As with most upstarts in the auto industry, Hennessey was met with a fair share of skepticism when it unveiled the Venom F5 concept back in 2017. At the time, the 300mph barrier was still something of a production car pipe dream, and Bugatti and SSC were still years away from building their record-breaking vehicles. To call the American aftermarket specialist ambitious is an understatement.
Well, Hennessey has made good on its word, because the Venom F5 is here and it’s even better than expected. For starters, it features a 6.6L twin-turbo V8 good for 1,817 hp and 1,193 lb-ft of torque. And while a top speed hasn’t been announced, this means that it’ll do 0-124mph in 4.7s, 0-186 mph in 8.4s, and 0-248 mph in a face-rearranging 15.5s. Yeah, it’s fast. In order to arrive at those blistering times, Hennessey also had to make the car incredibly light. Coming in at just 1,360 kg (2,998 lbs), it has a power/weight ratio of 1.34 hp/kg (1,298 hp/ton) — a figure no other road car has matched. And when you consider the Venom F5’s impressive aerodynamic provisions, it’s only a matter of time before Hennessey takes the top speed title. Limited to just 24 vehicles, it’ll be available for $2.1 million.
