Guy Buys $2.2 Million Koenigsegg Just to Destroy It and Build Something Better

YouTuber Steve Hamilton just spent $2.2 million on a Koenigsegg Regera, and he already has plans to destroy it. Most people would be afraid to put a scratch on a car worth that much. Hamilton wants to tear his apart and rebuild it into something better.

The owner of The Hamilton Collection revealed his new 2021 Regera in a YouTube video on October 14, 2026. He calls the car Lazarus, and the name fits his plan. Once the car is damaged, he wants to bring it back with major changes to the engine and drivetrain.

Hamilton has owned a Regera before, but that experience ended badly. He loved the car when it worked, yet repeated problems eventually pushed him to sell it. Now he's bought another one to see whether he can fix the issues that bothered him the first time.

His plans are far from small. Hamilton wants more than 2,000 horsepower, a new transmission, and a car that can handle serious use. Before the rebuild begins, though, he intends to put his expensive purchase through a rather unusual test.

One More Chance

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Hamilton's frustration goes back to his first Regera, a used 2019 model he bought while waiting for other Koenigsegg cars to arrive.

At first, he considered it his favorite car. Then a service visit turned into weeks of trouble. Eventually, he decided the problems were too much and sold it.

He still likes the brand. His newer Jesko has been far more reliable, he says, and he has driven it more than 2,000 miles.

But the Regera remains unfinished business for him.

According to Koenigsegg , the Regera combines a twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors to produce 1,500 horsepower. It also uses a special direct-drive system instead of a traditional gearbox.

Hamilton wants to change that setup. His rebuild calls for a different engine and transmission, along with enough upgrades to push power beyond 2,000 horsepower.

A Costly Gamble

Finding another Regera was difficult. Koenigsegg built just 80 examples, and many owners have no interest in selling theirs.

Hamilton's team considered several cars before finding one through Chicago Motorcars. The 2021 model came with the optional Ghost Package, which Hamilton described as a $300,000 upgrade.

He paid $2.2 million for it, well below the roughly $3 million asking prices he had seen elsewhere.

There was one catch. The car had spent more than six months going in and out of service before the deal. It had also spent more than a year at Koenigsegg, according to Hamilton, including time for minor bodywork.

Despite that history, Hamilton was impressed with its condition. The interior looked nearly perfect, and the car had the features he wanted.

Breaking Point

The next part of the plan involves YouTuber WhistlinDiesel, known for putting expensive vehicles through harsh durability tests.

Hamilton says he intends to send Lazarus to WhistlinDiesel once the Regera has its first breakdown. The goal is to test the car's strength before rebuilding it.

First, Hamilton plans to spend 24 straight hours driving the Regera to see how it holds up.

He has already brought in a fabricator known as Chuck the Blacksmith to help with the project. Sourcing parts could be difficult, especially for a car made in such small numbers.

Hamilton says the final result will look and drive very differently from the car he just purchased. He also insists he isn't trying to restart his past dispute with Koenigsegg.

For now, Lazarus is still intact. Its first major test will be that 24-hour drive, with the planned durability testing and rebuild set to follow after its first breakdown.

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