When Christian von Koenigsegg presented the Jesko (named after his father) at last year’s Geneva Motor Show, he promised that an even faster version will debut later on. Well, the time has finally come to welcome just such a model, as the Swedish carmaker recently took the wraps off of the new Jesko Absolut.
No, this isn’t a tie-up product with the vodka brand. Instead, the Jesko Absolut is dubbed the fastest Koenigsegg ever made and the company says it “will never endeavor to make a faster series-production road car, ever.”
For now, the company hasn’t revealed just how fast its new creation will go but based on its math and advanced simulations, “it will be unbelievably fast.” The obvious barometer will be the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, which managed to hit a top speed of 490.484 km/h (304.773 mph) in September last year.
That’s not to say there are no obscene figures to mention, as the Jesko Absolut retains the same powertrain as its more track-focused sibling. Power comes from an aluminium 5.0 litre twin-turbo V8 that weighs in at just 189 kg and features a flat-plane, 12.5-kg crankshaft, a carbon-fibre intake manifold as well as an 8,500-rpm rev limit.
With regular gasoline, the engine runs at 1.7 bar of boost pressure to develop 1,298 PS (1,280 hp) at 7,800 rpm, and with E85 ethanol fuel, the boost pressure goes up to 2.2 bar for 1,625 PS (1,600 hp), while peak torque is 1,500 Nm at 5,100 rpm.
The engine is connected to Koenigsegg’s nine-speed Light Speed Transmission that tips the scales at just 90 kg with fluids, and uses seven clutches for changes between any gear to happen almost instantly. Supporting systems include a gearbox control module with Ultimate Power on Demand (UPOD) and an electronic differential, with the former allowing for multi-jump gear changes in addition to regular single-increment gear changes.
What makes the Jesko Absolut different from a regular Jesko is aerodynamics, as a lot of effort was put into the reducing drag or surrounding turbulence around the car while increasing high-speed stability. As the company puts it, “the Jesko Absolut is a more seamless and stealthier interpretation of the Jesko.”
Exterior revisions include an extended rear bonnet (+85 mm), covered rear wheels, smoother front wheel louvres as well as a lowered ride height. Several aerodynamic aspects of the Jesko were also deleted, as seen with the front bonnet air ducts, front splitter, side winglets and massive rear wing, which has been replaced with two fins instead.
As a result, the car has a frontal area of just 1.88 square metres and an overall drag coefficient of 0.278. On the move, the Jesko Absolut generates 40 kg of downforce at 250 km/h and a maximum possible 150 kg at higher speeds. By comparison, the normal Jesko creates 800 kg of downforce at 250 km/h, 1,000 kg at 275 km/h, and a maximum of 1,400 kg.
With less downforce generated, the engineers are able to soften the suspension and make the overall package slightly more compact. The latter does without front Triplex dampers (regular ones are used instead), and together with the lack of a front hood air dam, makes it possible to stow the detachable roof in the frunk, which couldn’t be done on the normal Jesko.
The setup still uses double wishbones and adjustable dampers, with electronically-adjustable ride height capability and a set of forged aluminium wheels that can be upgraded to Aircore carbon-fibre wheels (20-inch front, 21-inch rear) with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres (265/35 front, 325/30 rear). Braking power is courtesy of discs measuring 410 mm at the front (with six-piston calipers) and 395-mm discs at the rear (with four-piston calipers).
Life inside is unchanged from a regular Jesko, as you still get leather or Alcantara upholstery, carbon-fibre sport bucket seats, climate control, a wireless phone charger, a digital audio system, an around-view monitor and a key fob that is tied to the Autoskin electro-hydraulic system for the bonnets and doors.
“The Jesko Absolut with its shockingly low drag coefficient of 0.278 Cd, combined with its high-speed stability-optimised aero features, daily drive-friendly characteristics and luggage space, make the Jesko Absolut a land-based rocket ship determined to reach unheard-of speeds in record-setting pace,” says the company CEO and founder. How fast? Time will tell.
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