Hennessey’s limited-edition Venom GT
By Jake Lingeman Hennessey

Hennessey Venom GT Hennessey Performance is building an extremely limited run of World’s Fastest Edition Venom GTs to celebrate the company’s top speed run of 270.4 mph set at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in February. It holds the unofficial record for fastest series-produced road car and the official record for standing-start acceleration. The Venom GT hit 186 mph in 13.63 seconds.

“The Venom GT is America’s supercar, and it broke 270 mph on the same runway where the Space Shuttle landed at the Kennedy Space Center,” said company founder John Hennessey. “We wanted to offer a special paint scheme that would incorporate the colors of the American flag. Thus, our special livery package includes a body in white with red-and-blue stripes.”

Hennessey released a video of the high-speed record run earlier this year in February, see it on Autoweek . The heart of the Venom GT is a 7.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 making an astounding 1,244 hp, with only 2,743 pounds to carry around. That’s about double the power-to-weight ratio of the Corvette Z06. The ratio is made possible by extensive use of lightweight aluminum, carbon-fiber bodywork and carbon-ceramic brakes.

Only three are being built, unfortunately, and they have already sold for $1.25 million each. But the Venom GT Hardtop ($1.1 million) and Spyder ($1.2 million) are still available. Hennessey says to allow six months for delivery.

 

Glad it had a picture of the color scheme. In my imagination it was much worse. Its hardly Americas supercar though being that it is made in england off a stretched lotus chassis. No less bonkers though.

 

Here is a link to the Autoweek article

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2014...news/140329905

 

Mixed feelings about this car. The speed is incredibly impressive, but the car itself is a kind of cobbled together, Frankenstein creation with questionable development and cohesion. I would take the slower 918, LaF, or P1 in a heartbeat over this thing.

 

It's one heck of a car. Can it turn?

 

Since it is based on an Elise/Exige I would hope so, but all I have heard about is how fast it is.

 

However with that power to weight ratio, even a millimeter too much throttle travel is likely to send you spinning off the road. Given the stats and claims surrounding this car, I would be shocked if Hennessey put much development time into making it handle well.