We are covering the build of Koenigsegg Agera RS chassis 128 from start to finish here on the Koenigsegg website.

Chassis 128 will be the first Koenigsegg Agera RS to be fully homologated for the United States.

For all articles in this series, click here: Koenigsegg Agera RS Build 128 (USA)

Click any of the photos, below, to enlarge.

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We last saw chassis 128 at Station 1, where the basic components were bonded together to form Koenigsegg’s super-strong and super-light tub chassis, complete with integrated fuel tanks.

The car now moves on to Station 2 – Body Alignment, where the tub chassis is loaded on to this jig……

…..and these parts, and many more, are attached to the chassis.

By the end of this stage in production, you’ll see something that looks a lot like a real car body. It’s somewhat of an illusion, however, as all the component parts you’ll see will be removed from the car again prior to Station 3. Station 2 exists primarily to assemble all the body parts and adjust them so that they all align properly with the right panel gaps and level surfaces. Once they’re aligned, the various body parts will be removed again and sent to Station 3, for preparation and paint.

So….. the tub chassis is mounted on to the jig to begin.

Below is the engine/gearbox subframe jig – part of the larger jig structure – which we use to ensure correct placement of parts during this process.

The engine and gearbox subframes on our cars are connected directly to the tub chassis and this whole assembly, including the engine itself, contributes significantly to the stiffness of the car.

It’s essential to have these subframe jigs in place during this fitting process, but note that these subframe jig parts are not the final parts that will be used on the car.

Before we attach the large panels that make it appear more car-like, a number of smaller parts have to go on the chassis first. All these and more will be attached to the car during this part of the process.

The bracket being fitted below is a hub that supports a lot of the engine mount framework. The correct placement of this part onto the chassis tub is crucial, which is why we use the engine/gearbox sub-frame jig (above) to re-create all the points that the framework is connected to. By having the correct receiving-end connection points in place, we ensure that the bracket placement on the tub is right where it needs to be.

The bracket is test-fitted and the framework beams are attached between it and the sub-frame jig.

The bracket will be both bolted and bonded into place so the surface is prepared for bonding before final fitting takes place.

The framework looks like this when it’s all in place….

Here’s an image from a car further down the production line. You can see from this image how the framework interacts with the engine.

The pieces you see below are all templates we use for marking and/or cutting different areas of the car. They’re all 3D printed pieces, made using the same CAD drawings we use for the parts they’re applied to.

Here you see some of them in place. These are used to cut holes for the housings that secure our removable roof.

Once they’re in place, the appropriate holes are marked and then cut out with a rotary tool. In the pictures below, Richard is cutting the hole for the housing that goes into the rollbar, at the back of the cockpit.

When the hole is cut and cleaned, he can then do a test fitting of the housing.

The hinges for the front and rear hood are fitted next…..

The rocker panel is fitted next, below. This is the first of the exterior body panels fitted to the car. The rocker panels and the roof are both important reference points for body alignment as they’re central points on the car where several other areas meet. In the case of the rocker panel, it meets the door, the rear hood and the front hood. It might look quite humble, but the rocker panel is actually a crucial point of panel alignment for the vehicle.

You can see our Dihedral Synchrohelix door actuation hinge below.

This is one of the few instances where we accept a small weight penalty in the name of functionality. Our hinge weighs more than a typical door hinge, but it is a piece of cutting edge design and is actually super-light for the benefits it delivers. The Dihedral Synchrohelix system opens the door outwards and upwards in one smooth, sweeping motion. It’s as practical as it is beautiful; it takes less external horizontal space than a traditional door and less vertical space than a gullwing or scissor door. We think it’s prettier, too.

Any minor weight penalty is well and truly offset by the fact that our doors are featherweights compared to others.

Here’s a video of our door in action, as fitted to one of our earlier cars, a CCR. The system has been in place, virtually unchanged, from the CC8S.

With the door fitted to the hinge system, Richard can start making preliminary adjustments for fit. Adjustments can be made both at the hinge and at the catch on the B-pillar.

With the doors in place, work begins on extending outwards front and rear from the tub chassis. First, the front subframe is attached to the tub chassis.

The sections that make up the front bumper support can then be fitted to the subframe.

The rear bumper has been fitted to the jig in the photo above.

With the front bumper also fitted, all of a sudden the Koenigsegg silhouette is starting to take shape.

With the front hood yet to be fitted, I thought it was a good stage to take a photo that would illustrate some of the detail that does into the design of our carbon fiber parts here at Koenigsegg. The photo below shows parts of the tub chassis and parts of the front bumper support that have just been fitted to the car. You can see the various thicknesses of carbon fiber marked by the numbers in the image below. Click to enlarge.

Each part is designed to be as thick (strong) as it needs to be, both for the function that it performs and for the safety of the car as a whole. By paying attention to every detail, the car is no heavier than necessary but has all the strength that it needs. There’ll be more lightweight detail further down.

The rear hood is the next part to be fitted. It’s not particularly heavy but it’s a large piece and very expensive so the guys from Station 1 are called in for support.

Again, adjustments for fit can be made at all the various connection points to ensure proper alignment and fit.

With the front hood fitted (not closed in the photo, below), we now have something that really looks like a Koenigsegg. Note that an outline for the indicator has been traced onto the front bumper using another of the 3D-printed templates. The front side indicator is a requirement for the US market only.

Templates are used once again to mark the slots to be cut for the front winglets and the centre support for the front splitter. The holes are cut with a rotary tool.

Once the hole is cut for the front/side indicator, the 3D template is used again to sand the edges and make sure they’re a perfect fit.

The roof will arrive shortly, but we’ve now got all the basic bodily elements of the Koenigsegg Agera RS in place and ready for final alignment, gap checking, etc. The car looks quite spectacular, even at this early stage of the build.

The roof is the final piece of the puzzle and once it is fitted to the car, the full alignment and gapping process can begin.

The first stage is to check that all panels align with one another so that it’s a smooth flow from panel to panel.

Our parts are made of carbon fiber and are of a level of complexity that precludes simplistic mass production. Every part, therefore, has to be custom-fitted to the car under construction. The whole process is very human-centric, befitting a car that is designed solely with the driver in mind.

Adjustments are being made to the rear hood, above. The same thing happens all around the car until the flow from panel to panel is correct.

Next, panel gaps are inspected and adjusted and/or sanded to ensure consistency around the car.

The final job at Station 2 involves pre-installation of a number of interior pieces. These pieces will go to the trim shop later for upholstering and won’t be back on the car for some time, but it’s good to ensure proper fitment of these parts at this early stage of the build process.

This is our interior dashboard panel. Like everything else, it’s made of carbon fibre to save weight. It is typically trimmed with leather or alcantara before final installation into the car.

The white 3D-printed pieces ensure that it’s located correctly prior to the pilot holes being drilled.

The top covers for the ventilation system are also test fitted as part of this process…..

This corner piece goes at the point where the hood and dashboard meet the A-pillar. It has three contact points with the rest of the car so precision fitting is tricky.

Both the part and points it will be attached to are resurfaced in order to ensure the perfect fit.

This piece is another example of Koenigsegg’s complete commitment to light weight and performance. The piece you see being fitted now is another trim piece. It will be completely covered by interior fabric and will never be visible to the human eye in the uncovered state you see here. It could have been made from the cheapest solid material available and no-one would ever know. But it isn’t, because every gram is precious and that means that even invisible parts like this are made by hand from carbon fiber.

The interior guys come to check their parts regularly during this final part of the process, just to make sure they’re happy with the fit. There has to be adequate space for extra materials to be laid over the pieces and still maintain appropriate interior panel gaps.

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That is all from Station 2.

The next part of the process actually begins at this station, as well. We’ll save that for our next entry, but this photo should give you an idea……

Thanks for joining us for the build of Koenigsegg Agera RS #128.

For all articles in this series, click here: Koenigsegg Agera RS Build 128 (USA)