Swedish automaker Koenigsegg has set new standards for performance, design, and engineering ingenuity over the last 20 to 30 years. Its models are as much works of art as they are sports cars, and it’s a dream brand for well-heeled collectors. For most people, the prospect of ever owning a Koenigsegg is impossible, so rare and expensive are its cars. But founder and CEO Christian von Koenigsegg appears to be open to the idea of a simpler, more attainable sports car produced in higher volumes. Here’s what we know about his surprising admission.
Uncharted Territory For Koenigsegg
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Speaking to CarBuzz at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, von Koenigsegg seemed open to the idea of a cheaper car from the brand, but was also cautious about the challenge of scaling up.
“We’ve been dabbling with the idea of maybe going up in volume, making simpler, more obtainable sports cars,” said the CEO. “It’s just that’s such a big jump from where we are,” he continued. “High-volume [sports car production] is a different animal than hand-built low-volume [production].”
Up until fairly recently, the company produced only about 35 cars annually. According to a Top Gear report, each car takes approximately 4,000 hours to build. That does not immediately sound like a profitable operation, but when you consider that a single Gemera goes for around $1.7 million and the CC850 costs about $3.6 million, one can understand why Koenigsegg has been so successful.
Many loyal fans of the brand would argue that transitioning to higher volumes would erode one of Koenigsegg’s main selling points: It’s high exclusivity. Seeing one in the wild is always an occasion, but that would change if production is ramped up significantly.
Related: Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Snatches 0-249-0 mph World Record From Rimac Nevera R
A More Affordable Koenigsegg Is Possible
Koenigsegg
The CEO said “maybe one day” when talking about the possibility of a cheaper model, indicating that while this could happen, it’s not a priority for the company right now.
The company is currently busy with several other projects, and it’s still in the process of producing models like the Gemera. In July, von Koenigsegg said the company has no cars left to sell, as all are sold out. With its cars’ extensive production times and what will likely be a high level of customization from customers, Koenigsegg will be busy for a while to come.
If a cheaper model does arrive some day, it will be interesting to see how far down the pricing scale it goes. The CEO drives an MX-5 every day, but it seems like too much of a stretch for Koenigsegg to produce a rival to this car in the $30,000 to $40,000 price range.
Koenigsegg
Something in the Lotus Emira or Porsche 911 realm seems more realistic—the former costs around $100,000, which would still be far cheaper than any other Koenigsegg on sale. Koenigsegg could launch a car in this price range and ramp up production to, say, 300 or so units annually, while still keeping the brand pretty exclusive.
Whatever Koenigsegg does, expect a “cheap” model from the brand to be nothing like its rivals, although it may have to ditch some of the company’s most extreme innovations to keep costs down. That would include the brand’s dihedral synchro-helix doors, the Engage Shift System in the CC850 (that operates as a manual and automatic), or any one of its mind-blowing engines.
