Koenigsegg Gemera May Sprout Pointless Rearview Mirrors in the U.S.

Although Koenigsegg plans to sell a mere 300 Gemeras, the Swedish supercar manufacturer still considers its new four-seater a “world-market car.” Those are the words of Christian von Koenigsegg, the automaker’s namesake, founder, and chief executive officer. Koenigsegg confirmed to MotorTrend in a phone interview that his company designed the 1,677-hp gasoline-electric hybrid grand tourer to meet the regulatory standards of the United States.

Unfortunately, that means the car’s aerodynamic door-mounted side-view cameras, which replace traditional mirrors, may not make it to the U.S. intact. Blame Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, which requires that all passenger cars have a “driver’s side outside rearview mirror.” (U.S. regulations also require a passenger’s side mirror be in place if “the inside rearview mirror does not meet [government mandated] field-of-view requirements. “)

Koenigsegg, however, is hopeful that the U.S. Department of Transportation will update its safety standards to allow side-mounted cameras to supersede physical side-view mirrors by the time the Gemera comes out in 2022. Nevertheless, Koenigsegg’s prepared to tailor the Gemera to current standards, should the U.S. DOT fail to allow the supercar to strictly rely on its door-mounted side-view cameras.

“Our strategy for the U.S. is if [side-mounted rearview cameras are] not legal by the time of delivery, then we will clip-on mirrors on top of the cameras,” Koenigsegg shared. In other words, there’s a possibility that the doors of U.S.-spec Gemeras will sport both cameras and mirrors. 

While we hope Koenigsegg won’t have to resort to using clip-on mirrors, we’re also keenly aware of the federal government’s reluctance to rewrite its rulebooks. It’s safe to say the door-mounted cameras of the Gemera, as well as the associated A-pillar-mounted displays that play the cameras’ feed, will appear on U.S.-market models, but their aerodynamic benefits will possibly be subverted by tacked-on, DOT-mandated mirrors.