We all know Hennessey’s Venom F5 can go fast in a straight line – over 300 mph (483 km/h) according to the Texas firm – but now it wants to prove it can do corners, too. Meet the Venon F5 Revolution, a lighter, grippier addition to the F5 family.
Unlike some rival circuit-focused supercars, which aren’t homologated for road use, Hennessey says the Revolution has been designed to perform on both road and track. But the extensive aerodynamic mods fitted to improve downforce leave us in no doubt about which of those environments the Revolution will do its best work.
The most visible of those tweaks is a new manually adjustable full-width carbon fiber rear wing that delivers more than 800 lbs (363 kg) of downforce at 249 mph (400 km/h). But it’s far from the only aero modification. The sub-3,000 lbs (1,361 kg) Revolution also gets a larger front splitter, dive planes and an extended rear diffuser. Hennessey claims the splitter helps create a low-pressure vortex beneath the floor by preventing air flowing beneath the bumper, again adding to the vertical squish felt by the tires.
There are no changes to the twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter ‘Fury’ V8, which makes the same 1,817 hp (1,842 PS) it does in other F5 applications and again drives the rear wheels through an automated single-clutch transmission. But on the Revolution that engine is cooled by air drawn in through a roof-mounted snorkel. Stopping comes courtesy of large carbon ceramic brake rotors.
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The Revolution was fine tuned by John ‘Heinrocket’ Heinricy, a former GM engineer who previously oversaw development of critically acclaimed cars like the Corvette Z06 and Cadillac CTS-V, but even he admits he’s never dealt with anything quite as rapid as the F5 Revolution.
Hennessey plans to build only 24 examples of the Revolution, which has a base price of $2.7 million, putting it midway between the standard $2.1 million F5 Venom coupe and the $3 million Roadster. some of those 24 have already been allocated, and there’s a chance a few more build slots might find owners when the car makes its global debut at the Miami Motorcar Cavalcade Concours d’Elegance on January 15.
