Koenigsegg history, profile and history video

 “Past, present and future

 From passion to power

Sweden is a country blessed, and built, with world-class engineering. The country’s fighter jets have always been at the forefront of technological development. Sweden’s transport industry has long been synonymous with exceptional quality and safety, whether it be trucks, busses, passenger vehicles or even the many small, specialist engineering companies working with the tuning and building of world-class rally cars.

It was against this backdrop that a young Christian von Koenigsegg followed a dream and launched his own car company in 1994. His sole mission: to create the perfect Supercar.

Of course, this was at a time where the Supercar was considered to be somewhat of a dinosaur, a temperamental relic from a bygone era. The world was at the end of a recession that had hit the sports car industry hard.

To Christian, however, it was a calling. He cared little about the state of the global economy or the obstacle that it might represent in the minds of others. He was busy fulfilling a dream.

Humble beginnings

The Koenigsegg CC prototype boasted a unique carbon body with a detachable roof. Despite very limited resources, the chassis, suspension, brakes, wishbones uprights and many other items were all custom designed for the car by Christian and his small team. The car was completely original and received a lot of attention as a result. Today, almost 16 years later, the first CC prototype is still being driven.

Stealing the show

Christian took the Koenigsegg CC prototype to the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 in order to assess interest in the vehicle concept. The reaction to the car was overwhelming and the first international contacts were established. Christian felt reassured as he pushed towards commercial production.

Just five years later, in 2002, Koenigsegg began series production of the Guinness World Record-holding CC8S model. The advent of the CC8S proved to the world that it was possible for a passionate, dedicated young man to conceive and build a true engineering masterpiece to rival the established Supercar brands.

Koenigsegg has been producing hand-made cars, built to order, ever since.

The home of Koenigsegg

Koenigsegg moved to its present location and headquarters in Ängelholm, Sweden, in 2003. The building had previously been home to the Swedish Air Force and once housed JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets.

Now refurbished to suit Koenigsegg’s requirements, these facilities provide the perfect infrastructure for building high-tech Hypercars. There is ample room for the composite workshop, engine development and testing, a pre- and final assembly hall, a paint shop, research and development facilities, as well as vehicle and parts storage.

It is here, in this state-of-the-art facility in southern Sweden, that Koenigsegg creates a handful of bespoke Hypercars every year.

Fighter jet spirit

Koenigsegg relocated to its present location and headquarters after a fire in the company’s original premises in 2003. The 4000sqm facility was once home to the Swedish Air Force’s Fighter Jet Squadron No. 1 before the squadron was retired from service. The squadron’s insignia, a flying ghost, now adorns the engine bay of all Koenigsegg cars built here as a tribute to Squadron.

Along with the buildings came a 1.7km runway, which has turned out to be perfect for high-speed testing of the cars. As the runway is 50 meters wide it can also easily be converted into a “race track” formation. Many Koenigsegg customers have enjoyed the possibility of landing their private jet on the runway just outside the doors of the factory. There is also a helipad in front of the main entrance for those who wish to travel by helicopter.

One of a kind

Each and every Koenigsegg has a premium price, but then each and every Koenigsegg has been painstakingly built by a select group of automotive artisans to the highest possible standards.

At Koenigsegg, we are able to fabricate intricate, hand-made metal and carbonfibre components in our own hi-tech production facilities. We also source specialist components from a network of dedicated suppliers and partners – most of which are based in Sweden.

Many of these suppliers are small companies and craftsmen that produce low volumes of incredibly high quality components. The manufacture and assembly of components used in a Koenigsegg are both incredibly labor intensive processes – there are more than 300 hand-formed carbonfibre parts alone in each car, for example – and the materials are extremely costly, without exception.

From then to now

Thanks to Christian’s unique drive and vision, both his cars and company continue to move at record speed. In a relatively short period of time, Christian and his team have become experts in their field, challenging a decades-old supercar establishment.

As early as 2004 the Koenigsegg CC8S became a favourite of the most famous car critic in the world, Mr. Top Gear himself, Jeremy Clarkson. In 2005, the Koenigsegg CCR became the fastest production car in the world, beating the nine-year-old Guinness World Record set by the McLaren F1. In 2006, the Koenigsegg CCX took the Top Gear lap record with a time that wasn’t beaten for over two years.

Today, Koenigsegg employs 50 full-time staff, plus consultants. Everyone works under Christian’s direct guidance. Each and every Koenigsegg is created and meticulously assembled by a tight-knit group of automotive artisans to the highest possible standards, under Christian’s watchful eye.

Innovating the future

Christian and Koenigsegg Automotive AB have introduced and patented several new technologies over the years. Among them are the ”rocket” catalytic converter, the supercharger response system and a variable geometry turbo system, to name but a few. Furthermore, several unique ways of using carbon fiber have been developed in-house, methods that make the car lighter, stronger and safer.

The Koenigsegg CCXR was the first ‘green’ Hypercar in the world, designed and calibrated to run on E85 and E100 biofuel, as well as normal gasoline.

The Koenigsegg philosophy does not tolerate compromise. Rather, we work at innovation in order to avoid compromise completely. Nothing is impossible. This open-mindedness and dedication are what define Koenigsegg and its cars.”

*Information from Koenigsegg.com

**Video published on YouTube by “Koenigsegg“