Filed under: Etc., Euro, Videos, Supercars
First drive in Koenigsegg CCX
So we finally had our crack at the CCX. And we can tell you that those letters could easily be pronounced "Cooks." After watching others get in all sweaty-palmed and exit smiling yesterday, we were able to try it out ourselves. The "it," for anybody not paying attention, is the Koenigsegg CCX. The newest iteration of the SuperSwede that is now available at a dealer near you. So long as you happen to be in Las Vegas and you stop in the Exotic Cars at Caesars Palace showroom. And so long as you have 700 grand to spend. Follow the jump for more clickables and prose.
The photos and video that are connected with this post are probably all you need to see to know everything there is to know about the car. But we will indulge those of you who actually like to read too. The car is a beast on paper. Capable of returning us to Southern California from Las Vegas in exactly one hour at its claimed top speed, we aren't really sure how they had decided to let us drive it. But drive it we did.
And boy oh boy did we enjoy our seat time. Racer Justin Bell helped us learn the track and the specifics about what to expect once it was our turn behind the wheel. 800 horsepower and nearly 700 pounds of torque are nothing to be toyed with, especially when there are no electron-inspired safety nets in place. But from the way he made it sound, this would be a cakewalk.
The clutch is sort of stiff and the shifter requires a firm shove, but other than that, this thing does exactly what you want it to do in an almost calm way. Granted, we didn't push overly hard because our checkbook balances don't run in the 7 digits of late, but triple digit speeds are easily attainable in a matter of seconds and even maintaining those speeds through turns, bumpy turns no less, was fairly easy. Exhilarating, but easy. The car just felt so solid and well-planted in every section. Hard to imagine how far beyond the realm of mere mortal drivers the limits of this car might be.
So we have to say thanks to everybody involved and let you, our Autoblog readers, know that we understand your jealousy. It is warranted. This thing is awesome. Fast and not so furious. It was so easy to push around that track that it made us think it could be used as daily transport. For the lucky few who have the bank to walk into Exotic Cars at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and plunk down $695,000 for one of these beauties, the payout should be better than hitting a Progressive. Special thanks to Drew Phillips and Fast-Autos.net for the collaboration on this project, especially the video that should be up soon.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Boogyman 10:25AM (8/30/2006)
Damn those pedals are perfectly placed for a rally. It is a work of art and I wish I had the bank to afford one. The roads around here wouldn't allow for to much travel, since there are a lot of potholes and ridges in the roads. Pocono raceway isn't to far away to have some real fun though.
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Stoneman 10:52AM (8/30/2006)
Awesome.
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Ravi 11:07AM (8/30/2006)
Looks like they finally added the rear spoiler.. If you guys remember, Top Gear (STIG) complained that the CCX could be more manageable with a spoiler. Without it, it was all over their track and STIG managed to crash this car for... first ever crash by STIG on their track.
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Frank4Cars 11:20AM (8/30/2006)
This car might have set an even better all-time Top Gear lap record without the spoiler if that Stig had been able to handle the speeds it was reaching. The wing slowed it down and made it easier to drive for him. Awesome car either way.
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Frank4Cars 11:48AM (8/30/2006)
BTW, as the previous post mentioned, the track is across the street from Nellis AFB and a lot of the jets were doing flybys.
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/29/track-day-number-1-with-koenigsegg-ccx/
I think the one in the first drive post is an F-22 Raptor.
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mraj4114 12:06PM (8/30/2006)
Yea I remember that episode. Stig plowed it into the tire wall the first time around because the back end was so loose without that spoiler. Glad to see that Koenigsegg added the "Top Gear" spoiler to its own.
Unless that is just the same one they drove on the show and is their press model and left the others untouched.
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Mark 12:07PM (8/30/2006)
apparently that IS the car the stig drove on top gear, so that's why it has the spoiler. and to #4, no, it wouldn't have gone faster without the spoiler, because without it can't go round corners nearly as fast as the back end lets go
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Ravi 12:23PM (8/30/2006)
I wonder why would they ever not include a spoiler during the initial design...Any proper car enthusiast could have recommended to include a spoiler. It does not take STIG to point that out. The Veyron has such a complex, hydraulic spoiler. Just my 2 cents..
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Frank4Cars 12:43PM (8/30/2006)
The way I understood it, the CCX was always available with the rear spoiler. The car seen here is the same one that has been used extensively for media and testing purposes and had the rear spoiler off for top speed runs. Top Gear didn't wait for the wing to be fitted before running it the first time and then had to send it back to get it installed because it was going too fast and needed the additional downforce for the driver to be able to keep it on track at that one turn.
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Scott Eaton 1:10PM (8/30/2006)
I want a car that I can complain: IT GOES TOO FAST!
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jon 1:28PM (8/30/2006)
Is it me or is the switch gear from VWG? Looks a lot like the stalks that were in the last Passat I drove.
Apart from that, I second the awesome.
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Ravi 1:37PM (8/30/2006)
#11 you are totally right.. I drive a passat and they are the same switchgear.. good catch and a good feel good factor(??) :)
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Jeff 1:38PM (8/30/2006)
Anyone have a picture of the door latch mechanism? I'd love to see how that works.
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Richard Weisman 2:22PM (8/30/2006)
The CCX mishap on the first top gear had nothing to do with the wing or lack thereof. The car was not set up correctly. For the second run, it was. The wing had no effect but to slow the car down. However, I think the car looks better with the wing, and it is available as an option. Also, it it the very same car that was used for Top gear, wing and all. Finally, one of the most impressive things about the car is that we drove it hard all day, for 2 days, in 105 degree heat, and it never had a single problem of any kind. I don't know what other car could do that, let alone a supercar.
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Frank4Cars 3:16PM (8/30/2006)
#13--
http://www.frank4cars.fotki.com/other_automotive_events/misc/koenigsegg_door_hardware/
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farris 3:24PM (8/30/2006)
I have a question for the guys from A-B.
What is the thing in front of the shifter? Are they trying to make a portable rotary telephone a-la-Hack-a-Day awhile back?
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ruggels 4:41AM (8/31/2006)
Does it come with the tow truck featured in it's first run in the Gumball 3000? I guess if you're car costs Enzo money it can be just as reliable... or maybe all that cash went to building the doors... which are very sexy.
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David Naylor 6:00AM (8/31/2006)
Yep, #14 is right. The wing had nothing to do with it...
http://davidnaylor.org/blog/2006/06/top-gear-koenigsegg-ccx-didnt-really.html
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scsz 9:37AM (9/01/2006)
Great job! That is an amazing car. It is cool that you can say you drove the same car as the Stig.
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autoshow 5:54PM (10/09/2006)
You must have the best sensations you can have in a car like this.
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