The Hennessey Venom GT is a high performance sports car manufactured by Texas-based Hennessey Performance Engineering. The Venom is a modified version of a British sports car, the Lotus Exige.
Speed records
On January 21, 2013, the Venom GT set a Guinness World Record for the fastest production car from 0â€"186 miles per hour (0â€"300 km/h) with an average acceleration time of 13.63 seconds. In addition, the car set an unofficial record for 0â€"200 mph (0â€"322 km/h) acceleration at 14.51 seconds, beating the Koenigsegg Agera R's time of 17.68 seconds, making it the unofficial fastest accelerating production car in the world.
On April 3, 2013, the Hennessey Venom GT crested 265.7Â mph (427.6Â km/h) over the course of 2 miles (3.2Â km) during testing at United States Naval Air Station Lemoore in Lemoore, California. Hennessey used two VBOX 3i data logging systems to document the run and had VBOX officials on hand to certify the numbers.
On February 14, 2014, on the Kennedy Space Center’s 3.22-mile (5.2 km) shuttle landing strip in Florida, the Hennessey team recorded a top speed of 270.49 mph (435.31 km/h) with Director of Miller Motorsport Park, Brian Smith, driving. As the run was in a single direction, and only 16 cars have been sold to date (to qualify Hennessey must build 30), it does not qualify as the world's fastest production car in the Guinness Book of Records.
On March 25, 2016 the Hennessey Venom GT Spyder posted a top speed of 265.57 mph (427.4 km/h) at California's Naval Air Station Lemoore, celebrating Hennessey's 25th anniversary. As with previous speed tests, the run was only in a single direction and failed to qualify as a world record. In May 2016 the Hennessey Team revealed that the car was about 300 hp (220 kW) down on power due to issues with one of the car's three high capacity fuel pumps. Normally, the Venom GT Spyder delivers 1,451 hp (1,082 kW) and 1,287 lb·ft (1,745 N·m) from its forced induction 7.0-liter V8, making it the third most powerful production car at the time, behind the Bugatti Chiron and the Koenigsegg Regera.
Specifications
Chassis
The Venom GT utilizes a heavily modified Lotus Exige chassis. The manufacturer, Hennessey Performance Engineering, states the modified chassis uses components from the Lotus Exige, including the roof, doors, side glass, windscreen, cockpit, floorpan, HVAC system, wiper and head lamps. Hennessey Performance and the Venom GT are not associated with Lotus Cars. For road use, the car is registered as a Lotus Exige (modified) and is not a series production car.
The Venom GT has a curb weight of 2,743Â lb (1,244Â kg) aided by carbon fiber bodywork and carbon fiber wheels. The brakes use Brembo 6-piston calipers in the front and 4-piston calipers in the rear. The rotors are 15 inches (380Â mm) carbon ceramic units provided by Surface Transforms.
Hennessey Venom GT has a power to weight ratio of 1Â kg (2.20Â lb) per horsepower.
Drivetrain
The Venom GT is powered by a twin turbocharged 427 cu in (7.0 L) GM LSX engine. The LSX architecture incorporates specific design features such as reinforced internal components and additional head bolts with aluminum heads including twin Precision dual ball bearing turbochargers. The engine produces 1,244 bhp (928 kW; 1,261 PS) of power at 6,600 rpm and 1,155 lb·ft (1,566 N·m) of torque at 4,400 rpm. Engine power output is adjustable by three settings: 800 bhp (597 kW; 811 PS), 1,000 bhp (746 kW; 1,014 PS) and 1,200 bhp (895 kW; 1,217 PS). The engine revs to 7,200 rpm.
The mid-engine V8 is mated to the rear wheels with a Ricardo 6-speed manual transmission, which was also used in the Ford GT.
A programmable traction control system manages power output. Computational fluid dynamics tested bodywork and downforce also help keep the Venom GT stable. Under varying conditions on both the road and racetrack, an active aero system with adjustable rear wing will deploy. An adjustable suspension system will allow ride height adjustments by 2.4 inches (61Â mm) according to speed and driving conditions. Michelin PS2 tires will also help put power to the ground.
Venom GT Spyder
The Venom GT Spyder is an open top version of the Venom GT. Having decided to order a Venom GT, Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler approached Hennessey in mid-late 2011 and asked if an open-top version could be created. This involved structural changes which added 30Â lb (14Â kg) to the curb weight. Tyler's was the first of five cars scheduled delivered for the 2013 model year. The car was put up for auction on January 20, 2017 and was sold by Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona for $800,000.
The 2016 model year gained 207Â hp (154Â kW) for a total of 1,451Â hp (1,082Â kW).
Venom GT "World's Fastest Edition" (2014)
Is a limited (3 units) version of the Venom GT coupe commemorating the Venom GT coupe's 0â€"300 km/h Guinness World Record.
The vehicle went on sale for US$1.25 million. All three units were sold to customers shortly after their production was announced by the manufacturer.
Venom GT "Final Edition" (2017)
A single unit, special edition of the Venom GT, called the Final Edition has been made, commemorating its six years of production. It uses the Spyder's chassis components and engine. The engine output is the same as the Spyder, and the curb weight has been decreased by 9Â lb (4Â kg). The livery of the car is a "Glacier Blue" paint job and a narrow double white stripe. The vehicle has already been sold for US$1.2 million.
Venom F5
Hennessey announced that it has been working on a successor to the GT named Venom F5, with a planned power output of 1500hp and a top speed of over 290Â mph (470Â km/h). They plan to achieve that by reworking the engine using larger twin turbochargers and larger intercoolers for improved charging pressures and cooling. The revised 7.0-liter V8 will use a new fuel system as well. The F5 will have a completely new exterior with its carbon fiber body improved for lower aerodynamic drag as well as more downforce and will ride on its own bespoke all-American chassis. The name F5 is derived from a top speed tornado. First delivery to customers is planned for 2017, with a total production of 30 models at a price of more than $1.2 million each.
References
External links
- Hennessey Venom GT official Hennessey site