The battle of the hypercars is well and truly on! It’s barely been a month since the electric Rimac Nevera snatched the zero-to-250-mph-to-zero (zero-to-400-km/h-to-zero) world record from the plug-in hybrid Koenigsegg Regera. Now, though, the Swedish hypercar company has responded with a firm mandate to retake its crown: yes, the Regera just completed the same zero-250-mph-zero run in a stunning 28.81 seconds, setting a new world record in the process.
Even more impressive is the fact the Regera was able to shave over a second from the 29.93-second time set by the Nevera in May, and almost three seconds off the 31.49-second record the Regera itself set back in September 2019.
“Regera” is a Swedish word which roughly means “to reign” in English, and this latest feat is proof the Koenigsegg road-king will not relinquish its claim to the throne without a fight. The Regera was first unveiled at the 2015 Geneva motor show, with production kicking off the following year. It’s now seven years old, and Koenigsegg admitted the car required special preparations to achieve its new record.
First, the car was shod with brand-new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires. They are designed for maximum grip, and will have helped the Regera launch off the start line like a greased rocket. The track – the Orebro Airport in Sweden, a location chosen for its long runway – also had a smoother surface compared to the one used on the Regera’s previous record runs. Officials from Racelogic were on hand to verify the Regera’s times with their equipment.
The carmaker was understandably proud of its latest achievement. “This specific record is one that means a lot to Koenigsegg,” said company founder Christian von Koenigsegg. “The fact that the Regera can still surprise and amaze the automotive world after all this time is a testament not only to its timeless design but to engineering and technology that was way ahead of the curve.”
2023 Koenigsegg Jesko Photo by Koenigsegg
Customer deliveries of the Jesko, Koenigsegg’s next hypercar, pictured above, are expected to start before the end of the year, and according to Christian, “we can’t wait to show you what’s next.”
It’s an ominous statement of intent that rivals should take seriously. After all, the Jesko should be faster still than the Regera, and is Koenigsegg’s weapon of choice as it aims to beat Bugatti’s 300-mph (482-km/h) speed record—interesting times ahead then, in the hypercar space.
Keyword: Koenigsegg Regera reclaims acceleration record from Rimac