We don’t often hear about Koenigsegg lap records and, indeed, a recent one achieved by the Jesko was set by accident
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The name Koenigsegg is synonymous with insane performance, but for all the mad-scientist-engineering that goes on at the Swedish automaker’s factory, we don’t often hear about track times. It decided to change that by posting a video of the Jesko earning itself a lap record in Sweden.
The record is shot from three angles thanks to a helmet camera, a dash camera, and a cabin camera, which shows unbroken footage of a lap timer, which shows that the car completes a lap in 2:56.97. The record was set by test driver Niklas Lilja at the Gotland Ring in Sweden.
You could be forgiven for not knowing the circuit, which is located on Gotland, an island in the Baltic Sea. However, at 7.3 km (4.5 miles) in length, it provides drivers with one of Europe’s longest laps. Although it isn’t as long as Europe’s most famous racetrack, the Nurburgring, Koenigsegg writes that the Gotland Ring has a number of jumps and undulation, and presents cars with similar challenges to the German course.
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Read: Watch TG Drive New Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Like Few Owners Ever Will
However, even by the racetrack’s own admission, it is more commonly used as a test track for automakers and hobbyists. Indeed, Koenigsegg says it wasn’t at the Gotland Ring trying to set a record, but rather to perform tests and marketing activities.
That only makes the lap time of 2:56.97 all the more impressive, though. Lilja says he was only driving the Jesko at around 90 percent when it beat the former record by nearly seven seconds. That time was set by a Porsche 911 GT3 RS Manthey-Racing edition, which a pretty handy track toy.
It should come as no surprise that the Jesko is faster, though. Its 5.1-liter twin-turbocharge V8 engine is capable of making up to 1,600 hp (1,193 kW/1,622 PS) when running on E85. However, for this run, it was using 98 octane fuel, which means that it makes 1,280 hp (954 kW/1,297 PS).
Although that’s a monstrous amount of power, the car (or perhaps Lilja) manages to keep it all under control, and the result is a remarkably clean lap of this winding track, which you can enjoy below.
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