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Speed king: Koenigsegg Agera RS goes from 0 to 249 mph and back in record time

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Koenigsegg Agera RS 0-400-0
The 0 to 60 mph test is one of the most common evaluations of vehicle acceleration you can find. While it’s not as important as you may think, it does show how briskly a car can get up to speed, push your back into the seat, and even put a smile on your face. Cars made by brands like Koenigsegg, however, play in a completely different realm — the realm of the hypercar.

In this lofty automotive altitude, 0 to 60 mph tests are less relevant because hypercars are barely warmed up at that speed. Their tires are still struggling to stick themselves to the road under their engines’ massive output. A true test of a hypercar’s mettle, then, comes in a trial more fitting for their insane capabilities, one like the intimidating 0-249-0 mph (0-400-0 kph) test, which measures off-the-line acceleration, top-end power, aerodynamics, braking, and stability. The previous record of 41.96 seconds was set by the incredible Bugatti Chiron a few weeks ago, but Koenigsegg just went out and blew it to pieces.

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Koenigsegg Agera RS
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Koenigsegg Agera RS
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Koenigsegg Agera RS
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As seen in the video above, a cabernet-tinged Agera RS has completed the 0-249-0 mph run in just 36.44 seconds, smashing the previous time by more than 5.0 seconds. That’s an amazing feat to be sure, but if that weren’t impressive enough, Koenigsegg didn’t even use its fastest car.

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The Agera RS is powered by a twin-turbo 5.0-liter aluminum V8 generating 1,160 horsepower, but the example in the video is fitted with the optional 1 MegaWatt package, which boosts output to an incredible 1,341 hp. Clearly, it’s no slouch. The plug-in hybrid Regera, though, generates a staggering 1,500 hp and 1,475 pound-feet of torque, making it the fastest vehicle in the automaker’s lineup by far. It may be less hardcore than the Agera RS in terms of the daily driving experience — it’s designed as a GT car with both speed and comfort in mind — but in terms of pure thrust, the Regera would trounce both the Agera RS and Bugatti Chiron quite handily.

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Why didn’t Koenigsegg use the Regera for the test, you ask? The $2 million electrified hypercar is very much sold out, so the brand had to “settle” for its second choice. Your move, Bugatti.

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Andrew Hard
Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
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