Where is the limit? In Koenigsegg are locked in a beautiful and exciting technological race to develop engines that are innovative. Not only we talk about supercars unattainable for most mortals, machines like the Koenigsegg Regera, with more than 1,500 HP, no gearbox, or camshaft. We speak of engines suitable for all audiences, the cars that we hear about every day on the street. And is that Koenigsegg are convinced that the same technology that takes their sports very by over 1,000 BHP of power could be applied in smaller engines, and to get a four-cylinder 1.6-liter engine delivers 400 HP of power. How do they expect to get it?
In statements to Carbuzz, Christian von Koenigsegg has recognized that already have almost ready a gasoline engine of 1.6 liters and 400 HP of power. Koenigsegg wants to lead the race of the performance, to design engines with higher specific power, with greater power given in relation to its displacement, its displacement.
Now, Koenigsegg is facing two problems that really matter. The first, to make the technology of these engines to be viable in an economy of scale. The second, the fight against one of the aspects that most contribute to reduce the energy performance of an engine, the energy loss by heat dissipation.
In regard to the reduction of energy losses, Christian von Koenigsegg you acknowledge that you have progressed far with a solution somewhat obvious, to create engines that reduce the thermal losses to the extent possible. Engines in the pipeline would use cylinders of smaller diameter, and long stroke. In turn, those engines would crank, pistons, valves and forgings in high quality materials. Materials that are definitely much more expensive than those employed to date, but that in an economy of scale could be viable.
What is interesting is that Koenigsegg looks beyond the turbo, far beyond the turbo. Regarding the latest advances in supercharging, speaking of the electric compressors, Koenigsegg believes that there are simpler solutions to achieve the same goal. In any case, Koenigsegg think that, both to ensure the maximum performance of a sports to create engines with outputs as specific as high for cars over conventional, supercharging by turbo continues to be essential.
When we’ll see these engines in passenger cars for all audiences? we are currently in a very early stage of this project. Koenigsegg is working with prototypes, but also to strengthen its relationship with some manufacturers to become their technology provider. Diversify their activities, and form the company FreeValve AB, in charge of the development of engines without camshafts are a good example of this. Without going more far, the chinese company Qoros is already in talks with Koenigsegg to use these technologies, and recently presented a prototype equipped with an engine with the technology of Koenigsegg and FreeValve. Which is very promising.