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Koenigsegg demolishes Bugatti's brand-new 0-400kph-0 record

Last month, we told you how a Bugatti Chiron, driven by Juan Pablo Montoya, set a new record for accelerating from 0 to 400 kph (248 mph) and then braking back to 0, all done in 41.96 seconds. Well, that record didn't stand for long — it was just annihilated by a Koenigsegg. Christian von Koenigsegg decided to take a crack at the record as a means of performance-testing a new Agera RS he was about to deliver to a U.S. customer, this one with an upgraded engine making 1,360-horsepower and 1,011 pound-feet of torque. The hypercar was so factory-fresh, in fact, it still had industrial tape protecting its leading edges. After some lower-speed test runs (an Agera RS is typically tested at up to 186 mph), Koenigsegg's team took the car to Vandel, a former Danish military airbase that now serves as a big solar-energy farm, for the big run on Oct. 1. Some fascinating numbers about the record run, with factory driver Niklas Lilja at the wheel: Lilja went from 0 to 400 kph to 0 in 36.44 seconds, beating the Chiron's record by a whopping 5.52 seconds. (The Chiron's total time was 41.96.) Koenigsegg says its data show that the car engaged traction control in the first three gears, the final time at 113 mph. The car hit the 248 mph goal in 26.88 seconds over 1.21 miles. (The acceleration phase took Montoya in the Chiron 32.6 seconds.) Braking to 0 mph took 9.56 seconds and 1,584 feet. (The Chiron braked in 9.3 seconds.) Though the Agera RS' record time for 0-400-0 was was 36.44 seconds, that does not factor in the fact the car went a wee bit past 400 kph, to 403, or 250 mph, before Lilja hit the brakes. If you include that sliver of time, the overall run was 37.28 seconds. But it isn't counted in the record. Total distance covered was 1.57 miles — on a 1.7-mile runway. For more details, Koenigsegg describes the run on his blog. Related Video: Auto News Bugatti Koenigsegg Technology Coupe Performance Videos Bugatti Chiron koenigsegg agera rs juan pablo montoya

Who was Elisabeth Junek, and why is Bugatti giving her a special Veyron?

Bugatti is in the habit of recalling names from its storied history on the nameplates of its new models. The Veyron, after all, was named after Pierre, one of its most accomplished racing and test drivers. So, too, was the concept that preceded it named after Louis Chiron, another Bugatti racing driver of yore. And lately, the Alsatian marque has been reviving other names from its history with a series of special editions.
The "Légendes de Bugatti" series kicked off with the Jean-Pierre Wimille edition last year, which was followed by the Jean Bugatti edition and the Meo Costatini edition (pictured above) just a few months ago. We would have expected that the next one would honor Jean's brother Rembrandt Bugatti - the artist behind the rearing elephant hood ornament that adorned the legendary Bugatti Royale - but the word on the street is that the next special-edition Vitesse will pay tribute to one Elisabeth Junek.
Also known as Eliška Junková, she was one of the earliest and most renowned of female racing drivers at the dawn of motorsport. She would often accompany her banker/gentleman-racer husband Cenek Junek on his motoring exploits in their Bugatti Type 35B and would sometimes take the wheel herself. Her most famous race was the 1928 Targa Florio, which she led until the final lap before mechanical troubles dropped her down to fifth place - but still ahead of Tazio Nuvolari.

Bugatti to replace outgoing Veyron with new Chiron

With around a dozen new units left up for grabs, the Bugatti Veyron is near the end of its production cycle. For its part, Bugatti is planning to replace it with another hypercar, and while it's surely already under development, lips in Molsheim remain tightly sealed until the last Veyron leaves the factory. In the meantime, though, we've got some clues to go by. And the latest comes courtesy of Car and Driver.
According to emerging intel, the Veyron's successor will wear the name Chiron. The name belongs not only a mythological Greek centaur but also to one of the most successful racing drivers of Bugatti's heyday - certainly one of the most prominent not to have been featured in the company's recent Legend series. His name did, however, adorn the Bugatti 18/3 Chiron (pictured above), one of the concepts from the late 90s that paved the way for the Veyron's arrival.
Aside from the name, there are precious few details to go by, but we can expect it to be powered by the company's 8.0-liter W16 engine, unnaturally aspirated and with a likely hybrid boost. Look for even more staggering performance than the Veyron's, with nimbler handling thanks to lighter-weight construction.