© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Making Speed
The Hennessey name has long been associated with making cars — and trucks — go faster. Throughout its history, the American tuner has upped the performance on an array of vehicles ranging from sports cars to SUVs. A few years ago, Hennessey decided to build a new vehicle from the ground up — the result was the Venom GT. Powered by a 1244-horsepower 7.0-liter V8 engine, the Venom GT churns out stunning performance figures including a top speed slightly over 270 mph. Although this seems like a performance number most tuners could not top, in Geneva Hennessey showed a new vehicle designed to do just that.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Venom F5 Debuts
At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, Hennessey Special Vehicles took the wraps off a successor to the Venom GT – the Venom F5. According to Hennessey, the F5 is designed to “be the absolute fastest road car on earth.”
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Light and Slippery
The F5 features a new chassis and a carbon fiber body shaped to have the least possible drag. With active aero components, the F5’s coefficient of drag is a mere 0.33 —a very slippery car. Although aerodynamics are important, so is weight savings. The lightweight chassis and carbon fiber body help the F5 tip the scales at 2,950 lbs.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Partnership
Hennessey is working in partnership with Shell and Pennzoil to provide the perfect fuel to maximize the massive horsepower as well as oil to keep everything running smoothly. “We partnered with Shell and Pennzoil to defy all odds and to create a vehicle that will be the fastest. Period,” said John Hennessey. “The Venom F5 combines a very low coefficient of drag of 0.33 and a curb weight of less than 3,000 lbs. (1,360 kg). Pennzoil Synthetics will be pulsing through the twin turbo V8 engine that will deliver over 1,600 bhp. It’s no question of if we will break 300 mph but a question of when.”
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
1600 Horsepower
Ultimately the powerplant will be the prime mover, making this the fastest car in the world. The F5 will be powered by a newly developed twin-turbo V8 engine that sends a whopping 1600 horsepower through the 7-speed single-clutch gearbox to the rear wheels.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Extreme Performance
Here are some outrageous stats: The F5 is expected to reach 186 mph (300 km/h) in less than 10 seconds. Hennessey also claims this new hypercar will sprint to 249 mph (400 km/h) and back to a standstill in under 30 seconds. Top speed is expected to exceed 300 mph.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
Unmatched
“We’ve designed F5 to be timeless so that in 25 years it will still have a level of performance and design that will be unmatched,” said Hennessey. “The F5 is an all new car, designed and built from the ground up, from the engine to the chassis. We expect the Venom F5, named for the most powerful tornado speed winds on the Fujita scale, to be the first road car capable of achieving more than 300 mph and have worked closely with Pennzoil to get us across the finish line, ” Hennessey noted.
© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience
