Hennessey’s 1792bhp hypercar has taken a step towards its 300mph+ target, running at full power and topping 250
Hennessey’s goal for its F5 hypercar is 311mph, and already, it’s within 60mph of that target during early high-speed tests. The car was run in ‘F5 Mode’ to unlock its full power output, belching out flames with every gear change on its way to just over 250mph.
The Texan firm says that this was “NOT a top speed test but one of many tests conducted by the Hennessey engineering team to evaluate high-speed stability and vehicle dynamics”. The run was undertaken at Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds, otherwise known as the Shuttle Landing Facility.
The 2.9-mile runway has a rich history of high-speed automotive shenanigans – the F5’s Venom GT predecessor hit 270.49mph here a few years ago, and more recently, SCC used the place in its own 300mph quest with the Tuatara.
Fully uncorked, the F5’s ‘Fury’ V8 is good for 1792bhp at 8000rpm. The engine is based on a General Motors LS7, but only loosely. It’s built around a custom block with new pistons, con-rods and a new crank. Two ball-bearing turbochargers with 3D-printed compressor housings run at 23 psi to help achieve that near-2000bhp output plus 1193lb ft of torque.
See also: 200mph Is No Bother For A Hennessey Venom F5 On Half Power
All of that makes its way to the rear wheels exclusively. Launch cleanly enough, and it’s possible to hit 0-62mph in 2.6 seconds, 124mph in 8.4, and 249 in 15.5. The CIMA sequential gearbox’s seventh gear ratio of 0.675 gives a theoretical top speed of 334mph.
Just like the Venom GT, the F5 pairs this all-American engine with a British chassis. Rather than extensively modifying an existing design (the Venom was a stretched Elise underneath), the F5 gets a new carbon fibre structure engineered by Silverstone-based Delta Motorsport.
For all this, you’re looking at $2.1 million (£1.54m), not including local taxes or shipping. Just 24 will be made.
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