Hennessey has revealed the production version of the Venom F5 that was showcased over 3 years ago. While the production car looks almost the same, visually, the numbers have changed significantly compared to the original ones.
But, before we get into the numbers, let’s take a quick look at the design. The only change you see on the front fascia is the new Hennessey logo; the front intakes remain as is, while the exposed carbon fibre bonnet vents have been slightly tweaked. The side profile remains mostly unchanged except for a new set of mirrors that have been mounted a little forward. At the rear, the exposed carbon fibre engine bay cover’s vents have been refined, and the overall rear fascia looks significantly different, partly thanks to repositioning the exhaust outlets to make space for a license plate. The diffuser looks a bit different too. The car rides on forged aluminium wheels measuring 19-inch at the front and 20-inch at the rear.
Notice an integrated, subtle, cut-out spoiler that lets the air flow above and underneath it. In case you’re wondering about the rear wing that was in the prototype, well, it comes as part of the optional ‘Track Pack’ that includes a more aggressive front splitter and a rear wing, which replaces the rear spoiler to deliver greater downforce. The Venom F5 boasts a drag coefficient of 0.39 Cd.
The hypercar is mostly made of carbon fibre, including the monocoque chassis and body panels, which has resulted in a dry weight of 1,360 kg (2,998 lbs). Hennessey claims the F5’s 86 kg (190 lbs) carbon tub is incredibly rigid, boasting a torsional rigidity of 52,000 Nm (38,353 lb-ft) per degree. The carbon fibre body joins an aluminium subframe where the engine and suspension components connect.
We didn’t get to see the cockpit last time, but now it is ready to be showcased. The doors open à la McLaren. In fact, in certain angles, the car reminds me of McLarens and in some, the MC20. Anyway, once inside, your attention is immediately drawn towards that fighter jet-inspired steering wheel which has all the essential controls. There are carbon fibre bucket seats with leather-clad pads as well.
The display behind the steering column measures 7.0-inches, and there’s also a 9.0-inch Alpine touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity and satellite navigation. The centre console has been kept simple with a circular knob with an integrated 1.3-inch display for air conditioning controls. Also, notice the three N, D, R buttons underneath it.
Moving on to the business end of the story then, the Venom F5 is not gonna be powered by a 7.4-litre twin-turbo V8 as originally announced. Instead, it’ll be powered by a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V8 ‘Fury’ engine, claimed to be developed in-house. The engine pumps out 1,355 kW (1,842 metric hp) at 8,000 rpm and 1,617 Nm (1,193 lb-ft) of torque at 5,500 rpm. The engine revs up to 8,500 rpm. The 7-speed AMT from CIMA drives the rear wheels.
Of course, a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration is claimed to happen in less than 3 seconds and apparently, it’ll smash a 0-200 km/h (124 mph) run in under 5 seconds. Hennessey is targeting a top speed in excess of 500 km/h (311 mph) and plans to prove it in 2021. In fact, Hennessey says that the F5 will complete the top-speed testing in the first half of 2021 at the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida.
As announced 3 years ago, Hennessey wants to build only 24 units of the Venom F5, with each carrying a starting base price tag of $2.1 million. In case you’re still wondering, the name ‘F5’ comes from the Fujita tornado intensity rating scale, with F5 being the highest category with wind speeds of up to 512 km/h (318 mph).
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