Koenigsegg Regera

The Koenigsegg One:1 was extreme, but Koenigsegg took it one step further with the Koenigsegg Regera. The Regera is what you would consider the ultimate evolution of the automobile, boasting 1.1 megawatts of power, or 1488.52 ponies in horsepower terms from its hybridized drivetrain and V-8 engine. In comparison to cars like the Agera RS and the One:1, the Regera is more luxurious and has more technology but is significantly lighter with a dry weight of 3,130 pounds and a curb weight of 3,589 pounds. It also showcases a number of firsts for the Koenigsegg brand; it is fully robotized via lightweight hydraulics and has the world’s first fully foldable, active, top-mounted rear wing. Only 80 examples of the Regera are slated for production with an estimated price tag of $2 million.

Koenigsegg Regera Video Review:

Aside from the firsts associated directly with the Regera, it also entered production while Koenigsegg was still in the production phase for another model – marking the first time that the company has had more than one model in production at one time. That’s a pretty big deal for a small manufacturer like Koenigsegg. Either way, the Regera is Koenigsegg’s latest model as of 2017. Considering the power improvements and weight reduction over the One:1, we’re already starting to wonder what Koenigsegg will do to one-up itself again with something better. Until that happens, let’s take a closer look at the Regera and what makes it such an amazing vehicle.

Updated 03/02/2016: Koenigsegg dropped the final specifications figures for the production version Regera at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Koenigsegg Regera.

With previous Koenigsegg production models being an indication, the Regera pretty much looks like a restyled Agera, which itself is a restyled version of the CC8S/CCR/ CCX and CCXR that went before it. That said, the new model sports enough design modifications to be worthy of the moniker and propulsion changes, even though most of its design features are nearly identical to its predecessors.

The new model sports enough design modifications to be worthy of the moniker and propulsion changes, even though most of its design features are nearly identical to its predecessors.

The front features a pair of new headlights, a much deeper aerodynamic front splitter for more downforce and less drag, and some differently shaped air intakes. Three NACA-like air ducts have been fitted on the front hood, right under the windshield.

The side profile looks quasi-identical with other Koenigsegg models, with the trademarked "dihedral synchro-helix actuation" doors being retained as well. On the other hand, the rear is quite different than its predecessors, with a pair of restyled LED taillights accompanying a reshaped rear wing that is hydraulically actuated. Another Koenigsegg Koenigsegg trademark that hasn’t been retained is the single, oversized, central exhaust splitting the diffuser, since the Regera seems to feature two exhaust exits.

A number of extra aerodynamic winglets and side splitters tested on the One:1 have found their way onto the Regera, along with a restyled version of Koenigsegg’s proprietary carbon-fiber wheels. Last, but certainly not least, the fuel filler cap is accompanied by an electric socket, while the side air intakes have been reshaped as well. The package is completed by new rear-view mirrors and a bunch of extra air intakes and outlets probably used to cool off the battery and electric motors.

The Regera also features Koenigsegg’s Autoskin feature that allows the driver to open both doors, front hood, and rear hood remotely with the keyfob or from inside the car with the Autoskin buttons on the center console. And, in addition to the rear and side view cameras, an optional forward facing camera can also be installed, enabling the driver to have a birds-eye view of the car when parking or maneuvering in confined areas.

As with some of the exterior details, I didn’t expect to find an all-new cockpit inside the Regera, but Koenigsegg surprised everyone by finally introducing a redesigned center console. Entry is still made via the cool doors, which the Swedish carmaker insists on calling by their official name on every occasion, while the seats and almost every touchable surface is engulfed in leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber.

A few touches of machined aluminum on the new center console and air conditioning vents make for a classier atmosphere compared to other Koenigseggs, even though the flat-bottomed steering wheel and LCD-based instrument cluster look like the ones from the Agera, only with better clothing.

Apple CarPlay comes standard with the Regera’s infotainment system, as does WiFi connectivity, eliminating the need to drag a USB cord along with you inside the car. Inductive charging also comes standard, so as long as you’re in the car, your phone won’t discharge. The heated seats feature electrical adjustment with memory functions for each driver.

Taking everyone by surprise, Koenigsegg announced that the Regera will also feature "700 horsepower electrical motors and an impressive 800 volt., 4.5 kWh liquid cooled battery pack." In layman’s terms and knowing how powerful the One:1 is, the size of that battery and that huge amount of electric power tells us that the upcoming model is plug-in hybrid hypercar with a total output of over 1,341 horsepower. In other words, Koenigsegg finally beat Bugatti to the punch by being the first to launch the fastest and most-powerful hybrid hypercar (excuse me, "megacar") in the world.

Koenigsegg finally beat Bugatti to the punch by being the first to launch the fastest and most-powerful hybrid hypercar (excuse me, "megacar") in the world.

Having started as a supercharged Ford Modular V-8, Koenigsegg’s internal combustion engine has transformed over the years into a twin-turbocharged, 5.0-liter, V-8 that has been developed mostly in-house by Swedish engineers. Every model from the Swedish carmaker has sported a version of this powerplant, and the Regera will also, only this time it will be augmented by three electric motors. Just like the Porsche 911 Turbo and some modern turbodiesels, Koenigsegg’s engine features variable-vane turbochargers, giving it more low-end torque and improved throttle response at lower revs, and economical cruise. Since it is paired with 700 horsepower-worth of electric motors, it doesn’t need to be as powerful as its predecessors, delivering "only" 1,100 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque on regular pump gas and a bit more than that on E85.

On the electric propulsion front, the Regera has 700 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, courtesy of three electric motors. That said, the total system output is of at least 1,500 horsepower and 1,475 pound-feet of torque, all of it being sent to the rear wheels through the so-called Koenigsegg Direct Drive, a patent-pending technology that replaces the car’s traditional gearbox with an electric motor, somewhat similar to the hybrid setup in the Toyota Prius.

Unlike the Prius, the Regera also uses two extra electric motors – one for each rear wheel – both of them getting their juice from an 800 volt, 4.5 kWh, liquid cooled battery pack that can also be charged from the outside with a power cord. The hybrid setup translates into mind-blowing performance numbers, with 0 to 62 mph taking 2.8 seconds, 0 to 124 mph taking 6.6 seconds, and 0 to 186 mph taking 20 seconds. Furthermore, 93 to 155 mph acceleration takes only 3.9 seconds.

DRIVETRAIN SPECIFICATIONS

Combustion engine power 1,100 HP on 91 octane DIN or 95 octane RON (a bit more on E85)

Combustion engine torque 921 LB-FT

Electric propulsion 700 HP

Electric torque 663 LB-FT

Battery pack 9 kWh 620 Volt, flooded liquid cooled

Combined Output Over 1,500 HP

Combined Torque Over 1,475 LB-FT

Koenigsegg has yet to reveal pricing for the Regera, but an announcement posted by the company’s U.K. dealer on German car-buying site Mobile.de suggests the supercar will cost €2.1 million in Europe, which translates to around $2.37 million in the United States. This sticker would make it significantly more expensive than most of its competitors.

However powerful and good-looking the Koenigsegg Regera ended up being, the model arrives in a severely distorted marketplace for hypercars. I say this because Koenigsegg is no longer battling just Bugatti for the world’s fastest car title, but it also needs to cater to the tastes of customers who ended up buying eco-hypercars like the McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder or the Ferrari LaFerrari. A first good step is probably the model’s name, since it manages to sound both cool and descriptive, especially if you know your Swedish.

In a surprising turn of events, the Regera not only sports a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but the overall output is over 50 percent higher than the aforementioned eco-hypercar trio. With Bugatti already announcing that the Veyron successor will have a hybrid powertrain, it looks like the Koenigsegg is actually the first one to bring such a hybrid monster to the market. I’ll reserve further opinions on the matter for when we see both models going head-to-head, but from where I’m standing it looks like Bugatti should be pretty worried. Can you imagine going from 83 mph to 155 mpg in a tad over three seconds in something other than a Top Fuel dragster?

Koenigsegg Regera Exterior Images: