Agera RS

Make
Koenigsegg
Segment
Coupe

Earlier this month Koenigsegg made a big announcement: its 1,500 hp Agera RS hypercar beat the Bugatti Chiron's 0-249-0 mph run, an accomplishment Bugatti proudly announced at Frankfurt only in September. Koenigsegg clearly didn't waste any time working to defeat one of its prime competitors. In fact, the Agera RS's time literally destroys the Chiron's 41.96-second run, clocking in at 36.44 seconds. How did those crazy Swedes manage this? What was their secret? Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained has the answer.

It really boils down to what happened between 300 and 400 km/h. That's where the race was won and lost. You see, Bugatti was actually faster up to 300 km/h, but then lost its lead against the Koenigsegg. How come? Because the Koenigsegg has weight and aerodynamic advantages.

The other issue is the Chiron's all-wheel drive system, which causes it to eventually lose power whereas the Agera RS is rear-wheel-drive. Interestingly, the Agera RS could probably have been even faster if it weren't for some wheel slippage up to around 180 km/h. It's also worth noting that because of its more rapid blast to 300 km/h and the associated G forces, the Chiron is probably more fun to ride in, but after that the Agera RS will fly right by.