In a modest white building surrounded by a forest setting and a number of aerospace exhibits, Koenigsegg builds the worlds fastest cars. Chris Rix from Top Gear got a one-of-a-kind opportunity to visit the factory at Angelholm, Sweden and show us what it takes to build a Koenigsegg.
Christain von Koenigsegg talked a little bit about the company’s future projects and the new Jesko hypercar. The video was shot before the car was unveiled. So the flock of engineers and mechanics working in the background was actually assembling the car we saw at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.
Despite producing the Jesko 300 version, which can theoretically break the 300 mph barrier, Christian von Koenigsegg remains reluctant about attempting a new record. The engineering challenges and safety risks are tremendous. Organizing a new speed run will require a mammoth effort, a dedicated tire manufacturer and a driver with strong guts.
Christ Rix took a ride in a customer’s Regera, being tested on the runway. The presenter experienced first hand the famous run – 0 to 300 kmph to 0.
You’d think that selling $2.8-million cars like the Jesko would make Christian von Koenigsegg a billionaire, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, almost all of the revenue goes into producing each vehicle, leaving a modest profit margin.
For example, it takes 200 man-hours to produce a set of the company’s carbon fiber wheels. And although those are optional, each car requires 600 to 800 man-hours of work in the paint shop. And then, another 200 hours to polish everything.
As we’re taken around the assembly line, we start to believe why these cars cost so much. Stunning work.
