Hennessey did not like the fact that another American manufacturer held the record at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) so they brought out their big gun, the Venom F5 Revolution.
The result was a new production car lap record beating the previous record holder, the Czinger 21C, by 0.43 seconds with a time of 2:10.90. This achievement highlights the immense progress in supercar technology, as the F5 also bested the legendary McLaren P1 by nearly 7 seconds.
The 1,817 horsepower, 6.6-litre twin-turbo V8 engine propelled the F5 to an impressive 310 km/h (193 mph) on the fastest track section. Former Le Mans class winner David Donohue experienced up to 1.59g of lateral force during cornering and a staggering 1.61g when using the carbon ceramic Brembo brakes.
While the Revolution boasts the same power as the standard F5, it incorporates numerous chassis and aerodynamic modifications for enhanced track performance. Brian Jones, previously the AMG One’s chief engineer and now a full-time Hennessey employee, spearheaded the Revolution project. This included a full-width carbon rear wing, a larger front splitter and rear diffuser, revised suspension tuning, and improved cooling compared to the stock Venom F5 coupe.
Hennessey confirmed that build slots remain available for the Venom F5 Roadster and Revolution after the standard coupe sold out. The COTA record achievement is likely to attract new buyers. The Sealy-based company anticipates even greater exposure later in 2024 as they attempt to push the F5 beyond the 300 mph barrier.
During development, a non-Revolution model surpassed 434 km/h (270 mph) at the former NASA Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. Hennessey is currently searching for a suitable runway or public road with sufficient space to attempt a true top-speed run, aiming to potentially surpass the 490 km/h (304.8 mph) record set by Bugatti’s Chiron SuperSport 300+ in 2019.
