Collector Steve Hamilton’s journey with Koenigsegg began with high expectations but seemingly has soured just days after he received his Jesko for Christmas. His turquoise blue-wrapped Regera arrived from the same dealership as his brand-new Jesko, and both cars were set to make their public debut at a meetup at Strad Pizza, where enthusiastic fans had gathered to witness the Swedish hypercars.
Unfortunately, it turned out to be a little embarrassing for both the owner and the manufacturer, with the Regera failing first. After traveling just four miles that day, it suffered a high-voltage powertrain issue right at the meet, rendering it undrivable. The $1.9 million hybrid hypercar, equipped with a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and three electric motors producing 1,500 horsepower combined, couldn’t complete its maiden public appearance with its new wrap after four months of being in service.
The next day brought even worse news. Hamilton’s brand-new Jesko began leaking hydraulic fluid, likely from either the front lift system or brake system. A dashboard warning indicated the brake system was compromised, though the car could theoretically be driven with caution. This breakdown occurred after merely 80 miles of driving, an unacceptable failure for a hypercar boasting 1,280 horsepower (or 1,600 hp on E85 fuel) from its twin-turbo V8, a nine-speed Light Speed Transmission, and a $3 million-plus price tag.
Steve Hamilton is hardly a newcomer to the world of hypercars. He’s a self-made billionaire and YouTube content creator with a $30+ million hypercar collection that includes Bugattis, Koenigseggs, Paganis, and Lamborghinis. Hamilton’s relationship with Koenigsegg and founder Christian von Koenigsegg was once personal and cordial. However, once he began voicing concerns publicly about reliability issues, that connection dried up. The company started responding with legal communications rather than the warm, personal service Hamilton had initially experienced. His Regera had already spent most of its life requiring service, and now his Jesko seems like it was following the same problematic path.
The Jesko represents Koenigsegg’s flagship achievement: a 3,131-pound carbon fiber masterpiece capable of generating up to 3,086 pounds of downforce at speed. Yet for Hamilton, these impressive specifications meant nothing when both cars failed within 24 hours of their public debut, transforming his dream ownership experience into an expensive nightmare.
