Over the past year and a half or so, Koenigsegg and Czinger have been trading blows in a fight for the outright production car lap record at the famed Laguna Seca Raceway in California. Each armed with multi-million dollar hypercars with four-figure horsepower outputs, the two boutique automakers have been battling for supremacy with the finest of margins. For example, the time set by the Jesko Attack last year (1:24.86) was just 0.58 seconds ahead of the time set by the 21C in 2021, and when the Swedes’ Sadair’s Spear took to Laguna Seca last month (with a time of 1:24.16), it only shaved seven tenths from Koenigsegg’s best previous time.
Now, Czinger has returned to stake its claim, and this time, it’s set a record that isn’t just a few fractions quicker, taking a massive 1.8 seconds out of the Sadair’s Spear’s best effort with a time of 1:22.30. You can watch the Racelogic-verified lap record at the bottom of this article.
A Well-Used Hypercar With a Hyper Time
Czinger Vehicles
Czinger used the same 21C that set five records in five days driving between each track in the California Gold Rush Rally, so the concept of this extraordinary hypercar has been proven reliable. With Joel Miller at the wheel and Michelin Cup 2 R rubber on its wheels, the 21C has now set a benchmark that will be tough to beat, but we suspect Koenigsegg will try to do just that. When the Sadair’s Spear hit the track last month, it achieved its time while being hampered by an enormous muffler so as to meet Laguna Seca’s 99dB noise limit. In addition, the limited-edition hypercar was wearing magnesium wheels, not its regular and lighter carbon fiber rims, because those were the only ones Koenigsegg had on hand that were shod with new rubber.
Related: 3 Reasons Why Hypercar Makers Should Worry About Czinger’s 21C
While that suggests Koenigsegg could go a fair bit quicker than it already has, Czinger Founder and CEO Lukas Czinger told us in an interview that its car met the same noise restrictions without any modifications. It’s also worth noting that the 21C (with a 2.88-liter twin-turbo V8 paired with two electric motors) produces some 350 horsepower less than the Sadair’s Spear (1,250 hp in the 21C vs. 1,603 hp in the SS).
More to Come from Czinger
Czinger Vehicles
Lukas Czinger also told us that the 21C’s exceptional time was “closer to our simulations,” which seems to be a hint that there may still be more time to be cut from the record, if necessary. Granted, he did say that conditions and temperatures were close to optimal, but still, this is an astonishing feat. Given that Laguna Seca is just 2.238 miles long, and even if Czinger doesn’t improve its time any further, it’s going to be tough for the rear-wheel-drive Sadair’s Spear to make up a difference of almost two seconds. We also asked Lukas about future plans, and while he kept his cards close to his chest, he did indicate that the Czinger team is still interested in heading to Europe (and likely the Nürburgring) in 2026. The 21C V Max may also see some top speed action in the not-too-distant future, and if any 21C Blackbird owners are willing to let their 1-of-4 hypercars take part in the conflict, even more lap records could soon tumble. Stay tuned.
