The 2008 Koenigsegg CCGT
Why It's Special:
It’s not often that you have to de-tune a road car to comply with ACO and FIA GT1 racing regulations, but the Koenigsegg CC8S, CCR and CCX are far from ordinary cars. By racecar standards the CCGT has a very short length and height, remaining faithful to the road-going relatives. While this may not produce the most downforce, the CCGT design is focused on agility and balance, making it a real ‘drivers’ car. This is in contrast to many GT1 machines racing today and is sure to provide an exciting addition to future competition.
Under the Hood:
To make the car as light as possible, the CCGT features a chassis built from a carbon fiber, Kevlar and aluminum honeycomb material. The chassis is draped with a body composed of carbon fiber and Kevlar. Final weight checked in at a flyweight 2204 lbs (1000 kgs), a full 100 kgs under the minimum weight requirement set by the FIA. To meet the requirement, 100kg of ballast was strategically placed around the chassis to promote optimum balance and weight distribution. This provides Koenigsegg with a huge advantage over the competitors, as many struggle to meet the 1100kg minimum.
In road-going form, the latest DOHC V8 engines of the CC lineup displace 4.7 liters and feature a twin-centrifugal supercharger design. This is of course not allowed by the regulations and by racing standards is a very bulky setup. For the CCGT, the engine’s displacement has been increased to 5.0 liters and the internals have been heavily modified to suit natural aspiration. Breathing through the mandated 30.8mm air-intake restrictors, the engine produces in excess of 600 horsepower.
A transaxle co-developed by Koenigsegg and Cima features sequential straight cut gears all housed in a lightweight magnesium case. Massive carbon brakes with 6-piston calipers are supplied by specialist AP Racing, and the power is put to the road via Koenigsegg magnesium wheels shod with Michelin slicks.
The Verdict:
In fact they are so extraordinary that the CCR holds the world record for the fastest speeding ticket in history. During the Gumball 3000 rally in 2003, the first CCR in the United States was pulled over in western Texas reportedly for doing 242mph in a 75mph zone! Needless to say the Koenigsegg lineup provides a great starting point for building a highly competitive GT1 racecar. Development and testing programs are in their final stages, so look for the CCGT to be tearing up the racetracks of Europe sometime in the 2008 season.
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