2016 Geneva Motor Show: Koenigsegg Regera supercar revealed

THE 1120kW Koenigsegg Regera has arrived at Geneva wearing its showroom skin, with more than 3000 tweaks introduced since it was shown in concept form at last year’s event.

The plug-in hybrid-electric supercar – it uses a lightweight Formula One-rivaling battery system to deliver up to 525kW of electric power via three electric motors alone before the 800kW-plus mid-mounted twin-turbo 5.0L V8 kicks in to give a combined 2000Nm-plus shove in the back – weighs in at just 1470kg, or about the same as a high-end Holden Cruze SRi-V.

On paper, that big serve of performance gives the Regera an impressive set of numbers: 0-100 km/h in 2.8 seconds, 0-200 in just 6.6 seconds, 0-300 in 10.9 seconds and a 0-400 km/h time of 20 seconds.

Once you’re rolling, accelerating from 150 to 250km/h takes only 3.9 seconds.

The secret to these staggering numbers is the Regera’s “Koenigsegg Direct Drive” system that sheds weight, complexity and driveline losses when compared with a conventional gearbox.

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According to Koenigsegg, it has developed a “clutch-slip mechanism that uses the hydraulic coupling to convert torque at medium/high speeds during fast acceleration.

“This allows the combustion engine to gain revs and power, thereby giving the sensation of a traditional downshift with the associated aural enjoyment, even without the traditional gearbox,” it says.

“Shift paddles remain on either side of the steering wheel. The left paddle is used to enhance regenerative braking effect in recharging the battery pack. The right paddle is used to activate the hydraulic coupling’s ‘downshift’ operation.”

The torque converter alone looks like “a piece of artisan jewelry”, it says.

Luxury features include wing mirrors that fold in when the doors open “to further increase the practicality of the dihedral synchrohelix door actuation system”, sensors in the doors that stop them before they hit high curbs or low roofs, and a surround view system to help in tight parking spaces, and self-opening panels that reveal the guts of the supercar.

There’s now even room in the cabin to stash a wallet or mobile phone, Koenigsegg says.