Hennessey Venom GT Top Speed and Performance Figures
The Hennessey Venom GT is a heavily modified two door sports car based on a Lotus Elise chassis that Hennessey Special Vehicles engineered for maximum acceleration and top speed. It uses a twin turbocharged Chevrolet LS7 V8 engine producing over 1200 horsepower on premium fuel, with a 7 speed manual transmission and rear wheel drive layout. The car achieved a verified top speed of 270.49 mph at NASA Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, a run documented by Guinness World Records as the fastest road legal car at the time of testing Guinness World Records.
Acceleration benchmarks include a 0 to 60 mph time of approximately 2.4 seconds and a quarter mile time in the low 10 second range at over 150 mph. The Venom GT uses a lightweight carbon fiber body, wide rear tires, and active aerodynamics to maintain stability at extreme speeds. Hennessey tuned the suspension, brakes, and cooling systems specifically for high speed track use rather than daily commuting Forbes.
Engine, Chassis, and Technical Specifications
The Venom GT uses a heavily modified Chevrolet LS7 based V8 engine with custom forged internals, enlarged displacement, and twin Precision turbochargers feeding a high flow intake and exhaust system. Power is sent through a Ricardo built 7 speed manual gearbox to a limited slip differential, with a carbon fiber driveshaft and bespoke half shafts rated for extreme torque. The chassis is a modified Lotus Evora platform shortened and reinforced with a roll cage and carbon fiber body panels to reduce weight Wikipedia.
Key Technical Data
Engine: Twin turbocharged V8, 7.0 liters, over 1200 hp Transmission: 7 speed manual Weight: Approximately 2700 pounds Top Speed: 270.49 mph Price at launch: Around 1.2 million USD base Car and Driver
Production Numbers, Pricing, and Market Position
Hennessey produced a limited run of the Venom GT, with fewer than 30 units built, each hand assembled at the company's Texas facility. The base price started near 1.2 million USD before options, taxes, and destination charges, placing it among the most expensive production cars ever sold. The car was sold primarily to select customers and track day enthusiasts rather than through a traditional dealership network SEC filings.
In the context of the fastest production cars, the Venom GT competed with the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport and later the Bugatti Chiron for top speed titles. While the Venom GT held the Guinness record for fastest road legal car for a period, newer models from Bugatti and SSC have since surpassed its top speed in independent testing. Hennessey has since introduced the Venom F5 as a follow up model targeting even higher speeds Bugatti.