Our world is blessed with some of the most beautiful machines, there is no doubt about that. Whether it is a classic or a modern hypercar, there is always a strong sense of appreciation toward these machines. When thinking about the manufacturers that are responsible for constantly pushing the boundaries of defining beauty within their products, the first three names to come up are very likely to be, Pagani, Koenigsegg and Bugatti; and there is quite a good reason as to why that’s the case. These automakers never stop pushing their cars to the limit, whether it be in terms of design or performance. These automakers strive for absolute perfection while building their cars and very recently, Koenigsegg has done just that. 

Koenigsegg’s recent Regera is called the Regera KNC - Koenigsegg Naked Carbon. This is a very first in the automotive world since no other automaker has ever attempted to build a car using only naked carbon fiber. While it may be the world’s first bare naked carbon car, Koenigsegg has already played around with the idea of using KNC parts for the Agera RS and the 1:1. Parts such as the steering wheel, rims, rear wing and other aero bits around the car are KNC parts. “KNC takes the idea of visible carbonfibre to a whole new level, revealing a beautiful lustre and a very silky finish” says Christian Von Koenigsegg. 

While the name and the pictures may say it all, the process of building a naked carbon hypercar is not even close to as simple as it sounds. First, let’s break down exactly what it means for a car to be built with ‘naked carbon’. Carbon fiber parts in high-end supercars are coated with a layer of lacquer or varnish on top of the layer of epoxy that is usually always there. However, KNC requires no use of any of these materials. As for the layer of epoxy, it is very carefully polished away by hand to bring out a bare-naked carbon weave. The process of removing a layer of epoxy is a very complex one; a stroke too many will ruin the visible weave structure underneath the thin epoxy layer. Stripping down carbon fiber to a bare-naked form is a process that requires utmost attention and focus since it’s done by hand. What demands so much attention is the fact that a KNC surface cannot be smoothed out, or adjusted in case it has been damaged. This means that the production of such a vehicle has to be done perfectly in the very first shot or else it might just end up costing the company a lot of money. However, once the layer of epoxy has been polished off, the end result of a naked carbon body is quite rewarding. 

The upside to building a naked carbon car is the fact that lacquer is a lot softer and sensitive in comparison to naked exposed carbon. This, as a result, makes the car a lot more resistive to damage from stones or sharp objects. Furthermore, the removal of lacquer and epoxy drops the weight of the Regera down by 20 kilos in comparison to that of a painted Regera; and as you may already know, 20 kilos can make all the difference in the performance of a car. The finished product also gives a naturally cold and silky feel to the texture of the car, since insulating materials such as lacquer are removed, which as a result also contributes to the performance aspect of the vehicle by keeping the temperatures lower than they usually are. Speaking of texture, the KNC brings attention to each and every weave of carbon rather than reflecting a glossy carbon finish. Koenigsegg says that after undergoing the process of KNC, the carbon fiber has a look that has never been seen on any road car before, and that when compared to regular exposed carbon fiber parts, the KNC would look a lot more striking.  

The Regera KNC come about as a result of a very special request from a customer based in Switzerland. “It’s not unusual for a customer to specify their car with visible carbonfibre. It’s a beautiful material from a visual perspective and our customers love to show what the car is made from.” Says Christian von Koenigsegg. The Regera KNC will be delivered to the all-new Koenigsegg dealership, in Switzerland named, Carage. A Grand Opening for Carage will take place after the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019, with a very high possibility of the Regera KNC sitting on display for the fans to see. As always, Koenigegg is the one automaker that would go to any extent in order to make their cars stand out, and meet every customer’s demands. “The Koenigsegg philosophy has always been about exploring extremes. It’s great to extend that idea to a whole new way of finishing and presenting a car.” Says the CEO of Swedish company.