Koeniggsegg One:1 takes aim at Nurburgring lap record… again

A COUPLE of years ago Koenigsegg was chest beating about its new 1000kW ‘megacar’ – the One:1 – and promising it could snag the Nurburgring road car lap record. Then the Nurburgring added speed limits and effectively banned lap record attempts.

Those restrictions have now been lifted, and it’s open season with manufacturers back out there testing their metal… and mettle.

So, Koenigsegg is making good on its word, and has been caught testing at the ‘Ring with its One:1. Photographers at the famed Green Hell circuit have captured video of it lapping at maximum attack.

Company boss Christian von Koenigsegg dropped hints about it recently, along with a few cautionary words.

“Will we gun for a record this year? Maybe. Don’t get too excited, however. This is a long road we’re on, and it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”

Seems he is still confident the One:1 can deliver a sub-6min 48sec lap and topple the current podium of Porsche 918 Spyder in third, and the even more track-focused Radical SR8 and SR8 LM in second and first respectively.

Koenigsegg named the One:1 after it’s horsepower-to-kilogram ratio – 1340hp:1340kg. Its huge power comes from a twin-turbo 5.0-litre V8 engine, propelling it from 0-100km/h in just 2.8-seconds.

But the One:1 is much more than a skateboard with a jet engine. It can carve corners as well, thanks to an active carbonfibre chassis and active aerodynamics, unique long wishbone suspension, F1-style traction control, carbon wheels and a swath of cutting-edge 3D printed parts.

Koenigsegg has said that monster power and straight line speed is actually not that interesting to them. The company’s engineers are more challenged by the car’s insatiable thirst for downforce and mechanical grip.

The One:1 has already claimed fastest production car lap records at Spa and Suzuka. It’s a serious contender, then, and has a real chance of succeeding. All we can hope is that Koenigsegg comes clean and reveals the official time. That would be more than McLaren did with the P1.