Hennessey Venom F5 Evolution: The World’s Most Powerful Internal Combustion Hypercar
Hennessey Special Vehicles, a Texas-based hypercar manufacturer, has unveiled the Venom F5 Evolution—the world’s most powerful internal combustion road car. After a meticulous development programme, this new generation of America’s Hypercar benefits from extensive updates that elevate overall performance, handling, and driver comfort.
Driven by customer demand and partnering with globally renowned performance and aerodynamic specialists, Hennessey’s engineering team enhanced every aspect of the hypercar. The new Venom F5 Evolution boasts increased power and torque, refined aerodynamics for superior downforce, a mode-adaptive suspension for agile handling and a smoother ride, and an optional touring exhaust system and seats.
John Hennessey, company founder and CEO, said: “Over the past three years, we have delivered nearly 30 FF5 to customers worldwide. Some of our owners requested even more power, which led us to develop the new Hennessey Venom F5 Evolution—the world’s most powerful internal combustion-powered hypercar.”
Hennessey’s long-standing partnerships with Shell, Pennzoil, and Roger Penske paved the way for a collaboration with high-performance engineering experts Ilmor Engineering, who further refined Hennessey’s 6.6-litre twin-turbo V8 powertrain—nicknamed ‘Fury’. Working closely together, Ilmor and Hennessey’s engineers redesigned key components of the engine and powertrain for unrivalled performance, durability, and drivability. These enhancements include:
Precision 76/80 Next Gen turbochargers—the largest mirror-image turbos in the world
Ilmor-designed oval-shaped billet aluminium pistons with optimised profile geometry
Extreme-duty billet aluminium connecting rods
Lightweight titanium exhaust valves
Lightweight valve covers
Larger high-flow fuel injectors
This advanced redesign delivers extreme reliability and a 0-200 mph time of just 10.3 seconds, while remaining capable of client endurance racing. Ilmor’s refinements also added 214 bhp, culminating in the most potent road car combustion engine on the planet—producing 2031 bhp at 8000 rpm and 1445 lb-ft of torque at 5200 rpm on environmentally friendly Shell E85 pump fuel.
The F5 Evolution’s new adaptive suspension allows drivers to tailor the car’s character by choosing from the Venom F5’s five power modes via a steering-wheel-mounted toggle. Ride height, handling balance, roll control, pitch sensitivity, and steering responsiveness adjust automatically, enabling everything from focused track driving to comfortable cruising.
On public roads, this adaptive setup instils greater confidence by tackling inconsistent surfaces more effectively, absorbing bumps to make longer journeys more pleasant. On track, the new system noticeably enhances performance, allowing drivers to consistently maintain racing lines, ride kerbs with greater aggression, and benefit from improved grip and sharper turn-in. Each of the five selectable modes—Sport, Road Race, Drag, Wet, and full-power F5—has been individually tuned.
Aero development for the Venom F5 Evolution drew upon comprehensive road, track, runway, and wind tunnel testing data. Working alongside renowned Formula One and IndyCar aerodynamicist Dr. Mark Handford, Hennessey re-examined the car’s aerodynamics in minute detail. Significant revisions include a completely redesigned front splitter, single dive planes ahead of each front wheel, tyre wake deflectors beneath the chassis, and a louvre above each front wheel arch. In tandem with the new suspension, a Gurney lip now spans the trailing edge of the rear deck spoiler to increase high-speed stability under both acceleration and braking.
Acknowledging customer requests for more comfortable long-distance driving, Hennessey’s design and engineering team developed a range of ‘Touring’ options. These optional upgrades include alternatives to lightweight carbon bucket seats and sports exhausts, extending as far as an additional carbon fibre drink holder. Ergonomic studies inspired further bolstering in the ‘Touring Carbon Seats’, which retain an exposed carbon back while featuring a laser-cut ‘blast off’ design that aligns with the car’s aerospace-inspired interior.
The Evolution package (which comprises the enhanced engine, suspension, and aerodynamics) is available for new Venom F5 orders and all existing Venom F5 Coupé, Roadster, and Revolution models. Priced at $285,000, the Evolution package can be complemented by optional Touring upgrades at an additional cost. Interested parties should contact Hennessey Special Vehicles directly via HennesseySpecialVehicles.com for further information.
