Production of the much-anticipated Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut is now in full swing at the automaker’s small factory in Angelholm, Sweden. Work is underway to bring this limited hypercar from design to finished product, as the first customer examples roll off the line and into the eager hands of their wealthy owners.
In a sign that the Jesko Absolut had reached the customer delivery phase, Koenigsegg gave enthusiasts a thrill by posting a photograph to Instagram of the very first buyer taking delivery of their superb machine. All assembled in the company’s signature Swiss watch-level precision, it was a proud moment as another milestone was checked off.
Going further in his interview with Swedish publication Carup, Koenigsegg founding father Christian von Koenigsegg dropped tantalizing hints that the Jesko Absolut is about to be put through its paces. Revealing plans to push the limits later this year, he declared the intent to reclaim the production car land speed record for Sweden’s extraordinary automotive artists.
Diving into the Jesko model range, customers can choose between the daring Absolut or the tenacious Attack. While the latter is optimized for maximum aerodynamic grip around a circuit, the former is designed for sublime speed, minimizing drag with an ultra-sleek envelope.
With its fixed rear wing and an array of adjustable flaps and splitters, the Jesko Attack can develop prodigious downforce to glue its gorgeous body to the tarmac. But those wanting to careen down the Bonneville salt in pursuit of knots must order the sleeker Absolut.
With numbers restricted to just 125 blessed collectors worldwide who will enjoy this pinnacle of engineering, discerning patrons were wise to place orders promptly. The final production schedule has now been locked in, split between the two Jesko variants according to demand.
Despite the Absurd price of three million dollars a piece, the entire limited Jesko lineup was fully reserved with surprising speed. With so few spots available, competition was fierce to join the toast of the hypercar world. Those fortunate few can breathe easier knowing their prized possessions are now entering life.
In typical ambitious fashion, Koenigsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg boldly proclaimed that the high-speed focused Absolut would become his company’s quickest machine yet. But what lofty velocities could it achieve? The world waited with bated breath to find out.
While theoretical calculations based on Jesko’s potent twin-turbo V8 and cutting-edge transmission suggested numbers over 310 miles per hour were in reach, real-world testing would be needed for confirmation. The world record was the target in Christian’s sights.
Currently, the record holder is none other than Koenigsegg’s rival, Bugatti. With its Chiron having reached 304.7 miles per hour, the crown rests uneasily on French hands. But did they follow proper protocol, wondered whispers at Koenigsegg HQ?
While Bugatti paraded its achievement, some deemed it unsatisfactory. You see, records demand not one single pass, but rather an average of two runs in opposite directions within an hour. Had the Chiron truly earned the honor, or did a loophole need exploiting?
In the meantime, the absolute verified world production car record stands at 282.9 miles per hour, achieved by the mysterious SSC Tuatara. Before that during Koenigsegg’s golden years, the revered Agera RS had raised the bar to 277.9 miles per hour.
With electric cars looming and Rimac making waves, established marques like Lamborghini are wise to be preparing their battery-bolted beasts. And over at Red Bull, a certain F1 spinoff project is brewing something particularly potent to rock the hypercar order.
Elsewhere bold independents such as Czinger promise next-level performance from their 3D-printed Dynamo, while Czech outfit Praga shows heritage flair with its modern Bohemia. Plus a certain Bugatti Chiron is on the market if your wallet is distressingly deep.
As the sector heats up, all eyes are on Koenigsegg to reassert their mastery. With the final Jesko Absoluts now roaming freely, the siege on 315 miles per hour can at last commence under autumn’s watchful Swedish sun. Will Christian reward his faithful with a new benchmark, or must his aspirations wait? Only the open road knows.
The Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut made quite a splash online as images emerged of the first customer taking delivery of this ultra-rare hypercar. Social media was set ablaze as enthusiasts from around the world gazed upon the gorgeous silver machine in its natural habitat.
But while car spotters reveled in the new Absolut, Christian von Koenigsegg had even bigger things on his mind. In speaking with Carup, the enigmatic founder let slip of audacious intentions to launch an all-out world record assault before year’s end. The gauntlet, it seems, had been firmly thrown.
With two divergent models on offer, the Jesko lineup caters to all manners of extreme driving ambitions. Those wishing to lap circuits at top speed can savor the sleek aerodynamic focus of the Absolut, while for others the big-winged Attack suits a passion for downforce-laden drifts.
Boasting an intricate wing and splitter array that would not look out of place on an open-wheel racer, the Jesko Attack is built for maximum grip. Each element has been obsessively optimized to extract every last pound of adhesion from its meager footprint.
Yet for attempts on the hallowed ground of Bonneville’s salt flats, low drag is king, and so the Absolut excels with its featherweight understated profile. Every gram and bit of air resistance has been relentlessly punished from the design.
With just over a hundred Jeskos contracted in total between the two variants, the allocation was always destined to be fiercely competitive. Koenigsegg fans knew they had to strike hard and fast to secure one of these hollowed slots.
Despite costs enormous enough to financially cripple even the most well-heeled of enthusiasts, customers put their hands up in droves to partake in Jesko ownership. Such is the intoxicating lure of Koenigsegg’s no-limits engineering.
The figure touted by von Koenigsegg of 310mph raised more than a few eyebrows. But with the 1,600hp twin-turbo V8 and industry-leading 9-speed gearbox at its disposal, perhaps such feats were indeed within Absolut’s grasp.
As the flagship holder of Koenigsegg’s quarter-mile record, can the Chiron truly claim the production car’s ultimate speed crown? Some dissenters felt its single run fell short of due verification protocols. A debate was born.
For now, the SSC Tuatara retains pole position out on the salty flats, with only the late Agera RS besting its run in Koenigsegg’s storied past. But winds of change were brewing in the remote Swedish workshops.
With future velocity wars set to be fought using green technology, old kings like Lamborghini ready their electric arsenals. But for hardcore, the Red Bull hypercar’s extreme 15,000rpm Naissance promises thrills of a purer kind.
Groundbreaking startups show there’s life yet in combustion too. Czinger is reimagining the performance ceiling from first principles, while shadowy Praga revives a heritage name with a modern neoclassic edge.
As a rare Chiron comes under the auctioneer’s glare, one can only guess at the fortune such an item might realize. For most though, we can only marvel at these feats from afar — such rarities are reserved for the wealthiest of all.
All that remained was for Koenigsegg to unveil their Jesko Absolut in all its glory. Would it triumph where the glorious Agera RS left off? Or would obstacles bar the way of 315mph nirvana? Only the track would tell which flags would fly highest when the time came.
