Hennessey Venom F5 aims for 500km/h-plus

American carmaker Hennessey Performance has unveiled what aims to be the world’s fastest car: the Venom F5.

Hennessey will target a top speed of more than 500km/h when it takes the F5 for a two-way validated speed run at the NASA shuttle landing facility in Florida, US, in the first half of 2021.

Customer deliveries of the hypercar will start in 2021 – the company’s 30th anniversary year. Priced at $2.1m (R31m), just 24 units of the ultra-exclusive car will be produced, with each example unique to its owner.

The heart of the Venom F5 is the Hennessey-built, mid-mounted 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine named “Fury’” which sends an astonishing 1,355kW of power and 1,617Nm of torque to the rear wheels via a seven-speed semi-automatic transmission.

With the car weighing just 1,360kg, it’s able to blitz the 0-100km/h sprint in less than three seconds and nail the 0-200km/h run in less than five seconds, Hennessey claims.

“The Venom F5 is built to deliver the world’s most exhilarating all-round driving experience and unparalleled performance,” says Hennessey. “With its immense power, low weight and meticulously honed dynamics, the F5 boasts extraordinary handling and a truly visceral experience behind the wheel.”

Chief engineer on the project is racing driver and vehicle dynamics expert John Heinricy, who cites the McLaren 600LT and Porsche Cayman GT4 as driving dynamics benchmarks cars, and he designed the F5 to have similar driver involvement and feel.

“With a furious sound that combines the thunderous V8 muscle car rumble with turbo whistles and pops, this car will offer the world’s most visceral driving experience,” says Hennessey.

The interior of the F5 is simple, lean and elegant, designed to evoke the spirit of fast aircraft cockpits.