Koenigsegg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
For the small German state, see Königsegg
Koenigsegg Logo
Koenigsegg Logo

Koenigsegg Automotive AB is a Swedish manufacturer of high-performance cars based initially in Olofström, later moving to Margretetorp, just outside Ängelholm.

Contents

[edit] History

The company was founded in 1994 by Christian von Koenigsegg with the intention of producing a world-class supercar. Based on Formula One technology, the car was required to be a two-seater, midengine layout with a hardtop. The initial design was based on a design for a car by Sven-Harry Åkesson called Sethera Falcon.[1] The first car produced(the CC8S) used a V8 built by Ford. On the most recent models, the CCR and CCX, an engine built by Koenigsegg was used.

Von Koenigsegg got the idea to build his own car after watching the Norwegian puppet movie Pinchcliffe Grand Prix in his youth.[2] However, he took his first steps in the world of business in his early 20s running a trading company called Alpraaz in Stockholm, Sweden. The success of this venture gave von Koenigsegg the necessary financial standing to launch his chosen career as a car manufacturer.

A Koenigsegg CC prototype was first publicised in 1997, while the production prototype was finally unveiled at the 2000 Paris Motor Show. The first customer took delivery of a red CC 8S in 2002 at the Geneva Auto Show and four more cars were built that year. Koenigsegg was established in Asia later that year with a premier at the Seoul Auto Show. In 2004, the new CCR was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show.

On February 22, 2003, one of Koenigsegg's production facilities caught fire and burned to the ground. The fire was extinguished with help from 40 firefighters from different fire departments (Ängelholm, Hjärnarp, Strövelstorp, Bjuv and Helsingborg), villagers from Margretetorp, and passers-by. About 15 Koenigsegg cars, body parts, machines and engines were saved before the fire got out of control. The cause of the fire was determined to be a short-circuit in the company kitchen dishwasher, which then spread to the roof, which was insulated with hay. On the same day, the Koenigsegg cars took refuge at the nearby former Swedish Airforce Base F10, near the town of Ängelholm, which lies in the southwestern-most part of Sweden. After a few days, the decision was made by von Koenigsegg that they would stay within the former wing to rise from the ashes.

The Koenigsegg badge was designed in 1993 by Jacob Låftman, based on the shield of the Koenigsegg family. The shield has been the family's coat of arms since the 12th century when a family member was knighted by the German-Roman Empire.

[edit] Records

On 28 February 2005, at 12:08 hrs local time, in Nardò, Italy, the CCR broke the record for the fastest production car in the world, having attained 388.87 km/h (242.91 mph), breaking the record previously held by the McLaren F1. The record was held until September 2005 when the long awaited Bugatti Veyron broke the record again at 407.5 km/h (253 mph), proven by Car and Driver and BBC Top Gear.

May 2003, on the San Francisco to Miami Gumball 3000 Rally, the first CCR in the United States received the biggest speeding ticket in the world; 242 mph in a 75 mph zone somewhere in west Texas.[citation needed]

[edit] In the media

Koenigsegg's latest model, the Koenigsegg CCX is top of the leader charts of the popular motoring show, Top Gear. It went round the Top Gear track with a time of 1:17.6 beating the Pagani Zonda F. It originally posted a time of 1:20.4; however, Top Gear recommended that Koenigsegg should fit a spoiler (which is original optional equipment) to its car to provide it with more downforce. With the spoiler the CCX was able to beat the Zonda's record by 0.8 seconds. However, according to Koenigsegg themselves [3], the improved lap time was due to an improved setup.

The reason The Stig went off the first time was that we hadn't had time to set the car up properly, it was oversteering slightly. For the second attempt the CCX had a perfect set-up and better grip. The wing doesn't do any good at the speeds seen on the Top Gear track, only above 300 kph does it start helping.

– Lotta de Salvatore, Bilsport

[edit] Trivia

[edit] Models

Koenigsegg
Koenigsegg CC · Koenigsegg CCGT · Koenigsegg CC8S · Koenigsegg CCR · Koenigsegg CCX · Koenigsegg CCXR

[edit] References

    [edit] External links

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
    Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../k/o/e/Koenigsegg.html"