“If features, design and performance did not only match but in many ways exceed the existing supercars, no one would look twice at a startup car company from Sweden.” These words reveal the mindset that legendary automotive visionary Christian Von Koenigsegg carried as into his very first prototype. Three decades later, and these Swedish ghosts are admired alongside the greatest automotive treasures in the world. However, while the Koenigsegg brand rocketed to stardom, the prototype that kick-started it all fell off the map and into obscurity. As this incredible one-of-one hypercar prepares to wow the attendees of Monterey Car Week and star at The Quail, we tell the tale of how one man embarked on a four year journey to track down, restore, and register the very first Koenigsegg.
Before we introduce our protagonist, we must first understand the automotive legend at the heart of this story. The original sketches of the Koenigsegg CC were penned by Christian von Koenigsegg himself, which were later transformed into a 1:5 scale model by industrial designer David Crafoord. After the model had been scaled up, construction of the first CC prototype, known as XP 001, commenced in 1994, and many hallmarks of the now legendary brand were already plain to see. The removable hard top, which lent the CC a coupe-esque silhouette unlike any other convertible when attached and limitless headroom when stowed, was central to the car’s design. As were the dihedral doors, which offered both curb-side opera and ease of entry. Under the skin was a semi carbon fibre monocoque with integrated chromolybdenium tube subframes and reinforcements; an early ancestor to the full carbon monocoques central to Koenigsegg’s modern hypercars.
Initially, the car started with a silver coat, before being painted black and then, eventually, the incredible metallic bronze colour it wears to this day. However, Christian intended for the car to be painted in an eye-catching bright orange, only for a miscommunication to result in this serendipitously beautiful hue. As for the drivetrain, the CC was equipped with gated manual mated to a 4.2 litre V8 from Audi, a remnant from a potential collaboration that fell flat when Christian revealed how far above the recommended maximum output he intended to tune the engine.
Fast forward to 2019, and this fascinating prototype had become more myth than machine. This is where Gaurav Dhar enters the scene. A collector of prototypes and number one build slot cars, Gaurav is the custodian at the helm of the Numero Uno collection, and during RM Sotheby’s auction at Yas Marina circuit that year, he and his friends began to discuss what would be the next crop of collector cars to occupy the auction headlines. The icons of the 1990s — the Jaguar XJ220 and McLaren F1 — were mentioned first, followed by the boutique hypercar manufacturers such as Pagani, which sparked the question: what happened to the very first Koenigsegg?
In March 2020, Gaurav took the last flight from Lisbon to Dubai following the outbreak of Covid. Now working from home and with time on his hands, he became obsessed with solving the mystery. He hunted forums and internet archives, all while building a black book of people related to Koenigsegg, from engineers and historians, to museum and transportation workers. It was a long process, but after 8 months he was rewarded when he finally identified the car’s location.
Gaurav tracked the car to the Motala Museum in Sweden, where he was relentless in securing the owner’s details. Eventually, the Museum staff succumbed to his requests and relinquished that all important phone number. Initially, the owner was warm but confused as to why someone from Dubai was calling about his car in a Swedish museum, but Gaurav soon discovered the man was a font of history and first hand knowledge that wasn’t accessible anywhere else in the world. Uncovering the story behind the prototype became Gaurav’s top priority.
Despite their shared enthusiasm, it was clear the previous custodian was worried Gaurav was simply trying to turn a profit. Even after learning that Gaurav was a collector and custodian of similar significant vehicles, when he was eventually asked if the car was for sale, he immediately responded “Absolutely not!”
A year later, Gaurav still wasn’t ready to let the opportunity slip away, and with the owner now in his 70s, he was beginning to consider passing it on to a new custodian. Recognising that Gaurav wanted to share the car’s story with the world, he was eventually invited to view the car in person. Seeing the car in the metal for the first time, Gaurav discovered that the prototype was in an incredible state of preservation. Despite the excellent condition of the paint, bodywork, and interior, however, it was evident it would need a full mechanic recommission before being road worthy.
Then came the challenge of valuing such a unique piece of performance car history. “It took three months and all the knowledge I could muster to come up with a number for the car. He said yes and I was truly happy about that,” Gaurav recounts.
After a light restoration to ensure the car’s mechanical integrity while preserving the original paint and interior — overseen by members of the original Koenigsegg team responsible for building the prototype during the 1990s — Gaurav finally got to sit in his holy grail and fire it up for the first time. “I thought it was going to be very difficult, very raw, but it’s literally a modern hot rod. It feels very light the way it moves, and you could drive it every day, but it’s a beast!” Now this incredible piece of automotive history prowls the streets of Dubai. If you’re lucky, and the conditions are just right, you might just see this ghost on a warm desert night. Or, for this week only, on the streets of Monterey.
Photos by Elciviyork
