The Koenigsegg Jesko takes up the mantle left by the Agera RS as the premier track-focused, road-legal car for drivers seeking the epitome of automotive performance. The unique, in-house developed, Koenigsegg Light Speed Transmission (LST) is what really distinguishes the Jesko. It’s the biggest leap forward since the introduction of contemporary dual-clutch technology at the turn of the century. The 5.0 liter twin-turbo V8 engine, which produces 1280hp, got a roaring redesign as well.
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The engine the devil would construct for his own car
An overhauled twin-turbo V8 engine with a new 180-degree flat-plane crankshaft, larger intake, bigger turbos with air injection, and more accurate pressure management are the elements that power the Jesko.
The world’s lightest production V8 crankshaft lies at the core of this newly developed engine. The new flat-plane 180-degree crankshaft from Koenigsegg weighs just 12.5 kg and enables Jesko to generate more power with improved efficiency while maintaining a higher rev limit of 8500 rpm.
The crankshaft is milled from a single solid billet of high-tensile Swedish Dievar steel, according to Koenigsegg’s own design. The flat-plane design provides for more consistent firing throughout engine banks and a powerful engine roar. Active engine mounts, originally utilized in the Regera, as well as newly engineered, super-light connecting rods and pistons, counteract the propensity of flat-plane engines to produce more vibration.
The air injection system was developed by Koenigsegg and consists of a compact compressor and a carbon fiber air tank. To pre-spool the turbochargers and offer rapid reaction, the patented technology delivers a strong 20-bar blast of air strategically placed inside the turbocharger system.
The motor has been reconfigured to include a tumble valve on the intake and separate pressure sensors for each cylinder, allowing for real-time, precise monitoring of each cylinder for the first time in the industry. Turbulent air burns at a quicker pace, resulting in more efficient and effective combustion, particularly at low rpm and during cold starts.
The new Koenigsegg V8 generates 1280 horsepower on normal fuel and an incredible 1600 horsepower on E85, which is accessible in certain countries. At 5100 rpm, maximum torque reaches 1500 Nm, with 1000+ Nm available anywhere between 2700 and 6170 rpm.
The industry-pioneering transmission is what really sets the Koenigsegg Jesko apart
Jesko’s innovative Light Speed Transmission developed in-house at Koenigsegg, is a 9-speed multi-clutch unit that eliminates conventional synch rings and allows for near-instantaneous gear changes.
Modern DCTs feature two clutches, one for even-numbered gears and the other for uneven-numbered gears. One clutch/gear is engaged and driving, while the control unit anticipates the next gear and pre-selects it. Due to anticipatory logic limitations, this approach enables quick gear changes but at a considerable weight cost and the restriction of only shifting to neighboring gears.
The Koenigsegg LST enables the driver to shift to the best gear for acceleration, independent of the connection between that gear and the current gear. This technology is known as Ultimate Power on Demand.
For example, if you’re in 7th gear and 4th gear is the best for maximal acceleration, the Koenigsegg LST will let you change from 7th to 4th gear in a flash, without having to wait for synchronization. A driver in a conventional DCT would have to shift through 6th and 5th gears before hitting 4th, wasting valuable time and momentum.
DCTs may weigh up to 140 kg. Wet clutches, flywheel, fluids, starting motor, and oil pumps all weigh less than 90kg in the new Koenigsegg Light Speed Transmission. It also features a compact, optimized design that results in a significantly reduced footprint. This places the drivetrain’s weight considerably closer to the center of the car, enabling more space for improved underfloor aerodynamics and reduced yaw inertia, resulting in even more nimble driving dynamics.
Either the steering wheel paddles or the manual-style shifter in the conventional center location are used to change gears. A double-notch shifting mechanism is used on both the paddles and the shifter. The first notch moves you up or down a gear. Choosing the second notch activates Ultimate Power on Demand, which immediately shifts the vehicle to the best gear for maximal acceleration, regardless of its connection to the current gear.
“The Jesko feels very natural to drive. Because of its seamless shifting, whether up or down, everything just happens much faster. There are no delays, it is very responsive and behaves exactly the way you want it to. For a car of its size and power, it is very agile in the way it reacts to steering and does not spin out even with sudden movements at full throttle”, said Jesko prototype driver Markus Lundh.
With its agility and ultra-responsiveness, the Koenigsegg Jesko will always point in the right direction
The carbon fiber monocoque chassis is at the heart of every Koenigsegg. Jesko has a monocoque that is 40 millimeters longer and 22 millimeters higher than its predecessor, providing for greater headroom and legroom. It also maintains all of its structural stiffness, which is measured at 65,000 Nm per degree. Because of the chassis’ extreme stiffness and strength, Koenigsegg’s engineers can focus on adjusting the suspension for performance rather than correcting for poor chassis dynamics.
The extended, F1-inspired wishbones used by Koenigsegg have been preserved and enhanced. These, along with the biggest wheel bearings currently available in a road vehicle, provide the utmost responsiveness and sensation. Koenigsegg custom electrics and controls are used to modify the fully adjustable damping from Öhlins.
With an extra active Triplex damper fitted to the front suspension and a new rear-wheel steering system, Jesko redefines the term “precise.”
In 2010, the Triplex system was first used in the Koenigsegg Agera. It utilized a third, horizontal damper integrated into the rear suspension to counteract the car’s propensity to squat during rapid acceleration with more than 1000hp.
An extra Triplex damper has been added into the front suspension to maintain an optimum ride height under high aerodynamic load without sacrificing grip at lower speeds since Jesko is equipped with an aerodynamics package generating over 1000kg of downforce. Active bump and rebound damping are now included in both the front and rear triplex dampers.
Jesko features an adaptive, active Koenigsegg rear steering system that improves responsiveness and heightens the sensations at both high and low speeds. The steering system can turn the rear wheels up to three degrees in either direction using inputs such as individual wheel speed, steering angle, steering wheel angular velocity, engine speed, lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, and other variables.This allows for faster cornering, increased agility, and stability.
The Koenigsegg Jesko will be available for delivery starting with spring 2022.
