The production-ready Hennessey Venom F5 has finally been unveiled, three years after the car was first showcased as a concept. While the finished product looks largely the same as the show car, it has undergone a series of important changes and Top Gear has had the opportunity to check it out in the flesh.
Sitting at the core of the all-American hypercar is a carbon fiber monocoque that weighs just 190 lbs (86 kg). Similarly, the body panels are made from carbon fiber and the car rolls on a set of bespoke 19-inch and 20-inch forged wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
Read More: Hennessey Venom F5 Debuts With 1,817 HP And Targeted Top Speed Of 311+ MPH
When walking us through the car, Top Gear’s Jack Rix details many of its key elements, including its aerodynamics. As Hennessey hopes to exceed 311 mph (500 km/h) with the Venom F5, a lot of time was spent ensuring it can slice through the air at such high speeds. The aero package is particularly pronounced at the rear end where there is a spoiler and a massive carbon fiber rear diffuser.
Then there’s the engine. Dubbed the ‘Fury’, it is an LS-based 6.6-liter V8 with a cast-iron block, aluminum cylinder heads and dry sump lubrication. It also has two large turbochargers and pumps out 1,817 hp and 1,193 lb-ft (1,617 Nm) of torque, making it the most powerful engine of any road car.