FIRST LOOK: 1,500 HP…

by Hansen 23 January, 2016, 11:48 am 587 Views

We met up with the CEO of Koenigsegg, Christian Von Koenigsegg (CVK), back in the 2014 New York International Auto Show. He was a down to earth guy and was excited to talk to us about the car he was revealing, the Koenigsegg Agera R. He’s the same awesome car guy now as he talks to Tim Burton (Shmee150) about Koenigsegg’s newest offering, the Regera.

The Regera is the byproduct of an automotive madman, who happens to be the CEO of the company. Much like how Elon Musk has created Tesla (Check out our review of the Model S) out of sheer willpower and determination, CVK has been able to experiment with wild automotive technologies to create some pretty crazy hypercars.

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At Regera’s core is a drysumped 5.0 liter 8 cylinder powerplant flanked with a couple of turbos. It also has a combination of batteries and three electric motors to create a net output of over 1500 horsepower. Transferring those ponies to the ground involves some nonconventional engineering, this is where Koenigsegg’s Direct Drive system comes into play. Here’s a very slimmed down explanation:

Under 30 MPH – Operate under electric motor. The V8 acts as a generator and provides electricity to the rear axle electric motors. The internal combustion engine is still mechanically linked to the rear but does not provide power, rather it slips via hydraulic coupling.
Between 30 – 249 MPH – The hydraulic coupling fully engages and the engine is fully and directly linked to the rear wheels. There are no gears to switch; the engine and wheel speeds move in direct proportions.

The single gear configuration would make for a different driving sensation on the track. Traditionally, engine speed and gear ratios plays a large role during turns, in order to move and accelerate in the most efficient manner. We are curious how this would feel around the track, would it feel more like the smoothness of the Tesla, or would the hydraulic coupling offer a completely alien experience?

Regardless, I think a test drive would be great. How about it, Mr. Koenigsegg?