SEALY, TEXAS & SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND, March 29, 2010 - Hennessey Performance is pleased to introduce the first official images of its Venom GT supercar. Based upon the Lotus Elise, the Venom GT combines a high-tech, lightweight British chassis with a powerful American V8.

“This is not the first time that Britain and America have joined forces to produce a weapon of mass propulsion”, said company founder and president, John Hennessey. “Over fifty years ago the American-built P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft was flown into history powered by a British Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Today the Hennessey Venom GT promises to set a new standard of power to weight ratio in the rarefied air of today's supercar market.”

SOMETIMES LESS EQUALS MORE
In the case of the Venom GT, less weight means more performance. The Venom GT will have a production curb weight of less than 2,400 lbs (1,071 kilos) aided by its lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and carbon fiber wheels. Stopping power is delivered via Brembo brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in rear clamping down on 15-inch carbon ceramic rotors.

SOMETIMES MORE EQUALS MORE
The Venom GT’s base power plant is the supercharged 6.2 liter LS9 V8 (the same as in the Corvette ZR1) tweaked by Hennessey to 725 bhp. The company will also be offering 1000 bhp and 1200 bhp twin turbo V8 engine variants. The mid-engine V8 will transmit its power to the rear tires via a Ricardo 6-speed gearbox.

POWER WITH CONTROL
Hennessey plans to manage power output by using a programmable traction control system. CFD (computational fluid dynamic) tested bodywork and down force will also help keep the Venom stable at speed. An active aero system with adjustable rear wing will deploy under varying conditions on both the road and racetrack. An adjustable suspension system will allow ride height adjustments according to speed and driving conditions. Finally, power will be put to the ground via massive Michelin PS2 tires.

POWERED BY THE USA, BUILT IN THE UK
Hennessey will be building the power plants at its Texas facility. The engines will then be air freighted to the company's assembly facility near Silverstone, England where the Venom GT is built and tested. Venom GT buyer will be offered a 1-day driver orientation and instruction program by a Hennessey factory test driver, at a track in the UK or USA prior to delivery.

LIMITED PRODUCTION
The company plans to establish a network of Venom GT dealers and distributors in the Middle East, Europe, Russia, Australia and Asia. Production is limited to just 10 vehicles per year and the company already has orders for 4 Venom GT’s.

About Hennessey Performance
Hennessey Performance has been making fast cars go faster since 1991. It operates from a 30,000 square foot workshop and showroom facility situated on 143 acres near Sealy, Texas (about 45 minutes west of Houston). The company also has a showroom and installation facility located in Lake Forest, California. Hennessey Performance offers a wide variety of dyno proven, track tested parts and upgrades for a variety of modern performance vehicles. Hennessey Performance is also the only tuner in North America that operates its own test track – Lonestar Motorsports Park.

YouTube - Introducing the 2011 Hennessey Venom GT

 

It sounds like this will be an absolute monster but with such low production numbers, I'm not sure I'd call this a production car along the same lines as the Veyron, or even the Koenigsegg or Zonda. It looks better than the SCC Aero, imo, but I wonder if it'll perform as well.

I'm really not sure what to think about the Venom GT. On one hand, I really like the styling and then engine but on the other hand, does the world really need another car like this? Especially one built by Hennessey? The words "death trap" come to mind.

Oh, and they really should've painted it something other that matte black for the press shots. The paint on the rear clamshell looks really patchy.

 

I am not impressed with the design, but I want to see some real tests of this car, not just press release with note that somewhen 1200 hp version will appear. Would be great to know if it can handle corners and race tracks, or it will be drag-race only weapon, to see some real life performance and acceleration numbers. For me there are more questions than answers. When I saw K-segg CCXR Edition specs for the first time I was impressed and thought that this car could rock supercars world with light weight and amazing power-to-weight ration. And what is the result - in real life 0-300 km/h tests made by german mags CCXR is slower in the whole range of speed than tuned 911 Turbo Porsches, that was a huge disappointment for me. For the price asked for this car at this moment I do not rate this car high, anyone can make an engine from Vette, put some turbos and claim 1200-1300 hp, but no one knows how it will work all together.

So I this point I would rather make a TT Gallardo like that won the Texas Mile, be happy with it knowing that it will simply destroy majority of supercars around.

 

I can't imagine what hoop's one must jump through to get warranty work done...

 

Ive always wanted the Exige to like like this. Good stuff! But 1200 imo is too much for this baby. 750 wouldve been more suitable.

 

Would have to agree with you, the TT Gallardo is a better chose and face better looking. The Vemon GT just looks over done and With all the teasers and spy shots, I was expecting a video with the GT showing what it could do. Well maybe it still to come.

 

Look like Lotus Exige sooooo much

but alot wider and longer wheel base i guess

good looking car, and 1200 bhp, that s just madly think about how often you have to get this car to Service woooohhhhh

 

It looks so much like it because obviously that is what car it is based off

It can either be specked with 725 bhp, 1000 bhp or 1200 bhp




As for the car at hand, I really really like it. It looks very clean and stylish. I do agree with D55L though, I will not get my hopes too high until I read some reviews of it and if it can go around corners.

 

Maybe it's me--but it looks like somebody took a can of spray paint to an Exige and called it a day? Hardly the look I'd want in a $600k+ car.

 

Hennessey: welcome to the 1998 Lotus GT1.