The forecast calls for an F5 Texas Tornado.
There are a number of qualities that make supercars so desirable and set them in a league of their own. They are exclusive, powerful, have an eye-catching design, but most importantly, they have speed. Speed and performance are the hallmarks of any supercar and throughout history have been pushed farther and farther, seemingly exceeding the laws of physics.
The Bugatti Veyron and Hennessey Venom GT were two cars that as of late have set the boundaries for top speed and performance with production supercars. Now, Hennessey Performance is looking to push the envelope even further with the upcoming Venom F5. Taking its name from the Fujita scale, the Venom F5 is looking to have a top speed of 290 mph, right in line with the 261 to 318 mph winds of the F5 tornado class.
“We are very excited about this next chapter of the Venom, which brings forth an all-new design that is not only a powerful and unique statement that our clients are looking for, but a vehicle that will achieve even higher performance through improved aerodynamics,” said company president and founder John Hennessey. “We learned a great deal during the development of the Venom GT in breaking the 270-mph barrier, and we bring that experience to this new design as we look toward raising the performance bar even higher.”
The Hennessey Performance Venom GT was already thought of as being a car that was pushed to its limits, but the Texas-based company has managed to make it even faster, even more powerful, and even more high-tech.
The team is starting from scratch with an all new carbon fiber body that has a drag coefficient of just .40 – .04 lower than that of the Venom GT. The new Venom F5 will still be able to generate a significant amount of downforce for better stability as it cruises through triple-digit speeds thanks to the unique shape of the upper body, underbody venturis, rear diffuser, and retractable rear wing.
The twin-turbocharged V-8 powertrain found in its predecessor is evolving for the Venom F5. The turbochargers will be bigger, and the fuel and intercoolers will be upgraded to accommodate for the added boost pressure. New Ultra Platinum full synthetic oil from Hennessey Performance technology partner, Penzoil, will be pumping through the engine’s veins to ensure maximum reliability. The next-generation engine is expected to have some serious power and could even exceed 1,400 bhp.
Power and aerodynamics are only part of the 290 mph top speed formula for the Hennessey Performance Venom F5. Keeping weight as low as possible was also necessary. The entire car will feature carbon fiber and aluminum throughout and will remain under 1,300 kg (2,866 lbs.). This and the sheer amount of power in the Venom F5 will allow it to perform better than the 14.51-second 0-200 mph time and 13.63-second 0-186 mph time of the Venom GT.
The Hennessey Performance Venom F5 will also benefit from some new technology. The transmission of choice will be the single-clutch, paddle-shifting gearbox although an H-pattern manual transmission will be available for those that like to row through gears. A new GPS-based stability and traction control system will also help to control the incredible output of over 1,400 horsepower.
As of now, the Hennessey Venom GT is still under development and will be unveiled in 2015 with deliveries beginning in late 2016. Hennessey Performance plans on building at least 30 of the Venom F5 models with a price that exceeds that of the $1.2 million Venom GT.
Hennessey Performance Venom F5 Gallery
Source: Hennessey Performance
Do you think 290 mph is attainable for the upcoming Hennessey Performance Venom F5?
