The £2.2 million Venom F5-M Roadster is the world's most powerful manual
Hennessey Special Vehicles has announced plans to build the Venom F5-M Roadster, which it calls its "most engaging, physical, and driver-focused hypercar to date." It's also the world's most powerful manual production car.
It's an obscure claim to fame, but one that's sure to resonate with enthusiasts at a time when you can buy a basic Porsche 911 with a gear stick. According to Hennessy, "the core purpose of the significantly re-engineered Venom F5-M is to amplify the sensation of driving, alongside the sensory magnification enabled by the open cockpit.”
We'd imagine it will do that pretty well, given that its (aptly named) Fury V8 has 1,817PS (1,226kW) and, in coupé form, the car clocked 265.6mph.
John Hennessey CEO, John Hennessey, said: "We are so excited to offer the Venom F5-M Roadster – the world's most powerful manual. We always wanted to build a manual Venom F5 – and it's something our clients have been asking for. It's old school, it's badass, and it offers ultimate driving engagement.”
"Driving the Venom F5 is already a full body experience that thrills, inspires, and never gets old… but, we never say that's enough, we never stand still. That's why we've dived deeper into the sensation of driving, finding every touchpoint to deliver connection, feedback, sound, and engagement. We believe that the Venom F5-M Roadster will be the most intense, immersive, and extreme driving experience on the planet, and a dozen lucky customers get to join us for the ride!"
Now, the idea of a 1,817PS through the rear wheels might sound mind-blowing – or just plain terrifying – but is it actually workable? That is where the company's "engineering guru,” Brian Jones, comes in; he balanced thrill against the scientific realities of traction, with choice gear ratios and “graduated power application," we're assuming the Roadster reins in torque at low speeds.
Each car features a unique livery, one-off colour and carbon fibre bits, but the dorsal fin that stretches from the roof-mounted air box 1,397mm along the back of the car is the most obvious feature of the manual cars.
You'll find an aluminium and carbon fibre gear shifter in the redesigned interior and Hennesey reassures us it is "honed for feel, and physically connected to the gearbox". It sits in a six-speed gate milled from billet aluminium.
Hennessey is building just 12 Venom F5-M Roadsters, and if you're questioning the interest in such a beast, don't – they've already been sold for a cool $2.65 million (more than £2.2 million). Hennessey's HQ in Sealy, Texas, has already built 24 semi-auto Venom F5 Coupé, Roadster, and Revolution models and Special Series cars for customers around the world.
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