This is the very first 300mph+ Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut

Two years after we got our first look at the wingless Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut in prototype form, we now have our first official pictures of the, ah, proper-type.

Finished in Graphite Grey with Tang Orange stripes, this example will act as the firm’s development vehicle for the Absolut programme. Which we can only imagine involves working out how to keep 1,600bhp and 1,106lb ft of torque in check without the assistance of a rear wing.

“The Absolut feels very natural to drive,” says test driver Markus Lundh. “Because of its seamless shifting, whether up or down, everything just happens much faster. There are no delays, it is very responsive and behaves exactly the way you would want it to.”

Reassuring to know. Remember power comes from a 5.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 capable of revving to 8,500rpm, while the nine-speed gearbox will be the ‘fastest-shifting’ in the world, allowing the Jesko Absolut ‘to reach an unheard-of top speed’.

When we last heard from Koenigsegg, it was projecting a top speed in the region of 310mph. That's 500km/h in this part of the world. That’ll give Hennessey something to think about.

“We spent thousands of hours in CFD calculations,” explains founder Christian von Koenigsegg. “We’ve streamlined this car from not just an aerodynamic and design perspective, but also from a high-speed stability perspective. As a result, the Jesko Absolut has a phenomenally low drag of only 0.278 Cd.

“The name Absolut comes from the fact that this is the absolute fastest Koenigsegg we will ever make.” Yikes.

TEXT Joe Holding