Hennessey Venom F5 reaches 200 mph in aerodynamic testing.
The Hennessey Venom F5 has completed the first of three phases of testing ahead of its public debut at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in May. Hennessey announced Tuesday that the test vehicle hit 200 mph during aerodynamic testing.
The speed was achieved on a 2.2-mile runway at a former U.S. Air Force base in Arkansas, about two-thirds of Venom's claimed top speed of 311 mph, but the test was not about breaking records. According to a Hennessey press release, the team, led by chief engineer John Heinricy, focused on mid-range refinement and coast-down behavior. Heinricy spent many years at General Motors, including as assistant chief engineer on the Corvette.
The output of the Venom F5's 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine was also limited to 900 hp, about half the target output of 1,817 hp. With the taps fully open, Hennessey claims the V-8 produces 1,193 lb-ft of torque and revs to 8,500 rpm (though it is limited to 8,200 rpm except in special F5 mode). Power is provided by a CIMA 7-speed single clutch automated manual transmission.
The testing program includes an unused Air Force base, as well as Hennessey-owned Seeley, Texas, and the Silverstone Circuit in England, where the first of the 24 Venom F5 supercars was built. The next phase of development will involve more road testing and track time to refine the car's agility, composure, and driver feedback. According to Hennessey, test sessions will take place at Laguna Seca and the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The focus of the third phase of testing has not yet been revealed.
The names "Hennessey" and "Venom" may sound familiar, but the Venom F5 is a different car from the 265-mile Venom GT and will be built by a new company called Hennessey Special Vehicles (HSV), separate from Hennessey Performance Engineering's modification business It will be manufactured by a new company called Hennessey Special Vehicles (HSV).
Like the Venom GT, however, Hennessey is aiming to break the land speed record for production vehicles, this time by exceeding 300 mph. The company previously said it was considering a top speed run with a customer car on a closed section of a Texas highway in 2021.
Hennessey announced last December that 12 of the 24 production slots had been secured and eight would be allocated to customers in the US.
Prices have increased since the Venom F5 styling back in 2017. At the time, Hennessey quoted $1.6 million, but the price has increased to $1.8 million for those who have not finalized their orders by January 2020. Currently, the remaining production quota is $2.1 million.
