Hennessey showed its first production super sports car, the Venom F5, at the Amelia Island Concours last weekend, marking the brand’s debut at the exclusive Florida show. The customer car numero uno, which was draped in a deep shade of blue over light silver alloy wheels and a beige interior – just like in the photos – looked absolutely stunning in person when it was the center of attention at the Hennessey stand.
The ground hypercar, powered by a 6.6-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine delivering 1,817 horsepower (1,355 kilowatts), promises a 0-60 time of less than three seconds and a record-breaking top speed of 311 miles each Hour Hennessey will try to check that out later this year. But as impressive as it is, the Venom F5 is just the beginning.
We met with CEO John Hennessey on Sunday morning before the Concours to discuss the F5 and the brand’s plans for the near future. And what is obvious is that this vehicle is not a bespoke proposition. When asked if the company has any plans for more custom supercars in the future, Hennessey said “we do,” but made it clear, “nothing about it [the F5], that’s the top of the top. “
Like Koenisggegg, McLaren, and some of Hennessey’s closest high-end rivals in space, a Sub-F5 would likely be the next logical step. But for a company as small as Hennessey with limited resources, it’s not that easy. “For us, it’s about scaling up production,” notes John Hennessey, adding that he has reached out to some mass market manufacturers like GM for insights.
The car pictured here should get into the hands of customers soon, while other examples are currently being built and will hit the streets later this year. Hennessey has already sold 21 of the planned 24 copies, with around 60 percent of orders remaining in the US and the other 40 percent going to markets such as Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Each Venom F5 costs a whopping $ 2.1 million to launch. Customers can customize their cars however they want, with custom options ranging from interiors to paintwork to wheels and much more. But with only three build slots left, market participants better hurry – these things go fast (in more ways than one).
Photos: Jeff Perez / Motor1.com
