Every once in a while, a new hypercar comes along that captures the world attention and the Koenigsegg CC850 is one of those cars.
Unveiled at August’s Monterey Car Week, the CC850 is an homage to the original Koenigsegg CC8S, merging a stunning, retro-inspired design with a remarkable powertrain. Koenigsegg presented the car with the promise that just 50 units would be produced but given how much interest the CC850 generated, it has made the decision to increase production to 70 units.
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Top Gear’s Jack Rix recently had the opportunity to speak with Christian von Koenigsegg about the car and for as impressive as it looks in photos, the CC850 is a car that really needs to be seen in person to appreciate. While we can’t jump through our computer screen to join Rix and von Koenigsegg touring around the car, this clip does provide us with a detailed look at what makes the CC850 so special.
The design of the car is very similar to the original CC8S, the first car that Koenigsegg delivered to a customer, but it shares its powertrain with the Jesko. This means it is rocking a 5.1-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that churns out 1,385 hp and 1,021 lb-ft (1,385 Nm) of torque when running on E85. While that is slightly less than the Jesko, von Koenigsegg reveals that the CC850’s engine is more responsive and has less turbo lag.
The transmission of the CC850 is just as special as the engine. It is called the TWMPAFMPC and in a world first, acts as both a six-speed manual and a nine-speed automatic thanks to modifications made to Koenigsegg’s pre-existing Lightspeed transmission. While journalists and customers haven’t had the opportunity to put the car through its paces, it is certainly shaping up to be something very special.