Michael Accardi 
After years of research and development, testing, teasing, and funding, Hennessey Performance Engineering has finally delivered the first Venom F5. The car was unveiled as a concept just four years ago, but it wasn’t until this time last year that the Texas-based tuner finally showed off a working prototype.
As late as April 2021 the car was still undergoing aerodynamic testing as the company aimed to shatter the 300 mph barrier. At this point, we still haven’t seen the car exceed more than 200 mph, or run at more than 50% power. But none of that seems to matter, as the first serially produced example is now in the hands of its new owner.
The Venom’s 6.6-liter twin-turbo V8 is capable of 1,817 horsepower and 1,193 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful production car ever made. Although, the only time we’ve seen the vehicle running it was detuned to just 900 horsepower. The Venom F5 finds itself in a strange place, as the car’s performance claims are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for a road car, and the company would like to chase after the likes of Bugatti and Koenigsegg, yet the Venom F5 is not viewed in the same class by the DMV.
The first Hennessey Venom F5 has been delivered to its owner! Please follow us on Twitter for several important announcements coming soon! Twitter: @hennesseyperf #hennessey #venomf5 #poweredbypennzoil #homesweethome pic.twitter.com/MjX92zYJgY
— HennesseyPerformance (@HennesseyPerf) November 22, 2021
Despite the Hennessey Venom F5 having a starting price of $2.1 million, it can only be registered with a Show and Display title because it lacks critical safety equipment like airbags. That means the vehicle can’t be driven for more than 2,500 miles per year. Even with that caveat, the Venom F5 supercar’s limited run of just twenty-four cars has long been sold out, according to Hennessey. Probably because most of them will be collection show pieces among other seven- and even eight-figure cars.
Back in 2018, John Hennessey said his company intends to attempt a proper land speed record with the Venom F5. The current production car record is held by the SSC Tuatara which laid down a 282.9 mph run in January. Bugatti has clocked a Chiron at 304.773 mph in 2019, but the figure isn’t considered official because there wasn’t a second run to take an average, and the modifications required to achieve that feat were not implemented on production Chirons. Hennessey claims the Venom F5 can scamper to a top speed of 311 mph, but testing that claim may prove to be a real doozy for anybody who tries.
