Koenigsegg CCGT1 celebrates GT1 moonshot
The racer that never was makes a return - all 70 are sold
Probably you remember that glorious era of GT1 racing in the mid-'00s, where V12s abounded and the Maserati MC12 swept all before it. What you might not know is that Koenigsegg was preparing a sportscar race of its own, the CCGT GT1, built from those early CC supercars. It had been designed and engineered, made 600hp and 600kg of downforce - Loris Bicocchi had even done some race-pace testing laps. Then the FIA changed the rules, and many more production cars would have to be made for homologation. From a handful to hundreds meant prospective competitors like Koenigsegg wouldn’t be able to race, and the CCGT GT1 project was cancelled. What might have been…
This isn’t a CCGT GT1, instead a CCGT1, the Koenigsegg that pays tribute to the motorsport ambition of 20 years ago. Built from the CC850 (itself a homage to the early days of Koenigsegg), the GT1 is a fully homologated road racer, one that promises ‘the fastest and most exhilarating track experience from any Koenigsegg, ever’. Some claim given the calibre of cars made in Angelholm - more exhilarating than a Jesko Attack must be something very special.
Power comes from the familiar 5.0 V8, with two turbos and up to 1,600hp depending on which fuel grade is used. (Interestingly, Koenigsegg says this engine can run on any mix of E85 and normal petrol, the engine management able to adjust as required.) This time around, though, it’s not a four-figure horsepower output that’s the most exciting part of a Koenigsegg: it’s the gearbox. Or gearboxes, rather.
The first is the new Koenigsegg Sequential Shift, an evolution of the Light Speed Transmission that aims to recreate the sequential experience that would have been in the original race car. So a clutch pedal is introduced (for a DCT), there for pulling away, which features alongside ignition cut and clutchless shifts for the full motorsport experience. But because this is based on Koenigsegg’s existing tech, an auto mode remains for the GT1 also. The KSS comes standard, with the Engage Shift System also available; that’s the one that recreates a manual experience using six of the nine LST ratios, first seen on the CC850. Anything’s possible when it comes to Koenigsegg.
Either way, whoever is responsible for shifting gears is going to be kept busy in their six-point harness. Koenigsegg suggests this is a ‘fully road-legal Megacar with serious circuit credentials’, and as such comes with more downforce than even an Attack-spec Jesko - 800kg at 155mph. While the front splitter and ‘deeply sculpted’ underfloor will contribute to that, it’s hard not to focus on the wing. Even Koenigsegg suggest it’s ‘enormous’, a proper nod back to an incredible racecar (which now resides, restored, in the US, ready to race very soon). The wing has 30 degrees of adjustment, and the GT1 automatically adjusts through them, from low-drag for maximum slipperiness to an air-brake function to high downforce for bends.
In addition, for those who don’t think the standard offering is racy enough, Koenigsegg’s first-ever Track Package will be offered with this new car. It consists of a carbon cage, HANS-compatible seats, air jacks (!), a race exhaust, new wheels with track tyres, ‘enhanced aerodynamics’ and an invite to CCGT1 track days. What’s lost in road validity, presumably, is made up for in circuit thrills. The pack can be installed and removed as required, too, so it isn’t a case of choosing between a GT1 for the road or track. It can be for the street during the week, and then the weekend racer…
Even as it leaves the factory, the CC boasts some amazing features designed for track driving, including a dedicated cooling system for the dampers and a total redesign of the body. Only the doors and the removable roof come from the CC850, everything else overhauled to the benefit of cooling and downforce. It’s a whole lot more than just the wing, basically. And the white carbon fibre, for that matter. ‘Ghost Fibre’ picks up where the 2009 Trevita project left off, lighter than just carbon, super tough and with ‘distinctive shimmering beauty.’ Wonder how it stands up to gravel rash…
Christian von Koenigsegg said: “The CCGT1 is a creation with two clear identities. On the road, it's a sublime Megacar that's both comfortable and incredibly capable. But its origins are rooted in endurance racing, and that’s where the CCGT1 reveals its full character as a true celebration of the original CCGT - with or without its roof!” Sounds pretty epic even by Koenigsegg’s exalted standards, so little wonder all 70 - the same amount as the CC850 - were sold before Joe Public could see it. What on earth do they do next?
I appreciate that rich people live in a different world to normal people but you have to question what is the point of someone going to such engineering lengths to produce something which is then not used and goes down in value.....
But they exist because people have dreams an some people have lots of money. Odds are we all like seeing and reading about them so that is the point they bring joy to many people
I appreciate that rich people live in a different world to normal people but you have to question what is the point of someone going to such engineering lengths to produce something which is then not used and goes down in value.....
I appreciate that rich people live in a different world to normal people but you have to question what is the point of someone going to such engineering lengths to produce something which is then not used and goes down in value.....
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