Hennessey announces 466km/h capable F5

THE Bugatti Chiron is going to have some high-speed competition, with Hennessey announcing it is planning to build a 1043kW supercar capable of 466km/h.

John Hennessey has a habit of producing mega powerful cars with ridiculous top speeds, but the Venom F5 is set to raise the bar even further.

Unlike the previous Hennessey Venom, which was based on a butchered Lotus Exige, the F5 have bespoke design and architecture.

The project shares its name with the most severe category of tornado, F5, which can have wind gusts of 420-511km/h.

The road-faring F5 has some similarly impressive speed figures in its sights.

Dodge Demon to Get Truly Devilish 1119kW output courtesy of Hennessey

“I think something in the 290mph (466km/h) range will be possible,” Hennessey told TopGear.com

That claim shouldn’t be taken lightly either, with the previous generation Venom GT clocking 434km/h, just pipping the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. That said, the Veyron retains the official fastest car record, thanks to an average 429km/h from a pair of runs up and down wind, while Hennessey’s speed was only recorded in a single direction.

It is reported the F5 will have its own unique chassis, design, aerodynamic package, and a carbon fibre tub.

Power is expected to come from a stonking great V8 with two (likely enormous) turbocharges strapped onto it. Numbers? Somewhere in the 1043kW ballpark seems reasonable.

All those ponies will be put to the ground through a single-clutch paddle-shift transmission, or a six-speed manual lifted from the old Venom GT.

The only images of the Venom F5 are a pair of teaser images, revealing a menacing silhouette.

The car will be assembled at a new division at Hennessey’s Texas workshop – dubbed Hennessey Special Vehicles – with its official launched pencilled in for later this year.