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WHATEVER sort of day you’re having today, spare a thought for a professional pilot in Germany. His Koenigsegg One:1, one of only eight of the $3.8 million supercars to ever be built, has crashed spectacularly at the Green Hell early this morning while setting up for a pitch at a lap record of the track.
“Koenigsegg Automotive AB can confirm reports online that a Koenigsegg One:1 was involved in a crash during testing as part of Industry Pool at the Nurburgring on Monday, 18 July,” the boutique Swedish carmaker said in a statement released just hours ago confirming the expensive day out at the track.
According to witnesses, the One:1 jumped the guardrail, and caught fire briefly before the flames were extinguished.
Koenigsegg admitted the mid-engined twin-turbocharged 5.0-litre V8-powered One:1 had been at the track as part of its preparations for an all-out assault on the production car track record, a seemingly untouchable 6:57.00 set by a Porsche 918 Spyder in 2013 (pictured below).
“This is an inherently dangerous undertaking that must be conducted progressively and methodically, working point by point on all areas of our highly adjustable vehicles.
“This incident is confirmation of just how difficult it is to drive at this level on the world’s ultimate proving ground.
Dismayed is one way of describing the sensation. Images show a full airbag deployment in the crash, although the safety cell built around the cabin remained intact. The dihedral synchro-helix actuation doors, a Koenigsegg signature, were still able to open.
Koenigsegg hasn’t placed a number on how powerful the One:1 is, preferring instead to call it a “megawatt” supercar. Maximum torque is 1371Nm at 6000rpm.
Koenigsegg’s best lap record on the Nurburgring is held by the CCX, set in 2006. It pegged a 7:33.55. Only 49 of the 593kW supercars were built.
