Koenigsegg CCX
Story: Colum Wood Photos: Mike Maez
As F-22s took to the sky from the Nellis Air Force Base outside Las Vegas, I was about to embark upon my own high speed adventure in the cockpit of a monstrously powerful deep gray machine of a different sort. After being given an introductory lap around a road course next to the La Vegas Motor Speedway by none-other than the 24 Hour of Le Mans GT2 champion Justin Bell, I literally felt sick with excitement at being the very first journalist in North America to drive the 806hp Koenigsegg CCX – the only one in existence.
Two days earlier I had attended the supercar’s unveiling at Exotic Cars at Caesars Palace - the Las Vegas dealership which hold the sole North American distribution rights for the car - and the initial ‘Wow-factor’ of this carbon fiber beauty was transformed into a steady crescendo of giddy anticipation over the next 48 hours.
At first I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t going to top speed test the CCX on the speedway, but the road course proved a better test for the Swedish supercar – besides, everyone already knows it has great top end. Koenigsegg’s last model, the CCR, was made famous in 2005 for breaking the speed record held by the McLaren F1. Now that the Veyron has eclipsed the CCR, the CCX is poised to fight back. (As of yet no date has been set to attempt to break the Bugatti’s record).
Bell gave me a few pointers before handing me the wheel; one of the most surprising being that you can practically run the whole course in third gear. I took his advice, grabbing only fourth on the front and back straights. My one decision to use second, preceded by a poorly timed rev match, resulted in a chirp of the tires as they broke loose. This little event also caused me to have a rather large $695,000 lump in my throat. The CCX, however, maintained its composure and I was easily able to regain control.
This simplicity of operation is one of the great joys of the car. Because it relies on mechanical grip and not on sophisticated traction and stability control systems, the ride is an honest one. “With most machines of this caliber, when you drive them hard, it becomes a dance and you have to balance the car between your inputs and the computer’s inputs,” says Bell. The CCX, however, relies only on your inputs. His advice, “do what your instincts are telling you to do.”
The engineers at Koenigsegg certainly did their homework, because were it not for the surprising grip and amazingly balanced chassis, the supercar certainly would be a handful. On several of the tighter corners, my overly eager right foot brought the back end out. Regaining traction or keeping the slide going was surprisingly simple – a testament to the forgiving nature of the car. With the CCX, it’s hard to make a wrong move - assuming you aren’t a 6500 rpm in second gear.
When I returned to the pits, I was greeted with compliments on my driving, something I have to credit the car for. It is, by all accounts, a car that makes you look like a pro. The smoothness of the acceleration, the lightweight chassis (only 2,601 lbs) and the very capable brakes give you the impression that you aren’t working the car all that hard, and yet from a spectator’s point of view, it looks like a blistering lap.
The carbon really is a highlight of the car. From the exposed exterior parts, to the carbon braces in the engine bay, to the massive air intake embossed with the Koenigsegg logo, the whole car looks as technologically sophisticated as it does refined. No details have been forgotten; even the underside of the carbon engine cover is completely polished. As another journalist exclaimed, “this is no kit car.”
And it couldn’t be more true. Almost every part of the car, including the twin-supercharged 4.7-liter V8, was designed and built in house. Back on the track, the drive was simple enough. The enormously long shifter (with a surprisingly short throw) and pedals which are somewhat shifted to the centre of the car seemed odd only briefly. The wheel, however, did seem a little cheap, as did the Alpine deck – but who wants to listen to the radio anyway?
Getting into the car is somewhat of a challenge, as you have to slide across the nine-inch wide side sills. The cabin has plenty of room, with seats that were somehow excellent for both small and large frames. At 6’1” I also had plenty of head room.
The sophisticated door system (one of the hallmarks of the Koenigsegg brand) is simple to use and required almost no effort to operate – a pleasant treat.
As for the sound, it will certainly surprise those used to driving Italian exotics. Instead of a high pitched whine, the CCX emits a throaty and raw sounding rumble under load and yet is surprisingly quiet when sitting still. To be honest, the car didn’t feel like 800hp, but the 105 degree heat (which was probably more like 120 at the track) wasn’t helping. Track speeds also only got to around 140 mph, using just part of fourth gear, which according to Magnus Jaasund, one of the Koenigsegg engineers sent to watch over the car, is hardly making use of the CCX’s long gears and Rotrex centrifugal supercharger – a unit that acts more like a turbocharger, increasing power as the rpm increases. “We tried it with a twin screw unit,” says Jaasund, “but it felt like driving a truck, with all that torque a 1500 rpm.” For those who are more interested in feeling the power right away than taking their CCX up to 245 mph, Koenigsegg does offer shorter gears, suggests Jaasund. In fact, much of the car can be custom ordered, from colored leather interior to carbon ceramic brakes.
When I finally left the track to write this very story, Bell was still hammering the throttle on the second straight day of test drives, while fighter jets continued to roam the skies above. With 3000 miles of track time and one crash (yes, this is the very same car, Top Gear’s “The Stig” ran into a tire wall) the Swedish beast had yet to utter a complaint. The price tag certainly is a steep one but at roughly half the cost of the Bugatti, some might consider it a steal to own what could soon be the world’s fastest production car. And besides, unlike the Bugatti, the CCX looks great!
SPECIFICATION & DETAILS
ENGINE
Twin Supercharged 4.7-liter V8
DRIVETRAIN
Mid engine, rear-mounted six-speed transmission
SUSPENSION
Double wishbone with adjustable hydraulic shocks
CHASSIS
Semi monocoque made of pre-impregnated carbon fiber
WHEELS, TIRES, BRAKES
(F) 19x9.5-inch magnesium alloy wheels with 255/35/19 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires;
362mm vented rotors with six-piston calipers
(R) 20x12.5-inch magnesium alloy wheels with 335/30/20 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires;
362mm vented rotors with six-piston calipers
NUMBERS
Horsepower: 806 @ 6900 rpm
Torque: 678 ft-lbs @ 5700 rpm
Zero-62 mph: 3.2 sec.
Quarter Mile: 9.9 sec. @ 149 mph
Top Speed: 245+ mph
Weight: 2,601 lbs
Lateral G-force: 1.3 G
Price: $695,000
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Detachable roof, climate control, leather, driver airbag, power steering, hydraulic ride height system, stereo and CD player, ABS, power windows and mirrors and more.
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT
$60,000 diamond encrusted keychain, GPS navigation, 380mm carbon ceramic brake disks, carbon fiber and magnesium wheels, fitted luggage, traction control and more.
(Sourse Modified Luxury & Exotics)
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Print | posted on Thursday, January 10, 2008 4:39 PM