Koenigsegg, builder of some of the world’s most breathtaking cars, including the world-record-breaking Agera RS — currently the fastest production car in the world — is coming to Canada.

Soon to start selling its exclusive machines through Weissach Performance based in Vancouver, Koenigsegg and its founder will celebrate the automaker’s arrival by kicking off the 2018 Canadian International Auto Show next week alongside the car that topped 457 km/h on a closed public road.

Christian von Koenigsegg, CEO of Swedish car maker Koenigsegg Automotive AB, will open the annual car show on media day Feb. 15 in Toronto, standing next to the Agera RS that last fall broke five world records, including the highest top speed achieved by a production vehicle on a public road — hitting 457.94 km/h (284.55 mph) on stock Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tires mounted to five-spoke, Aircore carbon fibre rims.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD82XB7t8Xo&feature=youtu.be

That speed, quicker than many small aircraft, broke the old record held by the Bugatti Veyron by 16 km/h. The Agera RS also went from zero to 400 km/h in 33.29 seconds. Bugatti, meanwhile, is gearing up for another run at the title with its Chiron sometime this year.

“Our first Canada-bound vehicles are nearing delivery and we look forward to seeing the first Koenigseggs on Canadian roads in the very near future,” Christian von Koenigsegg said in statement. “It is truly a pleasure for our company to make our Canadian debut this year, to share this wonderful car with our enthusiast community.”

The car that broke the record was a U.S. customer’s car, but driven by Koenigsegg test driver Niklas Lilja on an 18-km section of Nevada State road closed for the run. The RS made runs in both directions along the highway. In one direction, the car hit 457 km/h and in the other 436.4, (one direction had a slight incline and headwind). The average of the two top speeds achieved in each direction is also a record at 447.19 km/h.

While the Agera RS has been in production since 2015, it was only in the past year that Koenigsegg began to work with Michelin for the Hail Mary of speed. Aside from generating enough downforce on the car, the big problem with such big speed is usually the weakest link — tires. “If anything should go wrong with a tire, you’ve got a potentially fatal situation, to be honest,” Koenigsegg spokesman Steven Wade told Bloomberg. Heat and centrifugal force were also key issues the tire manufacturer had to overcome. The RS made both runs on the same set of Pilot Sport Cup 2s.

With the tires sorted, the Agera did hold a horsepower advantage over the Veyron. Limited to 25 units worldwide — each valued at more than $2 million and all of them sold — the Agera RS is powered by a twin turbo 5.0-litre V8 that achieves 1,160 hp on regular pump gasoline; but power jumps to 1,360 hp when fitted with an optional 1 MegaWatt package that boosts the gasoline engine with electric power. The transmission is a seven-speed double clutch.

With that much power, the Agera RS hits 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and 200 km/h in 6.9. It weighs 1,395 kilograms. For those who have already paid for a new Koenigsegg, there’s a three- to four-year waiting list. The other records broken by the Agera RS include the highest average speed for a “flying kilometre” on a public road, calculated after running the car in two directions – 445.63 km/h; it also had highest average speed for a “flying mile” on a public road, calculated after running the car in two directions – 276.36 mph. While not a record, the Agera RS also managed a 9.96 quarter mile during the record run, fractionally behind the current fastest production quarter-mile car on the planet, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon that runs the quarter at 9.65 seconds at 225 km/h.

Canadian show attendees will be able to see the record setting Agera on display for the duration of the Show in Auto Exotica on the 100 Level of the convention centre’s North Building from February 16th to 25th. For more info, see www.autoshow.ca