Koenigsegg Breaks Its Own 0–250 MPH–0 Record with the Jesko Absolut
There are many feats of performance employed to compare the extreme range of vehicles available to drivers these days. Some, like 0–60mph times, are metrics that often matter in real ways to the average consumer and their daily commute. Others, like the 0–250 mph–0 record that Koenigsegg just reset, are all about bragging, and after seeing the results, we don’t blame them for showing off.
Koenigsegg is no stranger to wild speed record attempts. As a boutique hypercar maker, the limits of the cars it sells are far above what are considered usable on public streets. The Jesko is one such car, and the Absolut trim signifies this car was prepared specifically for straight-line speed. The kind of speed that requires a brave driver, a quiet morning, and a runway in Örebro, Sweden.
From a stop, the Jesko starts to wind up quickly but really doesn’t seem to come alive until 140 mph. This is likely due to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires and the length of time those four rubber rings will be subjected to massive acceleration forces. The Jesko Absolut is propelled by a 5-liter V-8 putting out 1578 horsepower, and it continues to accelerate the slippery body well past 200 mph. And right as the multi-clutch nine-speed transmission clicks into top gear, the driver switches pedals and throws out the anchor to bring the car right back down to a standstill.
It wasn’t long ago that a car capable of 250 mph was impressive. Now we have multiple cars that can be compared by their 0–250–0 times. But it is Koenigsegg that really holds the top spot, since this record—28.27 seconds—lowered by nearly a second an already-impressive number set by Koenigsegg almost exactly a year ago.
Do we need cars that can do feats like this? Nope. That doesn’t take away any of the cool factor, though. The engineering and development that went into a car like this furthers the collective understanding of how automobiles work, and how they can work more efficiently. After all, speed and efficiency are often linked. We better understand aerodynamics and how we can use that science to increase miles per gallon thanks to top speed runs like this.
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Well companies need to do more than 0-60 or 0-100 MPH as this is a crowded area. They reached out to a new level.
I may be wrong on the exact numbers….but, wasn’t the 427 Shelby Cobra once touted to run 0 – 100 – 0 in 10 seconds? It’s all fun information, however… Even if one can afford a Jesko Absolut, how many owners are going to try this exercise, or rent an airport runway, or risk damaging their consummate speedster? It’s a very small group over at the club that sits and brags about this type of accomplishment. It’s been quite a few years ago, but, I visited Shelby’s shop in Las Vegas and they were kind enough to give my wife and me a tour. I won’t bore you with all the details, but Vince LaViolette, one of the Shelby drivers, took me out on the track and proved the performance of the Cobra. The acceleration was incredible, however, the braking deceleration was astounding. I’ve never owned a vehicle that could pull down like that Cobra. Life is fun!
It’s a crazy achievement on road tires to have such harsh acceleration and braking and still have some tires left behind.