At a time when power records are increasingly dominated by electric and hybrid models, Hennessey decided to go in the opposite direction. The Texan manufacturer presented the Venom F5-M, a version equipped with a manual transmission of the American hypercar, which now delivers an impressive 2,031 hp extracted exclusively from a combustion engine. The model will be produced in only 12 units and reinforces the brand’s proposal to take the traditional mechanical experience to the extreme.
The Venom F5-M uses the well-known “Fury” engine, a 6.6-liter V8 with two turbochargers, capable of also generating 196 kgfm of torque when fueled with E85 ethanol. All this power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through an unprecedented six-speed manual transmission with exposed couplings, a configuration practically non-existent in the contemporary hypercar segment.
True manual transmission
The debut of the Hennessey Venom F5-M casts an uncomfortable shadow over the recently announced Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale. While the Italian manufacturer bets on an electronic system capable of simulating manual shifts, with the right to an artificial lever and clutch pedal, the Texan brand opted for the most difficult path: installing a real manual transmission in a hypercar with more than 2,000 hp. If Ferrari’s proposal seeks to recreate an experience of the past through technology, Hennessey seems to suggest that, for some enthusiasts, nothing replaces three real pedals and a lever mechanically connected to the transmission.
Venom F5-M will have only 12 units produced and the entire print run has already been sold
The arrival of the F5-M also places Hennessey in an extremely select group of production cars equipped only with a combustion engine and power in excess of 2,000 hp. This is a list composed of few representatives, since most of the vehicles capable of reaching these numbers depend on hybrid or fully electric systems.
Among the combustion-only models that have surpassed the 2,000 hp barrier are the Hennessey Venom F5 Evolution and the Venom F5-M, both with 2,031 hp, in addition to the Devel Sixteen, a project that promises up to 5,000 hp from a gigantic four-turbo V16 engine, although it has not yet started regular large-scale production. Another member of this category is the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut prepared by the Factory Plus division, which in certain configurations for special fuels exceeds the 2,000 hp mark.
In addition to the mechanical set, the Venom F5-M received specific aerodynamic modifications. The hypercar gained a large carbon fiber dorsal fin, new aerodynamic surfaces and adjustments to the adaptive suspension. According to the manufacturer, the changes were necessary to ensure stability at speeds above 320 km/h and preserve drivability even with the adoption of the manual transmission.
Handcrafted in Sealy, Texas, the Venom F5-M starts at $2.65 million and has already had all 12 of its units reserved. In a market that is rapidly moving towards electrification and automated transmissions, the American hypercar emerges as a kind of mechanical manifesto: more than 2,000 hp, three pedals and no electric assistance to boost its performance.
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