Koenigsegg CCX, Based On The Sensational CCR

Koenigsegg may be a small Swedish maker of exotic cars, but the new Koenigsegg CCX is designed to meet regulations in the US market most exotic cars don’t. As it has larger air intakes than the CCR and CC8S, it will be your choice if you want to drive the car far and fast on the road.

The Koenigsegg CCX exotic car has the same sensational looks and amazing performance as the CCR: a top speed of 245 mph, 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds, and the standing quarter mile in 9.9 seconds. This makes it one of the fastest two or three cars you can buy.

The CCX is unmistakably Koenigsegg, but the shape has been modified in a number of ways. There is a deeper, rectangular grille at the front with a small air intake each side, and the shape of the headlamps have been changed. The front bumper has been reshaped slightly to meet the US 2.5-mph crash impact regulations. Also, some air is extracted through air outlets forward of each front wheel.

Side skirts and a longer tail

At the sides, more downlift is created by side skirts, while the engine cover is now glass. The Koenigsegg CCX has a 3.5-inch (88 mm) longer tail, which not only improves the look of the car, but meets US rear impact regulations. Tall drivers will welcome the extra 2 inches (50 mm) headroom, which results from the higher roof line. The characteristic twin headrests remain the CCX continues the Koenigsegg feature of a detachable hardtop, which looks just like a coupe when the hardtop is in place.

Patented air intake to engine

Between the headrests is a new type of air intake, patented by a firm called Vortaflow. This hardly projects above the engine cover, but is designed in such a way that the air swirls down into it, creating a positive ram effect in the engine air intakes. To provide this sort of ram without this unique air intake, you need a scoop in the roof, as on the McLaren F1 and Maserati MC12.

Koenigsegg’s own 806 bhp engine

Apart from the body, the main difference between the Koenigsegg CCX and the other Koenigsegg models is in the engine. Up to now, Koenigsegg has used heavily modified Ford 4.7 liter engines, which are supercharged. For the CCX, Koenigsegg has produced its own cylinder block, which although similar in dimensions to the Ford block is stronger, and so more suited to supercharging. New cylinder heads with larger valves, revised camshafts, and twin fuel injectors per cylinder are specified for this engine.

Maximum power is a mind-boggling 806 bhp at 6,900 rpm, with 678 lb ft (920 Nm) torque at 5,700 rpm. Keep it on the boil for real neck-snapping heart-stopping performance, but there is still plenty of power at low speeds.

As on the CCR, two Rotrex superchargers are used to generate the 17.5 lb per square inch (1.2 bar) boost to produce all that power.

There is a dry-sump lubrication system essential with a car of this performance and Koenigsegg has designed its own system to cool the pistons. Oil is sprayed on the bottom of the piston each stroke, and it is claimed that this system has a greater cooling effect than used by other makers. This is an important feature on such a small engine tuned to a very high output.

The engine is coupled to a Cima six-speed transaxle which has a torque-sensing limited slip differential as on the other models.

Carbon fiber hull and steel sub-frames

As with other Koenigseggs, the CCX has a passenger compartment made from carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb, with front and rear sub-frames of high-strength steel. The result is a very light and stiff structure. It is one of the reasons that the Koenigsegg CCX is such a light car it has a curb weight of just 2,601 lb (1,180 kg).

Front and rear suspensions are both inboard, the front springs being inclined at about 45 degrees, and the rear ones being almost horizontal. Koenigsegg’s unique anti-roll bar, which consists of a short torsion bar actuated by a pair of links from the suspension push rods the linkage is Z-shape from above is used.

On bumps, the anti-roll bar mechanism moves freely, not twisting the torsion bar. When the car rolls, the movement of the suspension is resisted by the torsion bar, which bends, acting as an anti-roll bar. The torsion bar can be changed to alter the stiffness of the anti-roll effect easily and quickly.

Ceramic brakes and carbon fiber wheels as options

Large AP 6-pot racing calipers act on 14.25 in (362 mm) diameter slotted discs as standard, but customers can also specify ceramic discs these are 15 in (382 mm) diameter and have 8-pot calipers. At the rear, 14.25 in (362 mm) diameter discs and 6-pot calipers are used for steel or ceramic discs.

Completely new is the option of carbon fiber wheels Koenigsegg is ahead of the game in offering these wheels. Each wheel is 6 lb (3 kg) lighter than the magnesium wheels which are used as standard. Of course, magnesium wheels are also lighter than the aluminum wheels used by many makers of super cars and exotic cars.

Whichever brakes are used, they sit inside 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires guaranteed up to 250 mph and they’ll need to be! At the front, they’re 255/35 section on 9.5 inch rims; at the rear 335/30 tires are used on 12.5 inch rims.

Clearly, the Koenigsegg CCX exotic car is a more practical road car than the CCR, yet has stunning performance coming from that exceptional power-to-weight ratio of 680 bhp per tonne. This figure is a good deal better than the 550 bhp-per-tonne the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 can manage because it is so heavy, and shows why the Koenigsegg CCX is so quick.