20 hours ago
Koenigsegg Sadair's Spear is the Brand's Most Aggressive Car Yet
The Koenigsegg Sadair's Spear is the newest and most aggressive hypercar yet from a company known for pushing the limits of road legality.
The Sadair's Spear builds on the Jesko Attack with more power, less weight, and improved aerodynamics.
Only 30 examples will be made, and as these things typically go, each has already been sold.
Koenigsegg continues to push the envelope for how extreme a car can be while maintaining legal status on the roads. The 1578-hp Jesko Attack was already stretching that envelope to the extremes, but that didn't stop Christian von Koenigsegg and team from leveling things up even further.
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The new Sadair's Spear builds on the Jesko Attack by removing weight, adding downforce, and adding power—turning what was already a track monster into a creation designed to raze lap times and redefine your perception of speed. To prove it, Koenigsegg set the Sadair's Spear to dethrone the Jesko Attack's lap record on the Gotland Ring—which it did by 1.1 seconds . . . during its initial shakedown laps.
Christian von Koenigsegg, the founder and CEO of Koenigsegg, named the Jesko for his father as an 80th birthday present and a "thank you" for his help with the company. Turns out Jesko was a keen jockey in his younger years, and the horse he rode in his final race was named Sadair's Spear.
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Back to the actual car—the powertrain is familiar enough, that is, if you're familiar with the Jesko's 5.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 and its nine-speed Lightspeed transmission. With no flywheel slowing it down, the V-8 revs to its 8500 rpm in 0.2 second. Revised engine calibration, new air intakes, and improved cooling mean Koenigsegg was able to increase output by 25 horsepower. That means the Sadair's Spear spits out a whopping 1282 horsepower on regular unleaded gasoline, and an astronomical 1602 horsepower on E85.
Upgrades to the aero package make themselves known with an active top-mounted double-blade rear wing. Following extensive work by Koenigsegg's CFD team, the automaker extended the rear of the car for enhanced airflow. Expanded front canards, louvers, and reengineered hood vents, along with a new Gurney flap, also help with cooling performance.
If all that isn't enough, the tires are wider for increased grip, and the carbon ceramic brakes come with upgraded pad materials. The suspension is upgraded too, with Triplex dampers and lighter springs which, together with other lightweighting techniques, combine to shed more than 77 pounds.
Koenigsegg is limiting the Sadair's Spear to just 30 units—all of which sold out instantly despite a purchase price north of $5 million.
Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
