Motor Australia – May 2019

d motorofficial f motor_mag^79

E JESKO says a lot about Koenigsegg, its philosophy,

heartand its history. No, it’s not called Ragnarok

havebelieved and Christian von Koenigsegg has a

planation. “To name a car for Ragnarok (an old Norse

nofthe end of the world) would perhaps be a bit

inthatcase it would be the downfall of all other super

ars.Itwasn’t me who suggested that the car be called

t it feels very natural and good.”

skowas unveiled at the 2019 Geneva motor show and

s there– Christian’s father, Jesko von Koenigsegg that

aboutto turn 80. Without the involvement of dad

d mother Brita, there wouldn’t be a Swedish supercar

y atall.

avealways supported and encouraged Christian and

k therisk of selling the family’s house to help with

whenit was tough. After he sold his own business

as the company’s first chairman and worked with

egg for five years.

gsegg is still a family business and it feels small and

even though it now employs more than 200 people in

turing and development. MOTOR visited Angelholm

k before the Geneva show and everything around the

car is hush-hush, especially the name. Von Koenigsegg senior

has been asked to read the press release, but at this stage the

name remains Ragnarok...

The car is due to be sent to Switzerland, but mere days

ahead of the show it is far from ready. The team doing the

final assembly will probably work all hours before everything

is ready, and Christian keeps track of everything in his very

humble manner. He doesn’t intend to be awake all day and

night this time. It’s the 18th consecutive year Koenigsegg will

exhibit at the Geneva Lounge. “I have been on a daily basis

too many times. For the first time, we built the stand ourselves

and I puttied plasterboard at night with an old credit card that

no longer worked. But it is not so good to stand there in the

morning completely black under the eyes.”

Before we can look at the car, we have to put on special

overalls in order not to scratch anything. It also says a

lot about Koenigsegg: love for details. The obsession with

perfection permeates everything.

“We have a holistic view of cars, on everything. It is not

possible to take parts from another model and use them on

Jesko. When a parameter changes, all other details must also

be adapted to it.”

STREET- LEGAL CAR IN ALL MARKETS”– CHRISTIAN VON KOENIGSEGG

OPPOSITE
The nine-speed
gearbox allows,
for example,
shifting from
seventh gear
straight down
to fourth

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