90 degree one, which allows it to rev to 8,500rpm and “changes the exhaust note quite a bit,” says Christian, modestly. Active rubber engine mounts from the Regera (the Agera RS engine was solid mounted) mean the extra vibrations from the flat crank are absorbed, while the two equally large turbos are supplemented by a 20-litre carbon tank (topped up by a small electric compressor) that fires jets of air into the turbos at 20 bar, to help them spool up and reduce lag.

The result is 1,262bhp running on 95 octane unleaded, and 1,578bhp and 1106lb ft of torque if you fill it with E85 biofuel. You see, going green has its advantages.

Problem is, you need a mighty gearbox to cope with that sort of twist, and you can’t buy Bugatti’s DSG off the shelf. So Koenigsegg just shrugged and built its own, from scratch, except it’s even smarter, smaller and, at 90kg, a lot lighter the Chiron’s. Dubbed the Light Speed Gearbox, it’s a 9-speed multi-clutch transmission. A bit like a bike that has three big cogs at the front and seven at the back to make 21 possible ratios, here there’s two sets of three, with six clutches that can select any combination at any time. As a result you can jump from one gear to any other without going through the ratios between.

Pull the two-stage paddle half way and you’ll swap down one gear (shifts take 20 to 30 millseconds), pull it all the way and it’ll jump to the gear that offers the best acceleration at that time. Because, y’know, when you’re driving a Koenigsegg you need all the help you can get with overtakes. Koenigsegg’s evocative name for the system is UPOD – Ultimate Power on Demand.

Unlike the Agera, which only had one at the back, the Jesko also gets a Triplex damper at the front (a socking great horizontal damper to prevent the car squatting under acceleration at the rear, and to keep it level under extreme downforce at the front) to compliment the more traditional Ohlins dampers. The carbon tub is now 40mm longer and 22mm higher than the Agera to create a bit more space inside, rear-wheel steering has been added and it wears Koenisegg’s lightest ever carbon fibre wheels – 21-inch and 7.7kg at the rear, 20-inch and 5.9kg at the front – fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s as standard and optional Cup 2 Rs. Each wheel is hand-made, in-house, and takes 40 hours to finish… probably why they cost $65,000 for a set.

What next? Oh yes, downforce. It has some. Quite a lot actually. Thanks to that enormous front splitter and boomerang shaped, tilting rear wing, around 800kg of it at 155mph, 1,000kg at 171mph and 1,400kg at its undisclosed top speed. That’s around 30 per cent more than the One:1, previously its highest downforce model. The whole car weighs a little over 1,400kg so no, it can’t drive on the ceiling - if it could you know Koenigsegg would give it a good go. The lower downforce version, that’s the one with 300mph potential, will still produce up to 500kg of downforce, we’re told.

And a Jesko driver won’t be wanting for luxury. For maximum peacock mode the front bonnet, doors and rear clamshell can all be opened on hydraulic struts at the touch of a button, there’s climate control, an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, USB sockets and wireless charging for your phone. New for the Jesko is a screen attached to the wheel that displays all relevant information, but when rotated the digital dial stays upright – much like the wheel centre caps on a Rolls Royce. That’s not the only Koenigsegg quirk, either, an optional analogue G-Force meter perches on top of the dash, behind the wheel.

Only 125 Jeskos will be built, at a rate of around 40 to 50 a year, so compared to the 25 Agera RS and 80 Regeras its sold, that’s progress. But with prices starting at just under $3m plus local taxes, it’s up there with the McLaren Speedtail and Aston Valkyrie for inaccessibility. And yet, this is a company expanding its horizons…

This time next year we’ll see another new model - a joint venture with electric car specialists NEVS. A hybrid built in larger numbers (think 100s) at a lower price (around $1m). What form that car will take we’ll have to wait and see, but we’re told to expect something entirely different. A crossover? Perhaps. Either way, it’s looking like the Jesko will be Koenigsegg’s last purely combustion-powered car. What a way to bow out.

The all-new Koenigsegg Jesko doesn’t just feature a phenomenal twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8 with up to 1578 hp; it also premieres the Swedish automaker’s innovative ‘Light Speed Transmission’. Christian von Koenigsegg recently explained this transmission to Road & Track.

As the carmaker was developing its successor to the Agera, it realized that a dual-clutch transmission capable of handling 1100 lb-ft (1491 Nm) of torque would have weighed roughly 440 lbs (200 kg). Koenigseggs are meant to be light, so that was not an option.

Consequently, Koenigsegg decided to develop its very own transmission for the Jesko. And what a transmission it is.

The Light Speed Transmission is made up of eight actuators, eight pressure sensors, and eight clutches, one of which is used for the electronic differential. There are also six actuators for the forward gears on three shafts and an actuator for reverse. Do the math and that means there are two clutches per shaft.

The unconventional design is all packed together in a cast aluminum housing. According to von Koenigsegg, this tight packaging, as well as a super-lightweight crankshaft, means the Jesko will “rev like a Formula One engine on idle. And sound completely crazy.”

You may think cramming all those components into a transmission would result in something that’s far too heavy for any Koenigsegg model. However, it doesn’t. In fact, the Jesko’s Light Speed Transmission weighs just 198 lbs (90 kg) and can handle the hypercar’s 1100 lb-ft of torque. To put that into perspective, the dual-clutch transmissions found in mid-engine Ferraris and McLarens can only support 660 lb-ft of torque and weigh 275 lbs (124 kg).

Koenigsegg also says its Light Speed Transmission allows for direct shifts between gears, meaning drivers can shift from 7th to 4th, or any other combination, almost instantly.

The creation of this transmission, as well as Koenigsegg’s Freevalve camless engine, just goes to show you don’t need to be a global automotive giant to push the industry forward.

At the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, Koenigsegg revealed its long-awaited replacement for the Agera, the Jesko. It's a 1600-horsepower hypercar named after founder Christian von Koenigsegg's father. It looks wild, has a nine-speed transmission with seven clutches, and a claimed top speed of over 300 mph. Just 125 examples will be built, and according to Koenigsegg, they've all been sold. That was quick.

Koenigsegg announced today that every build slot for the new Jesko has been allocated to customers and dealers, with deposits received. According to a press release on the Swedish automaker's site, the first 83 were sold before the car was shown publicly for the first time at Geneva. The remaining 42 cars were sold at the show as the car was on display.

The Jesko will be Koenigsegg's highest-volume car ever, with production at a rate of one car week beginning around the end of 2020. Customers can choose between two variants: track or top speed.

If you weren't one of the 125 lucky people to secure a build slot, don't worry: Since some of those allocations are going to dealerships, you might still have a chance to purchase a Jesko that way—if you can afford one, that is. Plus, Koenigsegg does have an "affordable" hybrid supercar in the works...

Making lots of horsepower isn't very hard when you don't have to worry about emissions laws. Just dump a bunch of fuel and boost into a strong engine, and you're set. When you have to build a globally viable production car, though, you run into issues. Koenigsegg figured out how to pull it off.

The company's new Jesko supercar puts out an absurd 1600 horsepower and 1100 lb-ft of torque from its 5.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, making it the most powerful new production gas engine on the planet. The crazy part isn't just the power, though. It's how engineers pulled it off while still being able to pass emissions in countries around the world.

There isn't one single trick Koenigsegg uses to keep its engine environmentally friendly—it's a whole bunch of little stuff. The engine runs on E85, but thanks a a flex fuel sensor, can switch tunes on the fly to run as low as 91 octane. There are three injectors per cylinder to allow the air and fuel to mix as efficiently as possible before it reaches the combustion chamber. The cylinder heads have been redesign to optimize tumble inside the chamber, not unlike the design used in Toyota's new Dynamic Force engine. This means the engine can run more efficiently at low loads, and create more boost. A flat-plane crankshaft allows for a higher redline and evens out exhaust pulses, which means a smoother flow through the turbos and exhaust.

Perhaps the coolest piece of kit on the engine, though, is the on-board pressurized air canister. Because the Jesko's turbochargers are so large, it needs a lot of exhaust gas to get them spooled up. In order to compensate for lag, there's a tube that dumps in pressurized air into the turbo to get it spun up at low RPM when exhaust pressure can't do it alone. The air supply is constantly refilled via an onboard pump. It's a clever solution that negates the need for more turbos, which would add weight. This also speeds up the process of heating up the catalytic converter, which is better for emissions.

Koenigsegg Jesko Cherry Red Edition 10 Is Pure Sweetness

bySergiu Tudose June 12, 2019 at 2:31 pm
If ever there was a car that could give something like the Bugatti Chiron a run for its money, it would probably be the Koenigsegg Jesko with its incredible combination of performance and uniqueness.

It is the official replacement of the Agera RS, yet it stands as being considerably more technologically advanced thanks to features like its Light Speed Transmission technology – a gearbox that doesn’t use traditional sync rings.

What’s more special than “special”?

This Jesko Cherry Red Edition is being brought to us by a new luxury network appropriately dubbed LuxuryAndExpensive and as you can see, it’s quite stunning. The shiny red exterior works in contrast with the dark carbon fiber elements to create a dual-tone aesthetic that many hypercar lovers will surely appreciate.

The wheels are carbon fiber and weigh no more than 6.7 kg (14.7 lbs) at the front and 8.4 kg (18.5 lbs) at the rear, with the entire hypercar tipping the scales at a mere 1,320 kg (2,910 lbs) dry.

Also Read: Here’s Our Chance To Look Inside The 300 MPH Koenigsegg Jesko

Step inside the Jesko and you’ll find all types of conveniences such as climate control, a modern infotainment system, adjustable seats and steering wheel, leather or Alcantara upholstery and loads more. Also, let’s not forget the doors, which can be operated simply by using a button.

Then there’s the performance. The Jesko is powered by a twin turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 engine, producing 1,252 HP (1,280 PS) on regular unleaded, and 1,578 HP (1,600 PS) on E85. You also get 1,106 lb-ft (1,500 Nm) of torque, enough so as to propel you to a top speed of 300 mph (482 km/h).

As for the price, be ready to spend at least 2,350,000 euros without taxes, so roughly $2.8 million.

The Koenigsegg Jesko is a 1600-hp, track-focused, road-legal weapon and uses a nine-speed seven-clutch gearbox Koenigsegg calls the Light Speed Transmission (LST). It’s the company’s first in-house effort, and like anything with the Koenigsegg name, it’s deeply bonkers.

Unlike a dual-clutch, the LST has no selector forks, collars, or synchronizers to engage each individual gear. Instead, selection is executed purely by opening and closing clutches. According to Christian von Koenigsegg, these clutches are capable of opening or closing in as little as two milliseconds.

Dual-clutch transmissions (DCTs) work on the same principle. One clutch opens while the other closes, allowing for wildly fast shift times. The problem is that they can only preselect a single gear at a time. The ECU guesses which ratio will be needed next, preselecting a gear. If it’s wrong, shift time suffers. For track driving, this works great, but if you’ve ever floored it on a highway with a DCT, you may have noticed it takes some time to downshift into the perfect gear.

Instead of two clutches, the LST uses seven—eight if you count the differential that’s part of the transaxle. These are wet, multiplate clutches with their own hydraulic actuators and pressure sensors. Each gear pair gets a clutch of its own, and the transmission uses three gear shafts instead of two, which allows for compounding gears.

The input shaft comes directly from the engine and has the option to send torque to one of three gears on the second shaft. The second shaft then has the option to send torque through one of three gears on the third shaft. Three options multiplied by an additional three options means there are a total of nine gear ratios possible. With a traditional two-shaft transmission, you need nine pairs of gears for nine gear ratios. With compound gears on three shafts, the LST only needs six gear pairs. While some automakers are stuck on addition, Koenigsegg has moved on to multiplication.

For those who have been counting clutches this whole time, one clutch per gear pair puts us at six clutches, leaving us with one remaining. The final clutch provides reverse, directly matching the input shaft to the output shaft, skipping the gear set and thus changing the direction of rotation for the output. In total, we have seven gear pairs, nine forward speeds, and one reverse. All of this adds up to 198 pounds, including fluids, in a package that’s less than half the length of the Agera’s seven-speed transmission.

Because each gear pair has a clutch, switching from one gear to another with the LST simply requires simultaneously opening and closing the respective clutches. It’s like a dual-clutch that never has to predict which gear comes next; it’s ready for whatever the driver wants. Koenigsegg calls this ultimate power on demand, or UPOD. The goal is to put you in the optimum gear for acceleration without hesitation.

UPOD works by giving the driver two shifting options. Pull the paddle shifter back one notch, and you shift one gear. Pull it all the way back, and the LST downshifts to the ideal gear for maximum acceleration. It works with upshifts as well, putting you into the highest gear possible without bogging down the engine. A console-mounted shift lever performs a similar function.

Picture yourself on the autobahn the moment you pass an unrestricted-speed-limit sign, engine humming along at a low rpm in ninth gear. Instead of sequentially dropping through each gear, with UPOD, you snap into exactly the right ratio to blast away. During full-throttle shifts, there’s never a loss of torque—one clutch disengages as the next engages. Flooring it from first gear all the way to ninth would result in uninterrupted acceleration.

Finally, a supercar that can shift to any gear as fast as it can drain a bank account.

Koenigsegg congratulates Bugatti on ‘great achievement’, promises speed

Koenigsegg recently launched a configurator tool for its new Jesko supercar, but unless you're one of the 125 lucky customers in line to take delivery, there's no way to access it. Fortunately for us, car collector Manny Khoshbin is one of those people, and he recorded some of his build process for us to enjoy.

Koenigsegg lists pricing for options inside the configurator, giving us our first look at what any add-ons for the Jesko will cost. Normal paint finishes can cost up to $63,000 extra, depending on the color. If you want a carbon finish, a normal clear coat will cost you $292,000. Option a blue, purple, green, or red tint carbon finish, and expect to pay $346,000. The most expensive exterior option, priced at $443,000, is Koenigsegg's Naked Carbon (or KNC). Here's how the company describes the finish:
As Motor1 points out, the single option costs more than an entire Lamborghini Aventador S—pretty wild to think about. Even crazier, it's not even the most expensive option on the car. If you want to upgrade to the Jesko's Absolut specification, which is geared towards top speed rather than road course dominance, that'll cost you $662,000 on top of the base price.

While playing around with the configurator, Khoshbin was able to push the Jesko's price over the $4 million barrier by combining the Absolut specification with the KNC finish and a $43,000 gold leaf racing stripe. That's a lot of money, but then again, the Jesko is a lot of car.

How would you spec your Koenigsegg Jesko? Let us know in the comments below.