A HYPERCAR is edging closer to being confirmed as the world’s fastest road car after tests show it could hit eye-watering speeds.
Computer simulations suggest the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut is capable of reaching 311mph, which would mean defeating the current record holder, Bugatti – as the firm looks to open a London showroom.
Swedish mastermind Christian von Koenigsegg has been building some of the world’s fastest hypercars for over 20 years.
He’s confident his team now has the data to remove its rivals from the top spot, having carried out rigorous tests and crunching complex data.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, the Aspark Owl was confirmed as the fastest EV at 272.61mph, smashing the Rimac Nevera which previously held the crown, in the dust.
Mr von Koenigsegg says they know “exactly how the aero works on the car”.
The team don’t know exactly how the vehicle would behave at such record-breaking speeds – but it could even exceed simulation estimates.
Mr von Koenigsegg told Top Gear Magazine: “It calculates the rolling resistance of the tyre, the drag of the car, it puts correct load on the car at 500kmh if we reach there… and we managed to pass 500kmh in ninth gear before hitting the rev limiter and still having some space in the chassis dyno.”
Bugatti’s Chiron Super Sport reached 304mph in 2019 – but it is now set to be discontinued.
The Jesko Absolut boasts a carbon-fibre body, meaning it is both strong and light.
It is powered by a supercharged 1,578bhp flat-plane crank 5.1 litre V8 engine.
Its top speed is 1,106 lb-ft of torque.
However, the designer admits there are two issues that may hamper its chances of taking the title.
Firstly, the right location is needed. The Jesko Absolut needs a stretch of road long enough to build up speed and then gradually come to a stop.
And the second is finding the right rubber for the tyres to allow it to endure the immense force of such a run.
Bugatti used specially developed Michelin tyres and completed the runs at Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test track.
But this was down to VW owning Bugatti at the time.
BUGATTI SET TO DISCONTINUE CHIRON
After winning immense acclaim and breaking the 300mph barrier, Bugatti will retire its legendary Chiron.
The £3.1 million monster is the fastest car in the world, topping out at 304mph.
The stunning model will be capped off with a final version, dubbed the Super Sport L’Ultime, which the brand says will “celebrate the end of the incompatible Chiron era”.
It is a unique car among the already super-limited edition range, with only the final one of the 500 units ever made transformed into “the ultimate” supercar.
It features a striking, blue and black design, with the names of major racing cities painted into the door.
These include Molsheim, where the Chiron is manufactured, as well as references to circuits in Monaco, France and Qatar.
The farewell model also marks the end of the road for the brand’s legendary W16 engine, with the car’s successor set to feature an immense hybrid powertrain.
L’Ultime will house the largest engine ever put into a Chiron, measuring a metre long on its own.
Meanwhile, its replacement will blend Bugatti’s unique internal combustion design with electric supercar tech from new owners Rimac.
It is expected to exceed even the 1,587 horsepower produced by the W16.
Further details on the upcoming hypercar remain tightly under wraps, with even the unveiling date shrouded in mystery.