As in any luxury realm, there is the mass class of high-end brands and then there is the almost hidden elite class, the best of the genre that mortals rarely hear of. The same is true of hypercars: speeds of up to 300km/h; zero to 100km/h in 3 seconds or less; seven-figure cars that are barely street legal; the fastest street predators on earth are more appropriate on a track than the autobahn. We know, of course, the names burned into our Gone in Sixty Seconds brains of Ferrari, Lamborghinis, McLarens, Porsches, and the like. But these deservedly famous and incredible engineering wonders are not the fastest cars we know of. That spot is reserved for the next level up. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport; the SSC Ultimate Aero; the Pagani Huayra; the Hennessey Venom GT; and the Aston Martin Valkyrie, among others.
And in that class, the most difficult to pronounce of all, Koenigsegg (Koon-nings-egg) reigns supreme. A low-volume brand from Sweden, started a mere 30 years ago by an ambitious, self-confident young man named Christian Koenigsegg, has taken the top spot of fastest street legal vehicle in the world. His first record broken was in February 2005, when a new top speed of 387.86km/h shattered the McLaren F1 record. And records have been falling since. The Agera R has the fastest time to 300km/h, while the Regera has the zero-to-400km/h record.
That brings us to the Jesko story and, as we’ll see, the latest Koenigsegg car, the Sadair’s Spear. The Koenigsegg Jesko burst onto the scene during the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show. Named after Jesko von Koenigsegg, the father of company founder and CEO, Christian von Koenigsegg, the Jesko inherited the Agera RS’ mantle as the leading track-focused Koenigsegg. The Jesko was fitted with a 5.0l twin-turbo V8 engine producing 1,600 bhp. Its whopping aerodynamics package provides 1,400kg of downforce, which—combined with the revolutionary nine-speed Koenigsegg Light Speed Transmission—was nothing short of an epiphany. With Jesko, Koenigsegg had arrived at what many contend is the world’s best hypercar, bar none.
Maybe it was fitting that the update on the Jesko—some would say a kingly moment in automotive history—should be an ode to a horse, the same as Richard III decried when he stated, “My Kingdom for a horse!” in Shakespeare’s eponymous play. This time, it’s Jesko von Koenigsegg who has his horse praised. You see, Jesko was a professional jockey with a favoured steed in his storied career. So, when the time came for Christian to unveil his latest masterpiece, it was named after said horse, Sadair’s Spear. Keep it all in the family.
And what a thoroughbred she is. Sadair’s Spear wallops Jesko in the horsepower department by pulling up to 1,603bhp, a major breakthrough for any hypercar. It’s built on the Jesko power platform—a 5.0l twin-turbo V8 and, of course, the famous Koenigsegg nine-speed Light Speed Transmission, which eliminates the flywheel. That gives Sadair’s Spear the ability to redline at 8,500rpm, which is insane.
Once you get the power ready to deliver, the aero becomes the next challenge. But Sadair’s Spear has the good sense to use the double-blade rear wing, a powerful asset to create the downforce that obliterates track records like the recent Gotland Ring Lap, beating the Jesko Attack by 1.1 seconds.
“Sadair’s Spear represents a natural progression for Koenigsegg—an impeccable balance of raw power, refined aerodynamics, and extraordinary road presence,” Christian said in a statement about his latest creation. “This car is destined to set records. Achieving such track dominance in a fully road-legal vehicle is nothing short of remarkable.”
