For Sale at Auction: 2023 Hennessey Venom GT in Carmel, California

Chassis No. HSVVNMF5CR0923021
Venom F5 Revolution No. 03/24

Hennessey Performance has long pushed the boundaries of speed and unbridled performance through tuning and technology. Established in 1991 by eponymous owner John Hennessey, the Texas-based company first earned acclaim through their transformative tuning packages for American pickups and muscle cars. However, it was their increasingly ambitious Venom projects that cemented Hennessey's place on the global automotive stage. The ferocious Venom 650R transformed the second-generation Dodge Viper into one of the fastest street-legal production cars of the 1990s. Its successor, the Lotus Exige-based Venom GT, made Hennessey a household name after shattering multiple speed records including an official recorded top speed of 265.7 mph and an unofficial run exceeding a scarcely believable 270 mph.

For the Venom's third act, Hennessey set their sights on the ultimate achievement: reaching 300 mph. The resulting Venom F5 was a completely clean-sheet design that officially elevated Hennessey Performance beyond the realm of bespoke hypercar manufacturer status.

Hennessey worked in conjunction with trusted British technical partners TotalSim and Delta Motorsport to optimize the car's aerodynamic development and bespoke carbon fiber monocoque respectively. Both companies boasted a strong track record in top-level motorsport and had previously worked together on the Venom GT project. Furthermore, both were based within yards of each other at the famous Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit; their physical proximity and close working relationship remained critical to the project throughout. Founder John Hennessey further enlisted two massive names to cultivate the project: former director of GM Performance John Heinricy to oversee development; and both Le Mans and Daytona winner David Donohue (and son of Mark Donohue) as chief test driver.

The F5's monocoque is exquisitely constructed, with a finished weight of just 190 pounds. An aluminum sub-frame and extruded aluminum crash structure are attached to its front, and a similar style sub-frame employed at the rear. Additionally, a composite front firewall and separate front and rear floors add further strength to the already formidable structure.

Elsewhere, the F5 was broadly conventional, if extravagantly specified in its construction. Suspension was via double wishbones and adjustable Penske coil spring and damper units, while huge ABS-equipped six-piston front and four-piston rear brake calipers operated onto no less substantial 15.5-inch carbon ceramic discs; the latter sourced from leading Formula 1 brake supplier Brembo. Finally, the car's steering was via a conventional rack and pinion system, which benefited from electrical assistance.

However, it was in its powertrain and, specifically, its engine that the F5 not so much pushed the boundaries of cutting-edge technology, but rather discarded them altogether. The new car featured the debut of the company's bespoke 6.6-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 power unit, appropriately dubbed "Fury". Boasting a water-cooled intake manifold, titanium intake valves, Inconel exhaust valves and twin fuel injectors per cylinder, Hennessey managed to extract an incredible 1,817 horsepower at 8,000 rpm from its new charge, and a no less impressive maximum torque figure of 1,193 lb-ft at just 5,000 rpm.

The transmission given the unenviable task of coping with such outrageous performance statistics was a seven-speed semi-automatic unit manufactured by CIMA of Bologna, Italy; its two-wheel drive operation assisted by a limited slip differential and five different driving modes. Unsurprisingly, such savage potential was supplemented by appropriately robust Traction and Launch Control systems.

Externally, the car radiated an unmistakable sense of purpose; its dramatic full carbon fiber bodywork augmented by a sizeable front splitter and an even more dramatically proportioned rear-mounted diffuser. Although the F5 incorporated active aerodynamics, this was achieved by minute computer-controlled modifications to the car's ride height rather than by any moveable devices; such alterations modifying the airflow angle and, hence, the levels of downforce according to different situations. This system was further modified for practical benefit as well, offering an ingenious ride-height lifting device for use in situations where the car's ground clearance was compromised. Finally, the car offered other welcome features including a touch screen Climate Control System, dash-mounted Touch Screen Infotainment system, and Apple/Android connectivity.

With a curb weight of barely 3,000 pounds and more than 1,800 horsepower, the F5's performance was, unsurprisingly, utterly spellbinding. Perhaps easier to digest is the fact that the car boasted almost exactly double the power to weight ratio of a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport; a car of such huge capability and performance that it remained the world's fastest production car until as recently as 2017.

Perhaps the Venom F5's greatest quality however was its versatility as a jack-of-all-trades platform, and the Venom F5 quickly evolved into a family of highly specialized variants tailored to several distinct driving experiences. The open-air F5 Roadster soon joined the hard-top model, as did the F5-M-the most powerful manual-equipped car ever-and the track-focused F5 Revolution.

Hennessey unveiled the Venom F5 Revolution at 2023 Miami Motorcar Cavalcade Concours d'Elegance. The Venom F5 Revolution traded the pursuit of top speed achievements for that of crushing lap records. Its aerodynamics were thoroughly revised with a large carbon fiber front splitter, rear diffuser, and dive planes working in tandem to suck the Venom F5 Revolution into the tarmac, assisted by its Texas-sized rear wing capable of generating 1,400 pounds of downforce at 249 mph. Suspension geometry was stiffened, with the double wishbones receiving new Penske adjustable coil over dampers. The already-potent Fury V8 was unchanged in output, but now benefited from additional cooling thanks to the new roof-mounted air scoop. Subtle weight saving efforts dropped the car's dry weight to just 2,998 pounds. A new digital telemetry system in the car's fighter plane-inspired cockpit unlocked the ability to record lap times, cornering g-forces, and other pertinent information for chasing personal bests and track records. In March 2024, the car set a production car lap record at the Circuit of the Americas -Hennessey's home track-of 2 minutes and 10.9 seconds; eclipsing the previously held record set by the McLaren P1 by nearly seven seconds. Production was limited to just 24 cars, mirroring that of the F5 Coupe, making the Venom F5 Revolution an exceedingly rare sight on both road and track.

If the "1 of 1" insignia on the included window sticker is not enough, one glance at the stunning fade effect should indicate that this 2023 Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution is truly singular in specification. The Special Edition Series finish-a $404,000 option-covers the front of the Venom in Bullet Silver and gently melts into Cosmetic Carbon on the rear haunches. This beautiful two-tone exterior is fully protected by Paint Protection and complemented by Gloss Black forged alloy five-spoke wheels. Teal accents trace the aerodynamic components and brake calipers, and course through the Charcoal leather interior.

This Venom F5 Revolution was delivered new to its sole owner in 2023, and has remained a fixture of the consignor's collection in Texas ever since. Offered today with a mere 508 miles...for more information please contact the seller.