Jay Leno Drives the Koenigsegg Regera, Comes Out Mighty Impressed

Just last week we were complaining about there not being enough videos of the Regera from the driver’s perspective nor any driving reviews showing the Direct Drive powertrain in action. Well, soon after Supercar Blondie’s video dropped, we had Shmee150 driving the same cherry bomb example and later Jay Leno took the car of drive for a comprehensive review with none other than Christian von Koenigsegg.

What happens in an interview like this is we get to learn a lot of previously unknown details about the car. The 40 minute video shows the two guys talk about various systems that make up the hybrid hypercar; from the Dihedral Synchro Helix door mechanism (which according to Koenigsegg is the shorter name), the robotized body, the fishtail exhaust system, the targa roof system that can be stored in the “frunk” to the Triplex suspension, the magnetic key, the windshield wiper and most importantly the Direct Drive system.

The Direct Drive powertrain which combines Koenigsegg’s twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors and omits the transmission completely is something a lot of people still don’t understand. For those people, Leno tries to explain the system in as simple words as possible. “It’s as if the car is in seventh gear all the time and the power is augmented by electric motors which take the place of the first six gears” Leno explains.

Leno and Koenigsegg then take the Regera out on the streets where the first thing you notice is how alien the Regera looks. With its low and wide bodywork, large front splitters, “constellation” headlights, wraparound windshield and the double bubble roof design with the roof off looks incredible driving around.

Christian also revealed that 20 of the planned production of 80 cars are currently on the production line and five are already undergoing pre-delivery tests. Koenigsegg has increased its workforce at the factory in the past few months to help speed up the production of the Regera. As a result, the average waiting period has reduced to two years instead of four.

Watch the video to find out what Jay Leno thinks of the Koenigsegg Regera.