Corvette Z06 Coupe

Make
Chevrolet
Segment
Coupe

As the driving force behind creations such as the awe-inspiring Jesko and the legendary CCX hypercar, one would expect Christian von Koenigsegg to be underwhelmed by anything but the cars that bear his name. But that's not the case. The speed-loving Swede has enjoyed a years-long love affair with the MX-5 Miata and reportedly daily drives a Tesla Model S.

But at The Quail, a prestigious event that forms part of Monterey Car Week, von Koenigsegg expressed admiration for a true American icon. He told The Drive that the C8 Corvette is an incredibly impressive machine. "What bang for the buck," he said.

"That GM can [offer the Corvette] for that kind of money, with that level of performance is mind-blowing ... good for them, and their customers," added Koenigsegg.

That's high praise indeed but, then again, the Corvette really is an incredible creation. Yes, some may dismiss it as "just a Chevrolet," but you don't need to be a GM fanatic to appreciate its capabilities. Before options, the mid-engined sports car will set you back $64,200. For that outlay, you get plenty in return.

Powered by a 6.2-liter V8, the Kentucky-built sports car puts its 490 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque to good use. Prod the gas pedal and the Corvette will rocket to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 194 mph. That's supercar performance at sports car prices.

Koenigsegg jokingly quipped that he's relieved his own cars can "still outrun" the American hero.

And yet, the C8 isn't even the most impressive model available. The upcoming Corvette Z06 is a true supercar slayer and is the result of arduous development and testing at the Nurburgring. The 5.5-liter flat-plane crank engine produces a hearty 670 hp and provides a sonorous sound, thanks to the soulful V8's 8,500 rpm redline.

Still, it's made to look rather pedestrian when compared to Koenigsegg's latest vehicle, the CC850 hypercar. You'd think the 1,363-hp 5.0-liter V8 would be the headline act but, in true company fashion, it's blown out of the water by the CC850's party piece - a six-speed manual gearbox that's also a nine-speed automatic transmission. You can read about the engineering marvel here.

Despite the immense (rumored)$3.65 million price tag, von Koenigsegg has said all 50 units have already sold out. In response, the company has said it will increase production to meet demand for the CC850. Even though it produces vehicles in highly limited numbers, Koenigsegg still has to contend with the same issues plaguing the rest of the industry.

The company CEO said it has been struggling to keep up with customer orders. "The last ten years have been like, we just cannot supply the demand." That's not a bad thing for von Koenigsegg, though, who noted that it keeps the brand desirable through exclusivity. Interestingly, GM also can't keep up with customer demand - but that's mostly down to the ongoing chip shortage.

GM may eventually have something with which to rival Koenigsegg, however, as rumors of a Corvette Zora with a 1,000-hp powertrain have been circling for years with a tentative 2026 debut.