Mrkim Report This Comment Date: April 05, 2013 01:26AM
A new production vehicle top end record that beats the the competition cold,
and ... for less than 1/2 the cost of a Veyron. Oh yeah, and it's built right
here in the Lone Star State
Here's a link to the video: [
campaign.r20.constantcontact.com]
SEALY, Texas - Hennessey Performance today announced that on February 9, 2013
its street-legal Venom GT accelerated to 265.7 mph (427.6 km/h) during testing,
establishing the exotic hypercar as the world's fastest production vehicle
available for public purchase. The top speed run was accomplished over a
distance of two miles using a full-production Venom GT. All testing was
validated by (2) VBOX 3i GPS-based data logging systems and VBOX officials were
on hand to certify the numbers.
"While a Veyron Super Sport did run 267.8 mph, Bugatti speed-limits its
production vehicles to 258 mph," said company founder and president, John
Hennessey. "Thus, at 265.7 mph the Venom GT is the fastest production car
available to the public."
The Venom GT acceleration runs were conducted at the United States Naval Air
Station (NAS) Lemoore in Central California using the seventh production Venom
GT- a street-legal supercar that makes use of Michelin Pilot Super Sport
DOT-approved radial tires, Brembo 4-wheel carbon ceramic disc brakes, and a full
interior (replete with high-end stereo, air conditioning, and leather seats).
NAS Lemoore was chosen for testing as is home to one of the longest paved
runways in North America.
On hand during testing was Captain Eric "Snake" Venoma, Commanding
Officer at NAS Lemoore, who was watching over the nearly 200 battle-ready
fighter jets (including the largest concentration F/A-18 jets in the world) that
were located nearby during the Venom GT top speed runs. In addition, TopGear US
Editor, Pat Devereaux was present to witness the top speed testing as part of a
story produced for the May 2013 issue of TopGear magazine.
"While the 2.9 mile long runway is more than enough acceleration distance
for a F/A-18 fighter jet, it was far too short for the Venom GT to reach it's
true top speed," said Hennessey Performance CEO, Don Goldman.
Designed to operate on premium unleaded pump fuel, the Venom GT is powered by a
7.0-liter (427 cubic inch) V-8 engine fed by twin Precision turbochargers that
team to produce 1,244 horsepower and 1,155 lb-ft of torque at 19 psi (1.3 bar)
of boost pressure. Weighing just 1,244 kg (2,743 lbs), the rear-wheel-drive
Venom GT delivers a power-to-weight ratio of 1 horsepower per kilogram of
vehicle weight.
In July 2010, a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (propelled by a 1,200 horsepower
quad-turbo 16-cylinder engine) attained a speed of 267.8 mph- 2.1 mph faster
than the Venom GT. However, the top speed was achieved using a state of tune
that is not available to customers paying the $2.5 million dollar purchase price
as a production Veyron SS is speed limited to 257.8 mph. Furthermore, the Veyron
SS top speed testing was conducted over the 5.6 mile long straightaway that is
part of Volkswagen Group AG's private test track located near Ehra-Lessien,
Germany. "Afforded the same distance to accelerate, the Venom GT would
exceed 275 mph," said John Hennessey.
In February of 2013, the Venom GT officially became the quickest accelerating
production vehicle in the world as it ran 0-300 km/h in 13.63 seconds, thus
establishing a new Guinness® WORLD RECORD- a record that was previously held by
the Koenigsegg Agera R. While conducting the Guinness® World Record runs,
despite marginal traction (due to three days of previous rainfall), the Venom GT
accelerated from 0-60 mph in 3.05 seconds, 0-100 mph in 5.88 seconds, ran the
standing quarter-mile in 10.29 seconds at 158.83 mph, and ran the standing
half-mile in 15.22 seconds at 204.65 mph.
Although Guinness® only recognizes runs made in kilometers per hour (km/h), the
Venom GT also set a new unofficial acceleration record of 0-200 miles per hour
(mph) in 14.51 seconds as verified by VBOX data. The 0-200 mph record was
previous held by the Koenigsegg Agera R that required 17.68 seconds time- 3.027
seconds slower than the Venom GT. By comparison, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
(powered by a 1200 horsepower, quad-turbocharged, 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder engine
channeling power through an all-wheel-drive system) ran 0-200 mph in 22.20
seconds during an AUTOCAR test- 7.69 seconds slower than the Venom GT.
Hennessey plans to only build a total of 29 Venom GTs, with one-third of the
production run already being sold. Thus, the Venom GT is not only the quickest
and fastest production car in the world, but it is also one of the most
exclusive. The heavily carbon-fiber Venom GT costs $1.2 million (USD) plus
shipping, not including options. Each vehicle is custom built to order and
requires six months for completion.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2013 01:29AM by Mrkim.
Mrkim Report This Comment Date: April 05, 2013 08:09AM
Oh yeah. that puppy looks like a ton of fun!
I saw a vid about a year ago where they were on a track where they were lettin
cars leave like every minute and they hunted down a Veyron that had left ahead
of 'em and even had to dog it along behind the Veyron the last minute or so of
the run.
If you look at the engine bay shots you can find of the Viper GT you can see
they've done everything professionally, as technically right and perfect as
possible and then astoundingly beautifully as well. When I saw those shots I
KNEW they had not only created a dragon slayer, but done so with style and grace
at the same time, which is genuinely gratifying every bit as much as it is
thrilling to see
Onyma Report This Comment Date: April 05, 2013 05:02PM
Absolutely beautiful car. To be fair though it's beating a Veyron that's been
limited on top end, not it's full capability. That said though the performance,
price, styling, etc. combination... that's one amazing machine. Sign me up!
Edit: just noted that it was really still climbing as well at the top... they
need to take it to VW's test track in Germany to see what it'll do on 15 miles
(??) of straight road. Amazing.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2013 05:07PM by Onyma.
Mrkim Report This Comment Date: April 05, 2013 07:25PM
Hey O man, don't forget the GT is also set to attain its 1200hp on pump gas and
only 19psi of boost. I'd say that leaves a tremendous amount of "upward
mobility" on what could be done from this same base package in terms of
both all around performance and top end speed. Just a guess but I'd think its
easily capable of takin on at least 25psi (if not 30psi) and that, coupled with
race gas and a suitable tune could easily add between 60hp (very low ball
figure) to 200hp (probably a bit high), which would make it even MORE of a
monster
It's hard to tell from these vids for sure but it looks as if it's already
beginning to break the tires loose on the top end of the rev range in each gear,
which really isn't all that hard to imagine. Hell, the last 2.4 I built would do
that in every gear with only 850hp
What is easy to see is that it seems to be quite capable of more top end speed
given the same 7 mile straight the Bugatti was run at at VWs track. And ... it
took the Bugatti longer in both time and miles to hit just 2mph more than the GT
did, while yeah, the GT obviously had room to go, just not enough runway to get
there with.
I like the Veyron, but for me, the styling, performance and better handling of
the GT would make it an easy choice between the 2 cars, not even mentioning you
could get a pair of GTs for the goin rate of the Veyron and have twice the fun
quasi Report This Comment Date: April 05, 2013 09:01PM
One of these days when my ship comes in, MrKim, I'm gonna have to let you see
what you can do with my old Prelude which is showing it's age but still has some
life left in it's stock incarnation.
Mrkim Report This Comment Date: April 05, 2013 10:28PM
Everything from mild to wild is achievable Q man and I'd love to get the chance
to tweak your Prelude for ya. Whether a simple reworking of the existing engine
package or a nice turbo build with sweet street manners that will still pin ya
to the seat when you nail it, playin with hot rods is always fun.
A cuppla years ago a cat I met up in Ohio wanted to take an old AMX and twin
turbo it and man was I pumped about doin that. Unfortunately his crafty Ex
managed to wipe out his war chest of funds (took him for close to $200k!) or we
might well have built something truly wicked together
