Remember Hennessey�s barnstorming, 1,200 hp (895 kW) Venom GT? Well its back and the journalistic titans at Road & Track have driven it. And there�s a video, to boot. Weighing in at a lithe 2,685 lbs (1,218 kg), the phenomenal Venom GT builds on Hennessey�s experience with tuning the Viper, 5th generation Camaro and various Cadillacs, among many others. It�s a simple formula, really. Big power + light weight = big fun.
Hennessey first takes a Lotus Elise, arguably one of the best mass produced, lightweight track cars ever made. They strip it down the chassis, lengthen it and rebuild it with a slippery, restyled body that offers the right mix of down force and engine cooling. Then they swap out the Elise�s 1.8 L turbocharged four-pot for a twin-turbo variant of Chevrolet�s 6.9 L LS9 V8, add carbon ceramic brakes and a KW adjustable suspension setup and et voila, the Hennessey Venom GT.
So what�s the verdict? Well, you�ll have to watch the video and make up your own mind. A small hint, but that�s all I�m giving away: the GT is capable of doing 135 mph (217 km/h) in 3rd gear. If that doesn�t make your automotive blood boil, then nothing will.
Hennessey intends to build just 29 of the cars over three years, with a price topping US$600,000 (�455,373). If this were any other car by any other tuner, I�d call that outrageous, but this is a Hennessey and the culmination of all their engineering knowhow. Believe the hype: there�s a new king and his name is Venom GT.
By Tristan Hankins
Via: R&T
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