It's the Swedish automaker's first four-seater, and it's a stunning technological innovation.
The Geneva Motor Show is home to some of the world's wildest cars, and Swedish automaker Koenigsegg always crops up with some wild engineering marvel. The show might not be happening this year, but that doesn't mean Koenigsegg isn't ready to party either way.
Koenigsegg on Tuesday unveiled its newest creation, the Gemera. This is the Swedish OEM's first four-seater, rocking two extra seats behind its dihedral doors. The Gemera still looks like a Koenigsegg, with a low, wide front bumper and its trademark flat delineation between the roof and the windows. Yet, the extra space inside gives the Gemera some additional visual length that really works.
Apparently the ultra-rich want to cram not one, but three passengers into their 1000-plus-hp ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive mega cars. Or maybe the Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg is just assuming so because the specialty automaker has announced its first-ever four-seater, which churns up 1677 horsepower and launches from zero to 62 mph in a claimed 1.9 seconds.
Koenigsegg is the very definition of a niche company. Its products are known for having high-horsepower twin-supercharged or -turbocharged V-8s, but that's not the case with the Gemera. This four-seater is powered by a sequentially turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-three, which Koenigsegg nicknamed the "tiny friendly giant." It makes 592 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque and works in conjunction with three electric motors and Koenigsegg's single-speed direct-drive transmission. Together, these motors make 1677 horsepower and 2581 lb-ft of torque.
The three-banger doesn't even have camshafts. It uses Koenigsegg's Freevalve system that uses solenoids to activate intake and exhaust valves. Variable valve timing and lift has virtually no limits with Freevalve. This, along with cylinder deactivation, minimizes fuel consumption, meaning the three-cylinder is said to be 20 percent more fuel-efficient than a typical 2.0-liter four-cylinder.
The Gemera can travel on the 15.0-kWh battery alone for a claimed 31 miles. In hybrid mode, the range is 590 miles. It can also run on E85 but don't worry, it'll be loud, too. It's equipped with a titanium exhaust from Slovenian supplier Akrapovič.
The Gemera is Koenigsegg's first all-wheel-drive model, and it also has all-wheel steering and torque vectoring. A 395-hp electric motor on the crankshaft powers the front wheels, and there are two other electric motors powering each rear wheel.
There's no traditional transmission on the Gemera. Instead, it uses the Koenigsegg Direct Drive, a single-gear setup that reduces mechanical complexity and weight. All four wheels power the Gemera, and all-wheel steering means this thing should handle. The ride height can change based on driving style, and the car's 800-volt electric architecture should permit EV-only operation for about 31 miles at a time.
Like other Koenigseggs, the Gemera's chassis consists of a carbon-fiber tub and aluminum sub-structures. Its ride height is electronically adjustable. The center-lock carbon-fiber wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, 21 inches in front and 22 inches in the rear.
As the previous Koenigseggs, the Gemera's interior is crafted from some very expensive materials, and the example car shows the seats and headliner finished with bright yellow suede. All four seats look prepared to battle the g-forces the car will inevitably create, and there are eight different cup holders scattered around, half of which are heated and half of which are cooled. There's a big ole' infotainment screen floating dead center in front of the dashboard, while the squarish steering wheel rests in front of a smaller gauge screen. The side mirrors have been removed in favor of cameras with interior displays.
Creature comfort is the name of the game, and to that end, the Koenigsegg packs multiple reading lights, three-zone climate control, onboard internet with a Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, and multiple wireless phone chargers.
Although the Gemera seats four, it only has two doors. They're huge, though, and they open upward. There's no need to move the rear seats once the doors are opened—they're that big. Like most modern cars today, and we're not saying that this 1677-hp four-seater is like most cars today, the Gemera has two huge central touchscreens (13.0 inches, one in front and one in back), with a gauge cluster screen and two other screens for the side and rearview cameras.
Pricing hasn't been announced yet. Koenigsegg says it is only taking inquiries at the moment. More than likely the Koenigsegg Gemera will likely cost upwards of $1 million, and with only 300 being built, you'll probably never see one on the road. But it's always great to see what Koenigsegg brings to Geneva because these cars are at the cutting edge of vehicle technology.
Source: Cnet
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