It might not be steeped in history like Ferrari or Porsche, but Koenigsegg has seen plenty of success in its 22-year existence. As a boutique offering in a seriously niche part of the motoring world, the marque has made its name with staggeringly quick hypercars like the Agera and, more recently, Regera. Now an orange and black slice of Swedish insanity is headed stateside in the form of the Agera XS.
The XS might be a 1,160-hp (865-kW), twin-turbocharged missile, but it's also completely road legal in the USA. That prodigious grunt is put to the road through a seven-speed paddle-shift gearbox, and Koenigsegg's tricky rear differential stops the rear tires being vaporized the first time drivers go near the throttle. Also helping keep the Agera in line is the clever aerodynamics setup, which creates 450 kg (990 lb) of downforce at 250 km/h (155 mph).
Everything on this car is bespoke, from the hollow carbon wheels to the double-wishbone suspension. Although it's an expensive, time-consuming approach, it also means the Agera XS shouldn't feel like it's been cobbled together from six separate parts bins. Anyone who's sat in a Noble will know that's no mean feat.
With so much power on hand, we'd be keeping our eyes firmly glued to the road, but the cabin is still fitted with a proper infotainment system with CarPlay, a USB connector, G-force tracking and climate control, although we'd be using the natural climate control provided by the removable carbon fiber targa top. There's also an alarm designed to stop overachieving thieves having what would potentially be the last ride of their lives.
As if the fact it's a boutique Swedish hypercar wasn't enough, this particular Agera has a few special features. The orange-and-black motif is unique, and the carbon rear wing is the largest one to ever be fitted to a production Koenigsegg. Here's hoping it actually gets used on the road, because caging a beast like the Agera XS is animal cruelty of the highest order.
The Agera XS will be on display at Monterey Car Week this year, alongside a Regera finished in a special shade of Cherry Red. Check out the gallery for some gorgeous pictures of both.
Source: Koenigsegg
