hero to zero

Koenigsegg Agera RS just smashed Bugatti’s speed record meaning the £2MILLION special edition Chiron is worthless

Bugatti had released the '42' model of the £2million Chiron - but a month later and Koenigsegg has shattered the record by five seconds with its Agera RS. It means the special edition from Bugatti is now meaningless

BUGATTI’S zero to 400kph and back again record has been shattered by the Koenigsegg Agera RS.

The Bugatti Chiron set the scorching time last month and a special edition model was rolled out to celebrate the landmark.

Koenigsegg
Agera RS broke the Chiron record by five seconds

But the £2million supercar has already lost the title to the Koenigsegg.

It means the pricey celebration version – which has 42 emblazoned across its grille and side panels – is now meaningless.

The Bugatti Chiron completed the zero to 400kph (249mph) and back to zero challenge in 41.96 seconds.

But the Agera RS made light work of the target, completing it in 36.44 seconds at a Danish airfield.

Special record-breaking Chiron was revealed at Frankfurt Motor Show

What’s even more impressive is Koenigsegg wasn’t even planning to take the title with this model – but were lining up the all-new Reggera for a tilt at the record.

Instead an Agera RS owner (just 25 are being made) wanted to see how it fared against its rivals like the Chiron.

This Agera RS – eventually due to be delivered to a US owner – hadn’t even been tested above 186mph at the factory.

And such was the last minute nature of the record breaking drive that the car still had pre-delivery industrial tape on it.

Koenigsegg
Graph shows the run record-breaking run in the Agera RS

Yet the Agera RS – with a 5.0-litre V8 capable of 1,360bhp – hit the 400kph (249mph) from standstill in 26.88 seconds.

Driver Niklas Lilja then slammed on the brakes and stopped the car in 9.56 seconds.

The whole record took 36.44 seconds (including braking reaction time) across 2.5km – a little uncomfortably close to the 2.8km airstrip limit.

The record wasn’t even set on a silky, smooth test track either with the original venue shelved due to rain.

Koenigsegg
Vandel airfield isn’t a smooth surface suggesting Agera RS could go even faster

The Vandel airfield in Denmark – built for WW2 and now a solar farm – had bumps and small potholes for Lilja to battle with, suggesting the Agera RS could go even faster.

Christian von Koenigsegg, founder and CEO, said: “It makes me so proud, so happy and excited to see what we have achieved as a team with the Agera RS.

Koenigsegg
Agera RS was an owner car who wanted to see how fast it could go

“Dreams can become reality. The story of David and Goliath continues to resonate. It is so important to visualize our efforts and results.

“It gives fuel to the dreamers and visionaries striving to realise their goals.

“You can do it, regardless of how impossible it seems. This is probably the most important aspect and consequence of what we do here at Koenigsegg.”

Bugatti, over to you.

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