Lucas Bell 
Well folks, it is finally here. The Hennessey Venom F5 has officially made its debt nearly three years after it was initially announced to the world. The real first foray into the production market for the Texas-tuners at Hennessey Performance Engineering, the Venom F5 promises to be a world-beating American hypercar. Here’s everything you need to know about this limited-production $2.1 million missile for the road, which might just be the fastest car out there.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a car built by a Texan, the Hennessey Venom F5 is a vehicle that is all about big numbers. If the couple million dollar price tag wasn’t enough to tell you that, here are a few more shocking figures for you. The Venom F5 is the most powerful production car ever built, thanks to its twin 76-mm turbocharged 6.6L LS-based V8 known as “Fury”. This motor is able to pump out 1817 horsepower and 1193 lb-ft of torque while running on E85, which is several hundred horsepower more than anything Bugatti or Koenigsegg has ever sold. It also spits fire and sounds like nuclear-fueled thunder. The engine is mated to a seven-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission provided by CIMA, who also built the limited-slip differential that sends power to the rear wheels exclusively.
That power is able to propel the car from 0-62 mph in just 2.6 seconds, and all the way up to 248 mph in just 15.5 seconds. Hennessey Performance Engineering says that if you keep your foot planted, the Venom F5 will reach a top speed in excess of 311 mph. The car is geared all the way up to 334 mph, however. While SSC certainly hasn’t made these claims easier, Hennessey will start top-speed testing in 2021 at NASA‘s Shuttle Landing Facility.
John Hennessey doesn’t want you to think this car is only about straight-line speed. The chassis of the Venom F5 was developed in partnership with Delta Motorsports, and the car features a carbon tub built by KS Composites in the United Kingdom. The tub itself only weighs 192 pounds, which is rather impressive indeed. Combined with the mostly carbon and aluminum bodywork, and you’re left with a car that weighs in at just 3053 pounds.
The chassis is supported by a rather simple control-arm suspension setup all around, which is completed by adjustable coil springs and reservoir dampers. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s have been selected as the tire of choice, with Brembo carbon ceramic stoppers attached to each corner. The car forgoes any sort of active aero for stability at speed, instead relying on a variable ride hide to increase downforce. If you need a large wing for your own personal reasons, Hennessey will sell you one with the upcoming track package. That wing will disturb the car’s 0.39 Cd figure, but it may offer some much needed peace of mind at speed. The chassis has five dynamic modes: Sport, Wet, Drag, Track, and F5 V.Max.
Like any proper hypercar, the interior of the Hennessey Venom F5 is a beautiful space. Simple in its design, the interior features a bespoke fighter-jet inspired wheel and Muirhead leathers abound. Why Hennessey didn’t choose to use some American hides in the interior is beyond us, considering ya know, Texas. Something you won’t find inside is an airbag however, as the car will not be coming with one. We can all thank the federal “show and display” exemptions for that one.
The Venom F5 is slated to be built at the company’s Sealey, Texas factory, though the debut unit was in fact built in the United Kingdom. If you want one of these things, you are going to have to act fast. Only 24 are slated to be built for the globe, with 12 cars destined for the U.S. market. Hennessey told Car and Driver that he has already sold about 14 of the run, leaving only 10 to be claimed. While $2.1 million is more than the initial $1.6 million asking price, this might just be the fastest car in the world.
Not a bad effort for a YouTube channel.
