Bugatti Veyron No Longer The World’s Fastest Car

Bugatti

The Bugatti Veyron has long been known for having a Cheetah-like speed, clocking up an incredible official world record of 267 mph.

The Hennessey Venom GT has also gained a reputation for its lightning-like abilities, boasting an unofficial world record of 271 mph.

However, a Swedish supercar has come zooming around the corner to knock both these giants from their pedestals.

In your best Jeremy Clarkson voice, say hello to the newest fastest production car on the planet.

YouTube/EFFSPOT

The Koenigsegg Agera RS recently hit maximum speeds of 272 mph and 284 mph over the course of two runs, making the other two supercars look like runaway dodgem carts in comparison.

On-board footage from RaceLogic demonstrates the hurricane-power wielded by this £1.5 million vehicle, from the perspective of the cockpit.

The car was driven by fearless factory driver Niklas Lilja, who wielded the speed beast on a closed 11-mile stretch of Nevada Highway, close to Las Vegas.

Lilja kept things steady to begin with, carefully building up momentum so as not to overwork the tyres.

Once the car was securely planted however, Lilja really let the engine reach its full, rollercoaster potential.

You can watch the breath-taking footage below:

Speaking with Top Gear, Lilja explained how he felt safe despite the speed:

I wasn’t nervous.

The only hesitation was over the tyres, as you always know that something could happen.

At first, Michelin were concerned about the impact the high speed would have on the tyres.

However, Koenigsegg engineers were able to reassure them these special tyres were not generating excess heat or wear.

It has even been reported the tyres remained in mint condition, even after the monstrous record was broken.

Lilja added:

Driving the road at 100mph, it was very quiet and smooth,

But at 280mph plus, it’s really quite bumpy. Going downhill, with a tailwind, I was at the rev limiter on the first proper run (284.55mph) so I knew I couldn’t do anymore.

Amazingly, it is believed this beautiful car could go faster still if equipped with an even more technologically advanced set of tyres, built to withstand the intense heat and pressures of such high velocity travel.

On the official Koenigsegg website, the following exciting description of the Agera RS is given:

The Agera RS is the ultimate in road and track versatility.

It offers the most extreme performance available today and yet is fully road legal, complying with safety standards and other necessary homologation requirements worldwide.

Going forward, it seems the Agera RS is quite literally unstoppable.

When asked what was next for the Agera RS, Lilja gave the following telling answer:

I’m not sure what I can tell you.

But of course we want to prove it’s quicker than anything else in the corners too.

This may well mean the Agera RS has his headlights firmly set on Porsche’s 911 GT2 RS’ lap time of 6:47.3 at the gruelling Nürburgring-Nordschleife… Could another world record be in order?

Koenigsegg might have to watch their back though, as Bugatti are revving up to take back their crown.

The Bugatti Chiron – worth a cool £2 million – is currently being prepped to top the world record, with hopes of leaving the Agera RS in the dust.

The world of supercars is about to get a whole lot more interesting…

Julia Banim

Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.