Site MapThe Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Has Its Eye on 300 MPH
Since its inception, Koenigsegg’s goal as a brand has always been speed.
For those unfamiliar with the Swedish hypercar juggernaut, Koenigsegg has been pushing the envelope since 1994, when CEO Christian von Koenigsegg was only 22. Koenigsegg claims he had been interested in making cars since the age of 6, which might account for his remarkably young age when the future Koenigsegg Automotive AB began making its earliest prototype. Although it would still be some time before their cars hit the market, the 1996 Koenigsegg CC prototype showed promise, with a 4.2-liter Audi V-8 and a six-speed manual transmission. Koenigsegg had trouble raising the necessary funds for the vehicle, but he benefitted from a natural talent for salesmanship, even once selling old plastic bags to former Soviet bloc nations in need of amenities.
But the cost of building a hypercar is obviously a lot more than the cost of a few empty bags, especially if you’re making a vehicle that can shatter speed records. In 2017, the Koenigsegg Agera RS broke the production speed record at 277.9 mph, a record that they held until the SSC Tuatara’s dubious overtake in 2021. However, most hypercar manufacturers and enthusiasts still consider Koenigsegg to be the brand to beat, as they’ve continued to churn out innovative models like the NFT-centric Regera Honey. So, is Koenigsegg’s newest prototype ready to live up to the hype?
So far, hypercar fans can be optimistic. The Jesko, a model that Koenigsegg first unveiled in 2019, is an astonishingly speedy machine that turned heads earlier this month when it embarked on a high-octane Easter egg hunt through the snow and ice of Sweden. It just goes to show that the Koenigsegg promotional machine is still out in full force for this car, largely because they’re betting it can be their next record-breaker.
The Jesko Absolut, the newly unveiled update of the Jesko, is a low-drag version of the car that loses the original rear wing, with a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine producing a whopping 1600 horsepower. Even more impressive is Koenigsegg’s estimate of the car’s top speed: 310 mph, roughly the same output that Hennessey claims their Venom F5 will be able to hit. Hennessey and Bugatti are Koenigsegg’s only real competitors here, so the Swedes have a serious shot at making history with the Jesko. And this time, they’re not just competing to top their last speed record – they’re competing to break the 300-mph barrier, which has narrowly eluded even the most sophisticated production cars until now. Can the Jesko Absolut pass the test? We absolutely think so.
