Geneva show: Koenigsegg One:1 ‘Megacar’

KOENIGSEGG has released more startling figures for its self-proclaimed One:1 “megacar” on the eve of the 1000kW/1371Nm carbon-fibre beast’s official unveiling at the Geneva motor show this week.

The Swedish car-maker has coined the superlative title in recognition of the coupe’s one megawatt power output, and claims it is the first time any series production car has broken the magical 1MW barrier.

Koenigsegg also reports that at 260km/h the car’s massive rear wing generates a whopping 610kg of downforce – and, poignantly, it points to a further downforce figure of 830kg at 440km/h.

If the One:1 is capable of reaching that speed it will steal the V-max record from American car-modifier Hennessey, which set a new record of 435km/h less than a month ago.

The One:1’s twin-turbocharged 5.0-litre V8 will happily spin up to a dizzy 8250rpm, taking the 1360kg two-door to 400km/h in just 20 seconds.

And when the fun is all over, its ceramic brakes – including 397mm front/380mm rear rotors – will drag it back to zero in half that time.

Mass has been kept to a minimum thanks to advanced manufacturing techniques and the liberal use of modern materials.

The One:1’s wheels contain no metal and are constructed entirely from carbon-fibre as is the car’s bantam-weight 72kg chassis, while the 197kg engine keeps weight to a minimum with carbon-fibre inlet manifolds and ceramic-coated ultra-lightweight steel-alloy Inconel exhaust manifolds, which lead to (optional) titanium tailpipes.

Even the suspension springs are made of carbon-fibre.

But do not think that with all that power and lightweight construction the record is in the bag – the One:1 will need every bit of its megawatt to crack the elusive 440km/h velocity.

At that speed the huge spoiler will effectively increase the car’s weight to nearly 2200kg, and despite the low-slung body with a flat underside, the One:1 has a relatively high drag-coefficient of up to 0.5Cd. By comparison, a Mercedes-Benz CLA is a slippery 0.23Cd.

With its impressive power figures, the newest Koenigsegg could also be in the running for the zero-to-100km/h record too, but with only two wheels to get the power down, it may not match the traction of the current record-holding four-wheel-drive Nissan GT-R.

That said – each one of the One:1’s driven wheels is more than a foot in width, so the 2.8-second 0-100km/h sprint record might still be within its reach.

Despite the attention to weight minimisation, the One:1 is not without comfort equipment, with air-conditioning, keyless entry, variable ride height, power steering, electric windows, a G-meter, rearview camera and even a car cover all included as standard – not that there is anything standard about a megacar.

The One:1 is unlikely to be a budget proposition, but if the base price doesn’t cripple your bank balance Koenigsegg will provide a number of options at additional cost.

Optional features include active noise cancellation, one-piece racing seats made of – you guessed it – carbon-fibre, custom body decoration including none at all to show off the carbon-weave, a personalised logo on the engine cover, a One:1 luggage set and even a diamond-encrusted key.