World's fastest car? Koenigsegg Regera makes an 1,800-hp case

Christian von Koenigsegg isn't a fan of standing still. His eponymous Swedish auto company has been turning out high quality, low-volume supercars now for just over a decade, challenging the likes of Bugatti and other artisanal builders for superlatives in speed and handling.

Yet today, Koenigsegg launched his most ambitious car yet, one meant to stand on the stage with Ferrari, Porsche and any other builder. This is the Koenigsegg Regera, an 1,800-hp, $1.9 million machine capable of hitting 248 mph — in less than 20 seconds.

While four-digit horsepower figures are rare but not unheard of in small-production cars, the method by which Koenigsegg gets its power may be as impressive as its totals. The back hatch holds a twin-turbo V-8 capable of 1,100 hp on regular high-octane fuel. That engine doesn't use a transmission; rather, Koenigsegg has fitted what he calls a hydraulic drive unit that's coupled with two electric motors on the rear axle. A third electric motor on the front of the engine provides additional energy — up to 700 hp total from all three.