When Hennessey Hits 300 MPH, It’ll Do The One Thing Bugatti Wouldn’t

Hennessey versus Bugatti has become an automotive fight for the ages, but where once Hennessey was the automotive equivalent of David, it’s now become a regular fixture in the conversation. The Venom F5 has cemented its place there. No longer is it a modified chassis belonging to someone else; it’s a bespoke ground-up hypercar with all the frills, right down to insane customization and a few records to go with it. Chief among those is the highest speed over a half-mile and the world’s most powerful manual car, but John Hennessey would love to add another trophy to the cabinets in Hennessey HQ in Texas: the first production* car to hit 300 mph. Speaking to John Hennessey, it’s not a case of if, but when the Venom F5 will do it, and when it does, Hennessey will do something Bugatti has shied away from.

Hennessey Venom F5

Base MSRP

$2,100,000

Engine

6.6L Twin-Turbo V8 Gas

Horsepower

1,817 hp

Torque

1,193 lb-ft

Transmission

7-speed single-clutch semi-automatic

Drivetrain

Rear-wheel drive

0-60 MPH

2.0 seconds

Top Speed

328 mph

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A Two-Way Average North Of 300 MPH

The qualifying criteria for top speed records have always been dubious, but one element of the methodology we feel is vital is that a record only stands if the speed achieved is an average based on a bidirectional run. By doing runs in two directions, you remove factors like wind and gradient. A tailwind while driving slightly downhill could easily push a car to over 300 mph, but only a reverse run can give you a true baseline. Hennessey agrees, and when speaking to CarBuzz earlier this year, he said a two-way run was a non-negotiable.

“It’s still our intention to get out later this year [or] early next year to try to make that two-way average of over 300 mph,” Hennessey told us. But the important thing is that when the Venom F5 does it, it will be a fully customer-spec car and in both directions. “Absolutely, full customer spec, and the two-way average,” confirmed Hennessey when we asked if that was the plan.

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The Big 500 In The Cards

The fact that Hennessey is adamant it must be a two-way run is impressive enough, but John believes the Venom F5 could hit another milestone – albeit in only one direction. “A two-way average north of 300 mph [is the goal], but if we could hit 500k or a little bit over 500k in one direction, that would be kind of cool. Those are our goals,” says John. That 500k is 500 kilometers per hour, or 310.686 mph in freedom units, which was a feat not even Bugatti could achieve with the modified Chiron prototype, which only hit 490.484 km/h.

This is a target well within the Venom F5’s reach, too. John previously told us that CFD simulations suggest the F5 can hit up to 328 mph. That’s in a best-case scenario though, with zero wind, perfect ambient temperatures, and minimal additional drag from the surface beneath the tires. That’s why John isn’t committed to a two-way average of over 500.

Other records Hennessey could break

Hennessey Venom F5 Thinks It Could Steal The AMG ONE’s Nürburgring Record

Hennessey isn’t making any promises, but it thinks the Venom F5 could take the Nurburgring record from Mercedes-AMG.

Time is running out for an attempt in 2024, but Hennessey has been working hard to make a 300-mph run possible. Tire approval with Michelin remains one of the last hurdles to overcome, something both Bugatti and Koenigsegg have also spoken of. So an attempt in 2025 seems likely, and when it does happen, you can bet Hennessey won’t be going for anything less than maximum effort.