Most car new car launches bore me. Once you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. They usually involve a lot of schmoozing and prolonged PR speeches. Then once the car is unveiled you have to wrestle your way through the crowds of journos and potential customers.
Some launches are better than others. Some manufacturers do let you drive the car straight after unveiling it, usually on a track. Which is nice. Some have great goodie bags. And of course some just have great cars to launch (looking at you McLaren). But when I got the invite to attend the world premiere of the Koengisegg Agera RSR, I was a very eager beaver.
The launch was held at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Roppongi, already a good sign of things to come. As well as launching the Agera RSR, it was also the launch of Koenigsegg Japan. Up until now there hasn’t been any official dealer network for Koenigseggs in Japan..
Since it was also an exclusive event, the guest list was a who’s who of Japan’s supercar owners. It was like playing supercar bingo (pun very much intended) by matching the owner’s faces with the supercars I’ve seen on the road. Just to give you an idea of the sort of clientele we’re talking about, at the lobby there was a Rolls Royce Dawn, a McLaren 675LT, oh and a McLaren P1. Then there’s me who took the subway there.
To commemorate the big event Christian von Koenigsegg himself was in attendance. How cool is that guy? Most CEOs don’t even bother coming to Japan when a new car is launched. Christian even put the number plate of the blue RSR on himself. Now that’s top class service right there.
After talking about the company’s history (I didn’t know he started the company when he was 22 years old), it was time to take the covers off the cars. Few cars look sexy covered in a black rag, but the Agera’s distinctive silhouette was pure pornography.
Two of the three RSRs were on display, the blue car #122 and the black car #123. #124 is a white car with gold trim, but that’s supposedly bound for Nagoya. The RSR is based on the Agera RS, only 25 of those were made. To satisfy demand Koenigsegg and Koenigsegg Japan commissioned three exclusive versions of the RS, the RSR. Essentially Japan-spec RS with some minor modifications.
There’s a roof scoop inspired by the One:1 and a slightly different rear wing design. Also, the most obvious difference is the Japanese number plate. Everything else is Agera RS. That means it’s 1395kg body (1295kg dry) is propelled by an in-house developed 5.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Not many small manufacturers can boast this feat. And what an engine it is. About the size of a V6, it pumps out 1160hp/865kW and 1280NM of torque. Performance? Well 0-100 km/h times are too common so instead Koenigsegg measure from 0-300 km/h, which they claim the Agera can do in around “12 seconds”. Top speed is in excess of 430 km/h.
The car produces around 450kg of downforce at 250 km/h. It can generate 1.8g around corners, up to 2g in the right conditions. The brakes are carbon ceramics, the tyres are Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2. All this in a car that comes with sat-nav, MP3 connectivity, and can also become a convertible. Oh, and a 7-speed auto.
The launch of these cars and Koenigsegg Japan is a significant point for both Koenigsegg and the supercar scene in Japan. This will allow more customers access to some of the most hyper sports cars in the world right now, as well as in the future. And yes, the Regera is also on the cards for Japan.
Exclusivity is still an important factor for Koenigsegg and Bingo Sports so don’t expect to see too many of these $2.8 million cars on the road too often.
Koenigsegg Japan website: http://koenigsegg.jp
Koenigsegg Japan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/koenigseggjapan/
Koenigsegg Japan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koenigsegg_japan/