See how the Hennessey VelociRaptor V8 compares to a Chevrolet Camaro SS in a series of drag races.
We’ve seen the VelociRaptor V8 in action and have found it to be a strict improvement over the regular Ford Raptor. Swapping out the 3.5-L twin-turbo V6 for a 5.0-L supercharged V8 does wonders for the pickup’s vocal range as well as its powerband. Instead of a mere 450 horsepower, Hennessey’s V8-powered monster makes just north of 750 hp.
Dyno tests reveal a rear-wheel power value of 614 hp and 473 lb-ft of torque, which is supercar-levels of insanity.
Besides slotting in the Coyote V8 in place of Ford's twin-turbo EcoBoost, Hennessey also adds a new air-to-water intercooler, fuel injectors, a stainless steel catback exhaust, and the usual assortment of exterior badges and interior plaques.
The VelociRaptor can certainly put down supercar levels of power, but how does it compare to an actual fast car? The Camaro SS is no supercar, but it's got a 6.2-L V8 with 455 horsepower and a zero-to-sixty time of 4.1 seconds. That seems like a good baseline to compare against a 5,500 lb pickup.
Thus we find Alex from Hennessey taking his VelociRaptor against a brand new 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS which will soon be turned alchemy-like into a far more powerful muscle car. But before Hennessey can work their magic they have to do some baseline testing, and what better test than racing it against a needlessly powerful 4-door pickup?
We’re not going to lie; each of these tests goes basically how you’d expect. The VelociRaptor’s all-wheel-drive and loads of oomph allow it to gain the early lead off the line, but it’s still a big hulking truck that doesn’t the gears for a great top end. The Camaro, however, is soon able to catch up to the VelociRaptor and surpass it just before the quarter-mile mark.
Still, if Hennessey got rid of the big, chunky off-road tires and replaced them with street radials (and maybe lowered the chassis back down) then the VelociRaptor would probably make for a decent drag racer. It certainly has the power, it just needs a few tweaks.