Lap times and top speed are the holy grails of the hypercar world, even if owners rarely exploit a car’s full potential. But automakers relish the bragging rights, and Koenigsegg recently took its Jesko Attack to Laguna Seca for its maiden voyage, setting a blistering new production car lap record of 1:24.86. This impressive feat edged out the Czinger 21C by a mere 0.58 seconds and was done in the capable hands of Koenigsegg development driver Markus Lundh. This was his first experience at the American circuit too making the achievement even more impressive.
Koenigsegg’s Jesko Attack boasts a pedigree of record-breaking performances. It devoured Sweden’s Gotland Ring in 2:56.97, shaving nearly eight seconds off the previous record held by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS MR. The Attack also holds the crown for the fastest 0 to 400 km/h (249 mph) and braking back to a stop, achieving this feat in a jaw-dropping 27.83 seconds – a full second quicker than the mighty Rimac Nevera.
This awe-inspiring performance stems from the Jesko Attack’s monstrous heart: a twin-turbocharged 5.0-litre V8 churning out a staggering 1,280 horsepower (956 kW) in standard operation. Feeding it E85 fuel unleashes a beastly 1,600 horsepower (1,193 kW), complemented by a mind-numbing 1,498 Nm (1,106 lb-ft) of torque.
The Jesko Attack’s defining characteristic is its aggressive aerodynamic package, generating significantly more downforce than the standard Jesko. Koenigsegg claims a whopping 796 kg (1,764 lbs) of downforce at 250 km/h (155 mph) which ramps up to a colossal 1,400 kg (3,086 lbs) at the car’s top speed.
The Jesko Absolut, Koenigsegg’s weapon of choice for top-speed runs, builds upon the Attack’s foundation with a revised body optimized for minimal drag and high-speed stability. This pursuit of ultimate velocity translates to a three-inch longer body, with Koenigsegg revealing that a staggering 8,000 hours were poured into the car’s development with 3,000 dedicated to aerodynamics alone.