– Words: Ryan Lewis. Photos: Nicholas TJR.
The rest of the world has a lot to thank Sweden for: Ikea, Absolut Vodka, The Pirate Bay, even Abba, but when it comes to cars? Not so much. Sure, Volvos are safe but most are bland, and Saab? Well they don’t even exist anymore. There is, however, one feather in Sweden’s automotive cap, and that’s Koenigsegg. Our list of realistic dream cars won’t ever see ultra high-end hypercars like these; they’ll remain toys for the super rich and desktop wallpapers for everyone else, but as engineering feats they are spectacular. Koenigsegg launched their updated Agera S in Singapore last week and it’s a technological marvel. Here’s a closer look.
There are so many mind-numbing facts about this car it’s difficult to know where to begin. Numbers on their own start to lose any meaning! Koenigsegg claim that the Agera S retains “everyday usability”, but we’ll let you be the judge of that.
You might think that Singapore is a strange location for the launch, but there is a strong market there for exotic car collectors. In fact this one was already sold, for a whopping AU$5.75 million.
At that price it’s the most expensive car on the island, it’s also taken out top spot as the fastest car in Singapore, with a top speed of 420km/h.
Look closely and you’ll notice that the wheels look like carbon fibre – because they are. Hollow-spoke ‘Aircore’ carbon wheels, designed and developed by Koenigsegg themselves.
The carbon doesn’t stop outside the Agera S, pop the door and you’ll find continuous waves of flawless composite goodness. To quote Koenigsegg themselves, “The only materials you get to touch and see inside the Agera S are aluminium, carbon fibre, precious metals, alcantara and aniline leather.”
One aspect Koenigsegg seem particularly proud of is the removable roof which can be stored under the car’s front hatch. The chassis of the Agera S is designed to reach its maximum stiffness without the roof. Made entirely from carbon, the monocoque itself weighs an incredible 70kg with the integrated fuel tanks. Total dry weight for the Agera S is 1330kg.
Under that rear clip is where things get really wild. Hidden beneath more carbon fibre is a five-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine developed in-house by Koenigsegg. Other small volume manufacturers tend to tweak engines from other companies, but not Koenigsegg – they build their own. You want power figures? How does 1030hp sound? Oh and there’s 1100Nm of torque on tap as well.
In order to hit that insane top speed, Koenigsegg worked in partnership with Pirelli to develop a bespoke tyre exclusively for the Agera. They are rated for speeds over 420km/h, making them the highest top-speed rated tyres in the world. In dry conditions the Agera S pulls lateral acceleration up to 1.6g.
Obsessive attention to detail and supreme build quality are two things you can fairly expect from this car. You can tell it has been pieced together with ultimate precision right down to the smallest components.
“The Agera S is designed with a minimalistic “less is more” philosophy in mind. This philosophy dictates that the shape of the car has to be purely functional, with no added features except those needed.”
“The Agera S is truly efficient in the purest Swedish tradition. There is nothing merely to add visual drama; everything is there for a functional purpose. This is the essence of beauty, the philosophy that typifies every engineering aspect of the Agera S.”
Love it!