Geneva

Koenigsegg Jesko shocks at Geneva: $3 million, 1,600 horsepower

It has a nine-speed seven-clutch transmission

Koenigsegg Jesko
Koenigsegg Jesko / Image Credit: Koenigsegg
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Koenigsegg never ceases to amaze, and it's time to add a new name to your dream car list: Jesko. The Koenigsegg Jesko, named after Christian von Koenigsegg's father, was just revealed at the Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the Agera RS. This isn't just a variation of the Agera, either; it's a totally new car.

It's difficult to consider one part of this vehicle the highlight to lead with, since the entire car is filled to the brim with shocking performance technology. The flat-plane crank 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine makes 1,600 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque when you pump E85 through its veins. Regular old gasoline brings the power down to a still totally bonkers 1,280 horsepower. To keep boost pressure up, Koenigsegg has fitted the Jesko with an air tank and compressor that provide a 20-bar shot of air within the turbocharger system for pre-spooling purposes. Now that's a pretty metal solution to turbo lag.

The engine is also fitted with what Koenigsegg claims is the world's lightest production V8 crankshaft, (27.6 pounds) milled from a single billet of Swedish Dievar steel. Koenigsegg says vibrations are quelled by active engine mounts similar to those used in the Regera, along with lighter connecting rods and pistons.

Next up on the list of absurdly awesome things is a new nine-speed transmission with seven(!) clutches. Koenigsegg has a good reason for this obscene number of clutches, though. Dual-clutch units only allow gear changes between adjacent gears. This transmission will allow you to fly into whatever gear is optimal at whatever time. For example, if you want to shift from seventh to fourth gear in a dual-clutch transmission, the gears are changed one at a time going downward. The Jesko is capable of instantly selecting a gear without having to wait for several gear changes to get there (up to five gears away). You access this "optimal gear selection" by giving the paddle an extra hard click versus a normal, lighter click for single gear changes. This multi-clutch transmission is also significantly lighter than traditional dual-clutch units, partly because it does away with synchro rings.

The carbon fiber monocoque is larger in length and height than the Regera's, giving the interior more space. Koenigsegg says it retained the same suspension design as the Regera, but has "improved" it. Adjustable Ohlins dampers are at all four corners, along with an additional damper in the front suspension meant to maintain an optimal ride height during high aerodynamic loads. The Jesko has a rear-wheel steering system capable of turning the wheels three degrees in either direction depending on the condition. Lightweight carbon fiber wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Pilot Sport Cup 2 Rs are available for dry weather motoring exclusively, featuring a 10 percent larger contact patch and a revised tread design.

Koenigsegg says this is the most aggressive aero package it has ever fitted onto one of its cars. An active wing, active underbody flaps and huge splitter work together to produce 1,764 pounds of downforce at 155 mph. That's a 30 percent increase in downforce over the One:1 at similar speeds.

The Jesko is probably the easiest to live with Koenigsegg ever made, too. Those fancy, sliding doors now open further and higher away from curbs. It has a nine-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth, USB inputs, wireless phone charging and a top-view camera, and all the systems can be updated over the air via the Koenigsegg Cloud. So yeah, forget iCloud, and give us the Koenigsegg Cloud, please. Your instrument cluster is a five-inch digital screen mounted directly to the steering wheel, and there's an analog G meter to boot. Also, the roof comes off. What more could you want?

All this comes in a car that weighs only 3,130 pounds. Koenigsegg doesn't quote a top speed for the Jesko, but there are already plans to make a version called the Jesko 300. This one will be made with the goal of reaching speeds of over 300 mph, so expect a less aggressive aero treatment. A Jesko starts for about $3 million, but there can't be many buyers who look at the MSRP when Koenigsegg shopping. We do know only 125 will be built, and 80 were spoken for at the time we published this story.

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