Koenigsegg, a supercar challenging Swedish stereotypes

For a quarter century, Koenigsegg has been making supercars for a niche market typically reserved for Italian luxury brands, while challenging perceptions of Swedish modesty.

With brands like Volvo -- which introduced the three-point seat belt -- and Saab, Sweden distinguished itself in the 20th century as a maker of reasonable priced family-friendly cars that put safety first.

Employees work on a production line of the Koenigsegg Regera at the Koenigsegg car factory in Angelholm.

But in a workshop in the southern town of Angelholm, the term "made in Sweden" is given a new meaning, and horsepower and torque take centre stage.

"When I started the company (...) I said to myself why would anyone buy one of my cars: it is an unknown brand, by an unknown person from a country not famous for sports cars," the company's founder Christian von Koenigsegg told AFP.

Sonny Persson, the driver who set the 0-400-0 km/h world record in 31.49 seconds, poses next to the Regera car.

"So I said to myself, they have to really stand out and be different and hopefully better in some ways than the competitors," he added.

The philosophy has been that if Bugatti and Pagani go fast, the Swedish car has to go faster and really push the limits, compensating for the lack of notoriety with performance.

In 2002, a mere eight years after the company was founded, the engine of the Koenigsegg CC8S was named the world's most powerful in a production car by Guinness World Records.

Employees work on a production line of the Koenigsegg Regera at the Koenigsegg car factory.

Two years later, the Koenigsegg CCR was named the World's most powerful serially produced car.

"But is was really impressive," he admitted.

A rare sight

While records and accolades are "not so unimportant" for von Koenigsegg, the most important thing is "the overall performance of the car."

Koenigsegg has been making supercars for a niche market typically reserved for Italian luxury brands.

Hailing from a family with "no real car interest," the tall Swede found his passion at an early age.

"Since I was 6-7 years old, the only thing I read was car magazines or technical books about cars and things like that," he told AFP.

In 2020, Koenigsegg plans to launch a new "less expensive" model -- at a more modest price of around one million euros -- but Christian von Koenigsegg stresses that it will still be hand made and "in a niche where we don't see any cars today."

Agence France-Presse