Watch Koenigsegg break its own 0-400-0 record

Wild Jesko Absolut shaves a second off Regera benchmark and outsprints a Bugatti Tourbillon to 250mph

Koenigsegg has forged quite a reputation for outrageous straight-line speed. As companies like Porsche and AMG chase ever quicker lap times, so Koenigsegg makes V8 hypercars accelerate faster and faster. Not content with the Regera having completed a 0-400-0kph dash in comfortably less than 30 seconds last year, Koenigsegg has surpassed it with a Jesko Absolut - and established three more unofficial records in the process.

27.83 seconds is the important number, as that’s the Racelogic-verified time for the Koenigsegg to have accelerated from stationary to 400 clicks (248.5mph) and brake back to a stop again. The previous best recorded for a Regera was 28.81 seconds. As an Absolut, the Jesko used for the run was designed specifically for straight-line speed, with a drag Cd of 0.278. It slices more efficiently through the air thanks to a smaller front area, limited venting and no active aero. The mechanical spec was as per any other Jesko, with 1,600hp from a twin-turbo, 5.0-litre V8 and a nine-speed Light Speed Transmission; the only changes from stock were the fitment of a roll cage and swapping out the regular seat for the chair from a One:1, as that’s the preference of test driver Markus Lundh. The Jesko used Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tyres and E85 fuel.

As might be expected given that formidable time, the Absolut broke a few other records on this incredible run. Koenigsegg reckons no other homologated production car (however far a Jesko stretches that definition) has accelerated so fast: it reached 400kph in 18.82 seconds, 250mph in 19.2 seconds and did nought to two fifty and back again in 28.27 seconds. For some idea of how ludicrously fast that makes the Jesko, a Bugatti Tourbillon is said by its maker to take 25 seconds to reach 248mph. So there’s bonkers fast, and then there’s a Jesko Absolut. The video makes the mph count look like kilometres, and the sustained acceleration above 200mph is incredible.

It could go even faster, too. Christian von Koenigsegg said of the Jesko run: “This record run validated the accuracy of the simulated and calculated performance of the Jesko Absolut, which gives us great confidence in its ability to outright be the fastest, fully homologated production car in the world. Now it is all down to tire testing, development, and approval, before we finally can make an attempt at that record.” Plus he’s hinting at laptimes with the bewinged Jesko Attack derivative. Given Koenigsegg’s achievements thus far, you’d be brave to bet against them.