2011 Hennessey Venom GT

Hennessey Performance have revealed the official details on the Venom GT supercar. Based on a Lotus Elise, their kit will be limited to only five units, four of which have already being spoken for.

The Venom GT is powered by a supercharged 6.2 liter LS9 V8 engine, same used in the Corvette ZR1, that delivers a total of 725 bhp. And if this is not enough, the tuner will also be offering 1000 bhp and 1200 bhp twin turbo V8 engine variants. With a curb weight of 2,685 lbs, the 1200 HP Venom GT will hit a top speed of 275 mph.

The supercar features lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and carbon fiber wheels, a programmable traction control system, CFD (computational fluid dynamic) tested bodywork, an active aero system with adjustable rear wing, and an adjustable suspension system.

Prices start at $725,000 for the 725 HP variant, and go up to $950,000 for the 1200 HP Big Daddy model.

UPDATE 05/17/2011: The review has been updated with more information on the Venom GT, including the fact that the limited run of 10 units has been taken down to only five units. The Venom GT will be making its European show debut at Salon Prive’ London from June 22 - 24, 2011 and its first track appearance will be in the Supercar Run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 1 - 3, 2011.

Exterior and Interior

The Venom GT started its life as a Lotus Elise and focused as much as possible on weight reduction. For that, Hennessey added lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and 20" carbon fiber wheels wrapped in massive Michelin PS2 tires. The car gets Brembo brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in rear clamping down on 15-inch carbon ceramic rotors.

Hennessey is also offering an active aero system with an adjustable rear wing that will deploy under varying conditions on both the road and racetrack. Customers will also be able to adjust the ride height according to speed and driving conditions thanks to an adjustable suspension system.

Engine

For the Venom GT, Hennessey uses a Corvette ZR1 sourced 376 cid aluminum V8 engine that delivers an impressive 725 HP. The engine sends its power to the rear wheels via a Ricardo 6-speed gearbox and handling is facilitated by a KW variant three-adjustable coilover suspension.

The tuner is also offering 1000 HP and 1200 HP twin turbo V8 engine variants that utilize twin precision ball bearing turbochargers. In the more powerful version, the Venom GT pushes out 1200 HP at 6,500 rpm and 1,155 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. That translates into a specific output of 166 HP/L and a HP/Weight of 767.23 per ton (2.61 lbs/HP).

Getting to the numbers that are a little easier to swallow, the 1200 HP Venom GT will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and to 200 mph in 15.9 seconds. The tuner has also reported a top speed of 275 mph.

Prices

Hennessey will only produce 5 units of the Venom GT, and four of them were reserved even before the car was launched. The 750-hp Venom GT price starts at $725,000, while the 1,200-hp version goes up to $950,000 plus shipping. At this price, customers will also be getting a 2yr/24,000 mile warranty. Each model will take six months to build.

There are also a few options that can be thrown into your Venom GT for a price. Check them out in the table provided.

Options & Personalization	Price
Right-Hand Drive	$28,225
Center Locking Hubs / Wheels	$37,500
Dry “Naked” Carbon Fiber Exterior	$375,000

Competition

With that amount of power and a 267 mph top speed, the Venom GT will tackle the latest Bugatti Veyron Super Sport head on. We know there is a huge difference between the two models, but power and mph are the only two taken under consideration here.

The Bugatti model is powered by a W16 engine that delivers a total of 1200 HP and has already established an impressive world record: 267 mph. All Hennessey has to do now is challenge that record. It already beats the Veyron in the 0-200mph sprint with a time of 15.9 seconds, compared to the Veyron’s 24.2 seconds, so maybe it will be an attainable goal.

2011 Hennessey Venom GT Specifications

Engine Chevrolet LS V8
Block Aluminum
Size 376 CID (6.2 Liter)
Position Mid Longitudinal
Compression 8.8:1
Redline 7,200 rpm
Forced Induction Twin Ball Bearing Turbochargers
Oiling System Dry Sump
Valvetrain OHV, 2 Valves per Cylinder
Fuel System Sequential Multi-Port Electronic Fuel Injection

Power
Horsepower 1,030 bhp @ 6,500 rpm (933 rear wheel hp)
Torque 972 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm (874 rear wheel lb-ft)
Specific Output 166 bhp / Liter
BHP / Weight 767.23 hp per ton (2.61 lbs / hp)
Boost 16 psi (1.1 bar)
Fuel 93 octane

Transmission
Type Ricardo 6-Speed Manual
Gear Ratios 2.61:1, 1.71:1, 1.23:1, 0.94:1, 0.77:1; 0.63:1
Final Drive 3.36:1

Performance
0 - 100 km/h 2.9 sec
0 - 200 km/h 7.0 sec
0 - 300 km/h 14.9 sec

Aerodynamics
Drag Coefficient 0.36 (rear wing down); 0.43 (wing raised)
Downforce 1,492 lbs @ 150 mph

Brakes
Calipers Brembo 6-piston (all 4 corners)
Rotors 15.0 x 1.34 in Carbon Ceramic (all 4 corners)

Suspension
Type KW Variant 3 Adjustable Coilover (all 4 corners)
Ride Height Adjustable by 2.4 inches (60 mm)

Dimensions
Length 15.27 ft (4,655 mm)
Width 6.43 ft (1,960 mm)
Wheelbase 110.24 in (2,800 mm)
Track - Front 63.46 in (1,612 mm)
Track - Rear 63.15 in (1,604 mm)

Weight & Measurements
Curb Weight 2,685 lbs (1,220 kilo)
Dry Weight 2,524 lbs (1,147 kilo)
F/R Balance 37/63 (empty); 44/56 (with driver & passenger)
Fuel Capacity 18.5 gal (70 liter)