In case you need a reminder that the Goodwood Festival of Speed is coming, Hennessey has revealed the new Venom F5-M at the event over in England.
Hennessey Special Vehicles makes over-the-top hypercars none of us really expect to drive or own. I wouldn’t count their new vehicles as news in that sense. But this is a manual hypercar, and it’s Goodwood. C’mon.
You heard that right: manual! Most hypercars are not manual because most are electric. And the leftover ICE ones don’t really want to be slowed down by rowing gears. But I’m sure there are some people out there who appreciate the blend of speed, power, and connection that’s offered with the Venom F5-M.
The Venom F5-M brings style, power, and imagination to Goodwood
The Venom F5-M is an upgraded Venom F5 Evolution with improved aerodynamics, active suspension, a carbon-fiber chassis, and 2,031 horsepower. It’s considered the most powerful manual hypercar in the world. “Together, these elements place the driver at the center of one of the most visceral driving experiences ever created,” the press release noted.
The Venom F5-M isn’t just the most powerful manual hypercar; it’s also one of the most powerful hypercars, period. The Yangwang U9 Xtreme has 2,978 horsepower, the Koenigsegg Gemera has 2,300, and the Rimac Nevera R has 2,107 hp. It’s cool, but EVs having a lot of horsepower is nothing new. The F5-M is about more than just speed.
Nathan Malinick, Director of Design, noted: “Our decision to offer a manual gearbox fundamentally changed the Venom F5. It promoted driver interaction and engagement to the primary focus; it delivered freedom to explore visual presence and aerodynamics in totally new ways; and it enabled a fully redesigned center console. The F5-M is not simply an F5 with a manual transmission – it is a complete design response to a very different kind of driver involvement.”
To create this incredible power, the F5-M has a 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8 known as the Fury. Anyone lucky enough to be at Goodwood will get to hear the Fury throughout those four days as the F5-M takes on the Goodwood Hill twice a day. It will be driven by professional racer Alex Brundle. In addition to its sound and power, the F5-M will stand out at the event for its dramatic styling, including a 55-inch dorsal fin that stretches from its roof-mounted air intake to the edge of the rear deck.
“We’ve always believed the Venom F5 delivers the most intense performance experience on the planet – but with the F5-M, we’ve gone even further,” said Founder and CEO John Hennessey. “A gated six-speed manual puts the driver completely in control, while the open-top design brings the Fury V8 sound directly into the cockpit. The noise, the feel, and the power delivery are raw and unfiltered – it’s the most all-consuming driving experience we’ve created!”
So, for the depressing part. Only 12 Venom F5-M will be produced. And each of them will start at $2.64 million (before taxes). Each model will be personalized. The one at Goodwood is actually owned by a UK customer who wanted purple carbon and anodized gold accents. It also has a 24-karat gold nose badge and their family name on the stitching within the cabin. We can imagine what it’d be like to drive this thing, but that’s about it.
