The next time somebody tells you that massive leaps in technology are a thing of the past and that we live in the age of incremental upgrades, point them to Koenigsegg. Let’s take the CC850, for instance: its transmission works as both a six-speed, H-pattern gated manual—clutch pedal included—and a nine-speed automatic. And we can show you the manual mode of the Koenigsegg CC850’s transmission in action.
The CC850 is sort of like the Swedish carmaker’s 20th birthday present to itself, as it marks two decades of vehicle production—and to some darn lucky customers. The supercar builds on Koenigsegg’s multi-clutch automatic Light Speed Transmission (LST) found in the Jesko by adding the Koenigsegg Engage Shift System (KESS). So while using the gearbox’s automatic mode means you get some of the quickest shifts in the automotive world, the driver can also row through the six gears of the gated manual.
It’s also worth noting that, in manual mode, the selection of the individual gear ratios changes according to the driving mode. Now that’s some Swedish magic since the engineering and even the software are done in-house.
Koenigsegg CC850 gated manual shifts
The gearbox may be the most innovative piece of the CC850, but let’s not forget it’s there to serve a twin-turbo 5.0L V8 that makes 1,185 hp on pump gas and 1,385 hp on E85—peak torque sits at 1,020 lb-ft (1,385 Nm).
As you accelerate, that monster of an engine, which you can also share with your family in the Gemera V8, sounds like it wants to let the whole world know about its might. And with the twin turbos hitting their full boost (1.5 bar on gas or 1.7 bar on E85), the soundtrack becomes even more savage.
And how do I know that? I trust my long ears and the short video below. The clip, which comes from “aspiring car collector” ccol10, shows Koenigsegg transport manager Christer Hultberg doing multiple manual shifts in the CC850.
The transmission has seven clutches and three shafts. And while the CC850 partially uses a cutting-edge version of shift-by-wire (this is an oversimplification), the clutch pedal feels like that of a hydraulically-assisted unit you’d get in a normal manual transmission.
Looking past the first six locations of this H-pattern, which are numbered, there are two extra positions. The upper right is for the Reverse gear, while the lower right (D) puts the transmission into automatic mode, which means it can use all nine ratios.
Interestingly, if you go from one of the numbered positions into R, you have to use the clutch. But if you move the shifter from D into R, you don’t. And yes, if you fail to operate the clutch properly, you can stall the engine!
CC850 gearshifts in automatic mode
Mr. Hultberg was also kind enough to chauffeur the YouTuber known as Ghost Squadron (his real name is Nils) in the CC850. The stunt saw the hypercar shredding some tarmac apart in the Swiss Alps and, thanks to the clip below, you see just how smoothly and quickly the transmission works in both Automatic and Manual modes.
With a curb weight of 1,350 kg (3,053 lbs), the machine hits that sweet 1:1 power-to-weight ratio. Until somebody puts the thing to the test—Koenigsegg remains mum—you can expect the CC850 to cover the 0-60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in 2.5s and offer a top speed of over 280 mph (450 km/h). Also, the 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) run should last under 5s, the 0-186 mph (300 km/h) sprint is less than 9s, and the CC850 should cover the 1/4-mile in under 8.5s.
And, yes, you can remove the top of the CC850 and store this in the nose of the hypercar.
Following the 2022 Monterey Car Week debut of the CC850, when Koenigseg announced it would only make 50 units, the massive demand convinced the carmaker to increase the production number to 70 cars. However, with the CC850 costing $3.65 million, there may still be a few barriers between us mortals and that driver’s seat.