The new 1385hp CC850 celebrates Koenigsegg’s 20th anniversary

Koenigsegg – a brand that’s forged its own path like no other. A carmaker from Sweden that managed to beat the ranks of Ferrari and Lamborghini at their own game of speed and exclusivity. A company that had to innovate parts by itself as component manufacturers found their requests unfeasible to produce or outright impossible. Koenigsegg recently celebrated its 20 years of car production, and instead of vowing the masses with an all-new car like most other car firms would, it did something Koenigsegg. As a gift to itself, it reimagined the car that put them on the map, the CC850.

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Unveiled at The Quail, a motorsports gathering of media and customers, the 50-unit-only CC850 has been devised with the mission to “deliver the purest, most fundamentally joyful driving experience of any Koenigsegg so far.” And it borrows attributes from other Koenigseggs to boast of that title. For instance, the in-house developed 5.0-litre twin-turbo V8 of the CC850 has no flywheel, similar to the Jesko. With a 1385hp output being produced on E85 renewable fuel and a curb weight of 1385kgs, the CC850 achieves a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, just like the Koenigsegg One:1.

The Swedish carmaker has built a reputation for offering revolutionary tech with their builds. The CC850 is no different with its Engage Shift System (ESS). The uniqueness of this gearbox allows it to function both as a gated six-speed manual with a clutch pedal and as a nine-speed automatic, depending on the driver’s preference. Revolutionary!

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“The CC850 is an homage to the single most meaningful car in Koenigsegg history,” said Christian von Koenigsegg. “The CC8S put us on the map and made us successful – and celebrating 20 years of production, alongside my 50th birthday, felt like the right time to reveal the CC850 to appreciate our roots.”

In a bid to honour its roots, Koenigsegg has retained the silhouette of its first-ever product but modernised the rest. The telephone-dial style rims and triple tail lights have been lifted straight from the CC8 but feature modern LED systems to keep it relevant. The same can be said for the headlights as well. Additionally, the roof is a detachable hardtop, and the doors feature a synchrohelix system that opens parallel to the front wheel well.