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Top-speed runs are costly, dangerous affairs. Donald Campbell and many other speed pioneers died pursuing the next benchmark. However, times have changed, and hypercars will now hunt 300 or more miles per hour (MPH). Such is the case with the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut and the Bugatti Chiron. These two top-speed titans have a 310 MPH grudge match in the works.  

We are in the age of 300+ MPH hypercars, and Koenigsegg wants to fight Bugatti for the top spot

The Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut isn’t vaporware. No, it’s a 1,625-horsepower step up from the standard Jesko. Well, if you can use “standard” to describe a twin-turbocharged V8 hypercar. Its latest goal: an official two-way, 500-KMH (310.6-MPH) top speed record. 

To hit that benchmark, Koenigsegg outfitted the Absolut with an updated assortment of aero kit. The Swedish hypercar marque asserts that the Absolut’s aero package targets the lowest possible coefficient of drag. Paired with the Absolut’s more pliable, supple suspension, it seems like Koenigsegg has the right formula to push the slippery Jesko variation to 310 MPH. 

A set of Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut and Jesko 2 hypercars, with 300+ MPH top speed hopes, show off their fascias.
Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut and Jesko 2 | Koenigsegg

The Bugatti Chiron, the marque’s current king-of-the-hill hypercar, recorded a top-speed run of 490 KMH (304.4 MPH). However, the record lives in a contested state; the Chiron in question wasn’t the same as production models, nor did it record a return trip. As with water-borne speed records, a vehicle must perform two separate runs in two directions to get an official top speed.

A set of Bugatti Chiron Super Sports on a runway.
Bugatti Chiron hypercars | Bugatti

In an interview with Carup, a Swedish motoring publication, Christian von Koenigsegg said that finding a venue for outrageous speeds isn’t as easy as finding a deserted highway or runway. “We are currently looking for a straight stretch that is long enough and where the traffic can be shut down, it is not entirely easy. It will probably not be in Sweden, but abroad,” Koenigsegg told interviewers. It would be spectacular to see the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut dash to 300+ MPH on public roads. 

Of course, Koenigsegg and Bugatti aren’t alone in the top-speed record game. Hennessey hunts down the big numbers with its Venom F5. John Hennessey of the Texas-based Hennessey tuning house pushed its twin-turbocharged V8-powered Venom F5 hypercar to well above 250 MPH.

For now, though, it looks like Bugatti v Koenigsegg for the latest hypercar bragging rights: 310 MPH.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).