The new CC850 is the hypercar of our dreams that honors Koenigsegg’s first production car, the CC8S, and packs a world-first 9-speed auto that also functions as a 6-speed gated manual.
Swedish automaker Koenigsegg debuts the CC850 — a hypercar that sports a raw potential of 1,385 hp and 1,022 lb-ft on E85 fuel, thanks to the Jesko-derived 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8. If it is regular gasoline that the car chugs, the power comes down to still crazy 1,185 hp.
“The CC850 is up there, performance-wise, with our most extreme cars, but it’s kind of the middle ground,” said Koenigsegg while commenting on the supercar’s performance and power.
However, the admittedly impressive engine is overshadowed by the Engage Shift System (ESS) gearbox. Based on the Light Speed Transmission system (LST) used in Jesko, the Engage Shift System is a nine-speed automatic transmission capable of expert shifting and quick fire-offs. But there is a new addition to this system — you’ll find a clutch pedal and a manual gear lever when you take a peek into the cockpit.
Technically, the transmission system is electrically-driven. For instance, the clutch and the shifter are not manually changing the gear but send instructions by wire, similar to a video game. Thanks to the drive-by-wire operation, the ESS has some unique advantages. Notably, it can adjust the rations based on the driving mode because it has nine ratios to play with, yet the driver will only use six in manual mode.
As for the styling, the CC850 resembles the CC8S to a great extent but with a modern twist. Overall, the hypercar looks more streamlined, with simple and elegant lines and Koenigsegg’s recognizable concave windshield.
There isn’t much detail about the supercar’s true performance; Koenigsegg didn’t reveal any numbers, but the CC850 will be less powerful than Jesko, so we should expect some performance downgrade. Still, with 1,385 hp on tap, it will be far from slow.
Produced to celebrate the 50th birthday of the brand’s founder, Christian von Koenigsegg, the hypercar is a limited edition. Koenigsegg will build only 50 models, with price and availability yet to be announced.
Gallery: Koenigsegg CC850
