Hennessey Venom F5 – 1,600 HP V8 Engine: 5 Years In The Making

Venom F5 Sets Its Sights On Becoming World’s Fastest Hypercar

Texas-based tuning company, Hennessey Performance, recently unveiled the engine which will power the Venom F5 hypercar. Attendees at Monterey Car Week in Pebble Beach, California were treated to the details of this insane engine, which was developed in collaboration with Shell and Pennzoil for the past 5 years.

This 7.6L twin-turbocharged V8 engine is capable of producing 1,600-horsepower @ 7,200 rpm and 1,300 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. Amongst other things, the performance of this engine will be a determining factor in whether the Venom F5 can achieve its target of being the first production car that is capable of reaching a top speed of more than 300 mph. According to the company, the official attempt will take place sometime in early 2019.

The Venom F5’s engine is able to produce these figures thanks in huge part to its billet aluminium machined engine block with steel cylinder sleeves, precision ball bearing twin turbos with billet compressor wheels, stainless steel turbo headers, and a dry sump oiling system. Hennessey’s relationship with Shell and Pennzoil ensured that the engine received the appropriate treatment of lubricants to provide maximum efficiency and protection (aka not blowing up).

While the Venom F5 aims to achieve the fastest top speed, it’s not going to be a one-trick-pony, according to head honcho John Hennessey. “We want the Venom F5 to be a decathlete. It can turn. It’s comfortable. It’s easy to drive around town. But like decathletes, it has its specialty. I want our F5’s best attribute to be straight line, all-out, absolute speed”, he remarked.

There is also somewhat of a friendly rivalry between Hennessey Performance and Koenigsegg, with the latter’s Agera RS being the current production car top speed record holder by achieving 277.87 mph in November 2017. We look forward to seeing how this round in the ongoing battle between the two, plays out.