Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut ready to race beyond 500km/h

The Koenigsegg Jesko has long been coming since its 2019 reveal at the Geneva International motor show.

The Swedish company says the supercar is set for a 2022 debut with production to be limited to 125 Jesko and Jesko Absolut units. The latter is a track-only version of the car named for Jesko von Koenigsegg, the father of company founder and CEO, Christian von Koenigsegg.

The fastest car the Swedish brand will ever make, the Jesko takes over from the big-hitting Koenigsegg Agera RS, which in 2017 set a production car speed record of 447km/h, which was only recently beaten by the 455.3km/h SSC Tuatara.

The Jesko also features what is claimed as the world’s fastest shifting transmission, Light Speed Transmission (LST), which comprises nine forward gears and seven wet multidisc clutches for seamless acceleration or deceleration.

Explaining the shift process, the company says the LST engages correct gears for maximum performance and is able to bypass up to three downshifts, from 7th to 4th as an example.

Furthermore, the Jesko uses an all-new twin-turbocharged 5.0l V8 engine with significant upgrades to the Agera engine, and has an 8,500rpm limit.

Provisional outputs peg the Jesko at 950kW and 1,500Nm using regular fuel. When fuelled with ethanol, the power jumps to 1,195kW.

Koenigsegg is not sharing performance figures yet but you can expect a 0-100km/h sprint in about 2.5 seconds. Top speed will be well in excess of 400km/h as befitting an apex Koenigsegg, while some reports suggest the Jesko Absolut may be capable of 530km/h.

A rear diffuser, front splitter and a splayed rear wing generate more than 1,000kg of downforce while minimising drag. An airplane style wraparound windscreen adds to its aerodynamic prowess. It also features an Autoskin function, which debuted with the Koenigsegg Regera, that allows for body panels to open at the press of a button.

An active rear steering system aids low speed low manoeuvrability while increasing responsiveness and high speed handling.

The Jesko has a carbon fibre tub chassis, and interior amenities include a racing-inspired SmartCluster instrument screen, touch screen infotainment, power windows, adjustable pedals and steering column, and a pair of luggage compartments, one up front and a smaller one in the rear. It also has a detachable hardtop for a roadster experience.

The pre-production Jesko is painted in Tang Orange Pearl with silver and carbon-fibre accents, a visual homage to the original Koenigsegg CCR.

Local orders for the Jesko are being taken by Daytona in Melrose Arch. Pricing in the US starts at roughly $3m (roughly R44m).