2011 Hennessey Venom GT
Price: $600,000 +
Engine: 6.2 Liter V8
Torque: 741-1,100 lb-ft.
Horsepower: 725-1,200 hp
0-60 MPH: 3.5 sec.
Top Speed: 267 mph (est.)
EST. MPG: Uknown
Available: Not available in the U.S.
Pure Poison
Written by Nicolas Bates
Since 1991 Hennessey Engineering have been taking some of the fastest cars on the road (read: Dodge Viper, Chevrolet Corvette, Ford GT), and with their expertise and engineering, making them even that much faster. During an official Road and Track Shoot-out, Hennessey’s Dodge Viper actually beat a Bugatti Veyron’s time by 4 seconds. Hennessey builds serious cars, and the Venom GT is no different. The 2011 Hennessey Venom GT is based off the Lotus Exige mold, but with a much meaner demeanor, and will have enough power to back up that demeanor.
The Venom GT is a serious car that, once built, sold, and thoroughly tested, will prove to be a worthy adversary of the fastest cars in the world. Hennessey has chosen a powerplant from a ZR1 ‘Vette – a supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8 with 725 hp/741 lb-ft. Wouldn’t that have some astonishing numbers for you? I am quite sure it would. But, what also will, are Hennessey’s other options, which include a twin-turbocharged 1,000 hp/900 lb-ft torque or 1,200 hp/1,100 lb-ft version. The latter is almost unfathomable in a car with a weight of 2,400 lb., but Hennessey is known for pulling off ridiculous amounts of power and actually being able to put it to the ground in a real-world scenario. According to Hennessey, the Venom GT will get from 0-60 MPH in 2.5 seconds and from 0-200 MPH in 15.9 seconds (while the Bugatti Veyron does it in 24.2). The car will get down the road with the help of a 6-speed Ricardo transmission and KW Variant 3 adjustable coilovers will suck up the uneven road on all four corners while Brembo 6-piston calipers will squeeze the rotors until the car comes to a halt. As mentioned before, this is a serious car.
At first glance, one may think they are looking at a Lotus Exige (the coupe version of the Lotus Elise). But on closer inspection, one may notice how much wider, lower, and longer this particular model is. The exterior has definitely been reworked and this becomes visible while inspecting the overall flow of the design, look and feel. The entire vehicle is carbon fiber composite, except its doors and roof. Regarding Lotus and Hennessey and their likeness, Hennessey have this on their website: “The Hennessey Venom GT design is based on the Lotus Elise / Exige. The Venom GT is created from a base Lotus Elise / Exige and utilizes components including but not limited to the roof, doors, side glass, windscreen, dash, cockpit, floorpan, HVAC system, wiper and head lamps. Hennessey Performance and the Venom GT are not associated with Lotus Cars.” Regardless of how much of the car remained the same aesthetically, it’s what’s underneath that layer of carbon fiber that counts.
Hennessey, so far, unfortunately, has no plans to release the Venom GT in the states. As of now, it looks like their demographic will be the Middle East, Europe, Russia, Australia and Asia. Only 10 cars will be built per year, and Hennessey already have vehicles on order. Regardless of where this vehicle is released and deemed street legal, this car will gain heavy notoriety for its amazing power to weight ratio – not to mention is has a faster acceleration and top speed (262 MPH) than the current holder of the “world’s fastest production car.” Plus, this monster comes in sexy flat black. It doesn’t get any better than a widened, lowered and longer Lotus Exige with 1,200 hp…and painted flat black. It just doesn’t.