Hennessey’s new Blackbird hypercar has been created for drivers who value engagement and involvement behind the wheel just as much as the sort of mind-bending power figures the marque has become famous for.

The company’s third bespoke hypercar has been inspired by the legendary Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft, and it measures performance differently than its predecessors, the Venom GT and Venom F5.

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Instead of directing its efforts into exploring the outer limits of speed, power and intensity, Hennessey Special Vehicles’ latest head-turner is built around the quality of the connection between the driver and the road to make it a stunning alternative to increasingly complex, digitised and hybridised halo cars.

At its heart is an all-new, bespoke, naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 developed with Ilmor Engineering. Hennessey says the engine will rev to 9000rpm and produce 596-633kW, with 0-100kmh achieved in approximately 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 321kmh. 

That comes without help from turbos or hybrid tech, with the grunt fed to the rear wheels via a manual six-speed transmission.

An all-new bespoke full-carbon tub and carbon-fibre bodywork help it achieve a target weight of less than 1360kg, and adaptive suspension, ABS, traction control, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres nail the Blackbird to the tarmac.

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The SR-71 influence extends beyond the name and into its aerodynamics, too. 

The Blackbird boasts active vertical stabilisers that deploy automatically at 114kmh and sit at +/- 71 degrees in an engineering feat that works with the rest of the aero package – including the aero-optimised wheels – while also referencing the famous Mach 3 aircraft.

Touring ability is central to the Blackbird, which has been developed with the ability to cover almost 1300km in a day.

It comes with a larger glasshouse, gullwing doors, and more cabin space than the Venom F5, as well as adaptive suspension, four cup holders, device integration and luggage capacity for two full-size carry-on bags plus additional rear-quarter and cabin storage. 

In another hark back to its aviation inspiration, the Blackbird comes with a dash-mounted whiskey compass straight out of a cockpit.

Only 71 will be built, priced from $3.7 million and targeted for customer production from 2029-2030. More than two-thirds of the run has already been allocated ahead of its August 14 public debut at The Quail motor show in California.

Founder John Hennessey said the Blackbird isn’t a new chapter for the company, but ‘the beginning of a new book’.

‘From the beginning, Blackbird was guided by a simple idea: to deliver an analog experience where beauty and drama define every moment,’ he said. 

‘This is not a numbers car. We set out to create an unparalleled emotional experience, from the first time you see it to the moment you take the wheel and feel the connection between driver and machine.’