Koenigsegg Downplays Top Speed Records

Koenigsegg One:1

One would think that Koenigsegg, the exotic automaker based out of Sweden, would care a lot about top speed records. After all the company has produced some of the fastest production vehicles in the world, quickly building a reputation that has made Bugatti and others’ blood boil. In fact, popular speculation is that Koenigsegg’s One:1 can reach a top speed of 273 mph, which would surpass the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport’s record top speed of 267.8 mph.

Even with such potential bragging rights, one would be wrong to think that Koenigsegg cares, because it doesn’t.

The One:1 pushes out 1,340 horsepower and has aerodynamics that make some aircraft look dated. With a car that’s so crazy, Koenigsegg has a unique problem: there’s no testing area that’s big enough to push the vehicle to its limit. That fact has likely given Christian von Koenigsegg reason to stop and realize that top speed records are getting ridiculous.

That might sound ridiculous to some enthusiasts, but von Koenigsegg says that lap times are far more important. After all, a customer will never drive a car at 273 mph, but they will go do hot laps at a local track. It’s not just about hitting a high speed, but being able to accelerate quickly and stick turns with incredible agility.

It’s a nice dig on Bugatti and others, but Koenigsegg has a great point. The One:1 absolutely obliterates its competitors on 0-186-0 performance at a ridiculous 17.95 seconds. After all, that’s about how fast a Corolla can run a quarter mile.

Some have questioned if Koenigsegg is full of hot air when it comes to the claim that it can’t find a place to test out the top speed of the One:1. Other automakers likely won’t let the company use their facilities, and the Bonneville Salt Flats are in bad shape right now, so it’s possible. It also could come from a lack of caring, because Koenigsegg has risen to a level where it doesn’t have to prove itself to anyone anymore.