Though not a household name, Hennessey is quickly becoming one of the most exciting newer car companies on the market. Founded by John Hennessey, the Hennessey Special Vehicles has been in business since 1991, and it has become known for its stunning upgrades on various vehicles. The company’s slogan, “making fast cars faster since 1991,” describes it perfectly. According to the Hennessey's website, they have souped-up versions of everything from the Mammoth Ram 1500 TRX to the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Bronco.
Beyond making already existing supercars faster, Hennessey has also produced its own hypercar. Called the Venom F5, the car stands to become the fastest car in the world with its impressive top speed. As typical of hypercars, The F5 is already sold out, but the company has plans for other versions of the legendary model.
The Hennessey Venom F5 is practically every gearhead's dream. Not only is it ultra-fast, but it’s a car that’s so powerful it makes people want to break it down and study it. Unfortunately, this raw power isn’t often seen in American-made vehicles, which has led some to dub the Hennessey Venom F5 as “America’s Supercar.”
The Hennessey Venom F5: An Overengineered Engine For An Ultra Lightweight Car
Hypercars are about speed and power, but the Hennessey F5 Venom takes it to the next level. The car is powered by what the company's owner has called an overengineered engine that features 30 years of work by the Hennessey team. As a result, it has a hefty 6.6-liter V8 twin-turbo powerhouse named “fury.” It has a maximum output of 1,817 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and a torque of 1193 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm. In terms of speed, this American hypercar can accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour in an insane 2.6 seconds and has a top speed of 311 miles per hour. The Venom F5 is just about twice as fast as a Bugatti Chiron. However, the company has stated that the car’s actual top speed will be higher for production models.
One of the biggest reasons the car can reach such astronomical speeds is its relatively low weight. According to Hennessey, the F5 weighs just 2,998 LBS. As for the power-to-weight ratio, it’s 1,298 hp per ton. Hennessey plans to soon compete for the car to become the fastest car in the world. The Venom will need to exceed 311 miles per hour during a two-day highly monitored road test.
The Hennessey Venom F5: The Carbon Fiber Design Makes The Car Faster
The Hennessey F5 Venom is an ultra-lightweight vehicle. One of the contributing factors to that low weight is the carbon fiber chassis that weigh in at just 190 pounds. The company spent a great deal of time ensuring that the chassis was perfect in every sense of the word. The result is something that isn’t just light but also lends itself to a strikingly beautiful car with torsional rigidity.
Hennessey isn’t the only hypercar maker to use carbon fiber. The material has many advantages. Besides being lightweight, carbon fiber can also help keep drivers and passengers safe in the case of an accident because it's a pretty strong and sturdy option to build cars with. An aluminum subframe is paired with the carbon fiber chassis, which is where the engine and suspension connect. In case of an accident, the components of the subframe will deform and help absorb the energy of the impacting vehicle or structure.
The Future Of Hennessey Cars Through The Venom F5
Just as it always happens when hypercars go on the market, the Hennessey F5 Venom is sold out. The American automaker planned to build 12 for the U.S. market and 12 to be sold internationally, and they’ve all been spoken for. However, Hennessey has more plans for its latest hypercar. The company has announced that its next car, the Hennessey F5 Roadster, will be officially unveiled on August 9, 2022. After that, the new vehicle will be displayed at The Quail during “Monterey Car Week” in California. The roadster version of the F5 will sport the same engine as the Venom, but we can guess that this new version of the F5 will be even lighter, given the history of roadsters. This potential lower weight could also mean that the F5 Roadster is faster than the Venom, but that’s just speculation.
The Hennessey F5 Venom is an excellent car. This beast emphasizes extreme power and succeeds at every turn. Though not the most famous car company on the market, Hennessey has proven that a Texas-based company can not only charge over $2 million for a hypercar, but that people will buy out the whole production. Hopefully, Hennessey has a continued successful life on the auto market.