The Koenigsegg CC850 may have the most fascinating transmission ever fitted to a production car and proves that while the Swedish automaker is still a relatively small company, its engineering prowess is among the best in the industry.
The CC850 has been introduced to celebrate 20 years since the first CC8S was delivered by Koenigsegg. It has a similar overall design and shape to the original but has been modernized and outfitted with a new powertrain based on what you’ll find in the Jesko.
Read More: Koenigsegg Launches A Modern Version Of The CC8S Called The CC850
Prior to the car’s introduced at Monterey Car Week, Mr JWW had the opportunity to speak with Christian von Koenigsegg. We recommend watching the entire video but halfway through, things get really interesting when the discussion turns to the gearbox.
The gearbox of the CC850 is the same basic nine-speed Lightspeed transmission that is found in the Jesko. Remarkably, it has managed to revise this transmission so that it can be use as a six-speed manual with a clutch pedal and a gated shifter or as a nine-speed automatic. What’s more, the transmission is so advanced that Koenigsegg can adjust the gear ratios depending on what driving mode the car is in.
During the clip, Christian von Koenigsegg explains that when the car is put in manual mode, it acts exactly like a traditional stick shifter. The clutch pedal also works just like it would in any manual car and while Mr JWW wasn’t able to drive the car, he was able to creep forward in it, working out where the biting point is for the clutch and noting that it feels just like a normal manual. For the moments where you’re not in the mood to change gears, it’s simply a matter of moving the shifter over to the right and engaging drive mode.
Koenigsegg is building just 50 examples of the CC850 but if the transmission proves a hit with customers, we wouldn’t be surprised if other Koengisegg models use the same gearbox moving forward.