Here’s what it takes to crash test a $2 million Koenigsegg
New car production and sales have never been more complicated, with crash testing posing a significant hurdle for small manufacturers like Swedish supercar builder Koenigsegg. They chose to submit a car for the appropriate crash testing, and we get to watch thanks to a video posted by Apex One.
To sell a car as legal to drive on the road in certain countries, automakers are required to submit a car or cars to the regulatory organization that conducts testing. Destructive testing. For small-production Koenigsegg, budgeting to destroy multiple cars to testing is an untenable cost. Large automakers have the ability to write off a dozen or more cars, but David Tugas, Koenigsegg’s Homologation Manager, explains in the video that a dozen cars is the majority of a full year of production. It is just too big of a demand.
So rather than lose a year’s worth of $2 million hypercars capable of 277 mph, they chose to instead design the car to exceed the testing parameter to the point that only one needs to be sacrificed in testing. The carbon-fiber monocoque chassis is engineered to withstand test after test in the manner a Ford F-150 could only dream.
Does this mean a Koenigsegg is safer than other options? Not necessarily. It meets the same standards as any vehicle available for sale, and it just can do so without repair or replacement between tests. An impressive feat, but still painful to watch.
