RAW by Koenigsegg is a digital concept car designed by Lahti Institute of Design student Esa Mustonen for his graduation thesis project. It was created in collaboration with Koenigsegg and the RAW Design House under the supervision and support of Christian von Koenigsegg and Sasha Selipanov, head of design for Koenigsegg and the RAW Design House consultancy.
The concept car envisions a futuristic entry-level hypercar under an imagined ‘RAW by Koenigsegg’ sub-brand and employs Koenigsegg’s advanced technologies, cutting-edge design approach and lightweight expertise. The exterior is an interplay between soft rounded shapes and taught slab panels, while the simple front and rear light bars create a strong DRG. Mounted behind the three-seat carbon fiber occupant cell is the compact three-cylinder Freevalve TFG engine, which was first shown to the world in the four-passenger Koenigsegg Gemera.
“Our ambition was to use Koenigsegg Automotive’s vast composite and light-weighting experience to aim for an unprecedented 700hp and 700kg, a new interpretation for the 1:1 power to weight ratio,” says Mustonen, who previously interned with Selipanov at the Genesis advanced design studio in Germany. “RAW by Koenigsegg has a strong focus on innovative aerodynamics with its flow-through architecture and jet fighter afterburner inspired articulated rear diffuser.”
The main shape of the concept is reminiscent of the groundbreaking wedge forms created by the Italian carrozzeria masters in the 1970s. The influence, however unintended, of Gandini’s Lancia Stratos Zero — particularly the truncated rear-end design — is immediately apparent.
Mustonen has interpreted the wedge form in a very contemporary way and the resulting concept is, thankfully, resolutely modern in its aesthetic. He says the car’s stance was initially inspired by bikes, but as the process developed he sought to create a clear distinction between the soft aerodynamic forms and the structural/mechanical elements.
Entry into the three-passenger cabin is provided via rear-hinged dihedral synchro helix doors (similar to those found on other Koenigseggs, but in reverse). These lift rearward along with a section of the roof. This not only looks otherworldly but aids in ingress and egress as well — function over form.
While similar to the three-seat package spearheaded by the McLaren F1, the two passengers sit far further back than on the British supercar, and there are a pair of cupholders directly behind the driver’s seat. Two screens on either side of the central display unit deploy from the IP to show additional information to the driver and entertain passengers when required. They retract neatly into place when not needed.
The visionary concept also offers a new type of user experience as it can be used in both the real and the virtual world. Inspiration for the interior came from simulator racing rigs: the focus is on the driver’s seat, which sits on two rails as in a sim rig. The car allows its user an opportunity to experience its performance and influence its setup in either real life or digital states using already existing highly correlative racing simulators.
RAW by Koenigsegg is an exciting vision of what a lightweight entry-level hypercar of the future could look like. All that’s left now if for the Swedish supercar company to make Mustonen’s vision a reality.
