It’s true that cars are a means to travel from point A to point B, however, that’s not necessarily always the case. Sometimes, a car is more than a machine we use to traverse. And for gearheads, that’s more often than not true. That’s how we started getting sports cars, and eventually supercars. But, hypercars are the ones that occupy our dreams and ultimate goals. Hypercars are the ones to look for when we want to see carmakers all over the world try to squeeze every bit of power from their machines in the best way possible.
In the hypercar battle of supremacy, we have the household names like Bugatti, Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, Pagani, and most recently SSC. But, the brand that either is at the top of the list or comes out as a dark horse is the Swedish carmaker Koenigsegg. Notably, Koenigsegg epitomizes the phrase ‘quality over quantity’ with their cars’ performance and engineering, combined with their rarity.
After the road-shattering Jesko and the family-hauling Gemera, Christian von Koenigsegg, the brand’s CEO, launched their new creation, the CC850 this August. The name suggests Koenigsegg went back to their roots with this one and made something that will both reminisce about the CC series and break some new ground regarding technology.
10/10 Back To The Roots
The long and illustrious journey of Koenigsegg to the top started with a CC. In 1994, Koenigsegg made their very first prototype and simply named it Koenigsegg CC. After that, they worked on the CC8S, CCR, and then the CCX. Since then, they moved forward with the likes of the Agera, Regera, Gemera, and Jesko.
Now, we are getting another addition to the CC lineup. The reason behind that is to commemorate the 50th birthday of the company’s founder Christian von Koenigsegg, and the 20th anniversary of the first delivery of the CC8S.
9/10 It Has A Ferocious 1,385 HP Engine
Since it’s a Koenigsegg, let’s get the obvious thing out of the way first; It’s very, very powerful and very, very fast. The CC850 gets its power from a 5.0-liter twin-turbo DOHC aluminum V8 with a flat plane crankshaft and dry sump lubrication.
We had 5.0-liter V8s in the ‘70s, but technology has come so far that such engines can now make 1185 hp (at the very high rpm, though) with regular fuel. Feed it an E85, and the power output increases to 1385 hp.
8/10 This Hypercar Is A Manual
Manual transmission is a dying breed, but stick shift enthusiasts are glad that there are still new cars that have a manual option available even today. But, those are all usually sports cars or super lightweight 2-seaters from the likes of Zenos, Ariel, Lotus, and Caterham.
A hypercar of this caliber with a stick popping out from the center console is not something you get to see often. However, this is not just an ordinary six-speed that the photo suggests.
7/10 Koenigsegg’s Latest Innovation In Transmissions
Koenigsegg did wonders with the Koenigsegg Direct Drive (KDD), a system that effectively eliminates the need for a traditional gearbox in an ICE car. Now, once again, to impress the world with their new technology, Koenigsegg came up with the Engage Shift System (ESS).
The ESS allows you to have different gear ratios depending on what the engine and the wheels need at that moment. Moreover, along with a clutch-operated old-school 6-speed manual, you can also drive it with a fast-shifting patented Light Speed Transmission (LST) 9-speed automatic! Yup, a proper manual and an automatic in the same car.
6/10 The Classic Design Is Back
The CC8S and CCR made professionals in the industry aware of the brand, but the CCX launched it to new heights of popularity. Since they went back to the name of the CC series, you can see some inspiration and nostalgia slipped into the design board as well.
Like many great retro designs, Koenigsegg chose to keep the essence and overall design of the CC850 reminiscent of the car that started it all. But once you get closer, you see subtle differences and a touch of modernity in the headlights, mirrors, bumpers, diffusers, and aerodynamics.
5/10 Shorter Than A Civic Hatchback
Despite the looks, it’s not as big as one might think. We can all guess that it’s going to be shorter and wider than a family car, but the overall length of this beastly hypercar is 171.8 inches. That’s more than 7 inches less than the 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback’s 179 inches, let alone its sedan version.
Well, that’s relativity, folks. It boasts a width of 79.7 inches and a height of 44.4 inches, with a 106.3-inch wheelbase. The curb weight of 3,053 pounds is slightly heavier than something like a Zonda, but it will be astonishingly lighter than most other V8-powered supercars and hypercars.
4/10 The Interior Is Sublime
From the outside, sure it looks fast, but also subtle and not what you call something flashy or flamboyant. That’s a job best left to the Italians. In the case of the CC850, the interior tells a similar story. They kept the old-school classic vibe of the CC8S intact with this one.
Apart from the bright color, everything looks minimalistic, symmetrical, and easy on the eyes. Nothing overwhelms you except the gated manual stick right in the middle. In other words, there are very few things to distract you from the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship in the cockpit.
3/10 Overwhelming Demand Made Koenigsegg Increase The Production Count
When Koenigsegg premiered the launch of the CC850, Christian von Koenigsegg stated that they will keep the production count to 50 units. They have always kept their cars’ production to a few numbers so that was expected at the very least.
But upon launch, all 50 examples were sold out in record time. And the demand for more units reach such a point that Koenigsegg decided to build 20 more units now. So, there will be 70 of these roaming around the earth at some point.
2/10 It (Probably) Won’t Aim For A Land Speed Record
The figures on the spec sheet of this car look incredibly impressive. Do not get us wrong as objectively, this is one hell of a car. But as far as an attempt for the land speed record goes, Koenigsegg will bring out the Jesko Absolut for that.
However, if we look at manual production cars, the CC850 is the most powerful out there, so it’s got an almost guaranteed chance to be the fastest of them all too. Again, as we said, the more-than-1000-hp CC850 is a lot lighter than a Bugatti, so it’s pretty agile too, and will reach above 200 mph in no time.
1/10 It Costs Three And A Half Million Bucks
Between the $1.9 million Regera and the $1.7 million Gemera, the CC850 is among the most expensive cars on the planet, let alone in the Koenigsegg lineup. But, for $3,650,000 you get one of the most advanced and thoroughly engineered cars on the planet.
With the elegant design, powerful engine, nimble handling, and cutting-edge transmission, we are willing to bet that the CC850 will prove that it’s worth every single penny it costs right from the get-go.