Hennessey unveils manual Venom F5-M Roadster

You’d be forgiven for having lost just a teeny bit of interest in the Hennessey Venom F5; it’s been around a fair while now, and there are only so many spoilers to be wowed by or acceleration runs to watch. This F5-M Roadster is a little different to the rest, however, because ‘M’ stands for ‘manual’. In case 1,842hp and rear-wheel drive didn’t concentrate the mind enough… 

The introduction of a gearlever and a clutch pedal to Hennessey’s hypercar makes it the most powerful manual production car ever. As is always the case with these things, ‘production car’ is to be taken with a healthy grain of salt – just 12 F5-Ms will be made, and they’re all spoken for already. But still, another manual gearbox in the world – the first in a Hennessey since the original Venom – is to be celebrated in 2024. Because how much more exciting does a drive in one sound than the standard seven-speed automated manual? Exactly. 

Hennessey makes much of the additional immersion and engagement offered by DIY gearshifting, the interior redesigned for a carbon shifter close to the driver for the best possible shift feel. The gate itself is milled from billet aluminium, and the ‘Fury’ V8 has been recalibrated to work with the new ratios. Even if they are a little longer than before, the F5-M is still going to be a supremely rapid supercar. No top speed has yet been announced for the latest Hennessey, though presumably it’s still going to be a 250mph+ car –  imagine having to go for top gear at more than two hundred. 

‘Speed reborn’ is what Hennessey calls it. Or, according to CEO John Hennessey: “It’s old school, it’s badass, and it offers ultimate driving engagement.” While each of the dozen buyers will be able to customise their F5-M as they see fit, including a unique colour for their car that Hennessey will never use again, a few key identifiers beyond the gearstick and new dash will mark this Venom out. Most notably that’s with the giant dorsal fin on the rear deck, all 1,400mm of it. Whether the stars and stripes are mandatory isn’t clear. The livery seen here is also exclusive to the manual Venom. 

Nathan Malinick, Hennessey Director of Design, added: “We’re extreme, we’re authentic, plus we’re distinctly and uniquely American. These characteristics shine through in the design of the F5-M, inside and out, and in how it performs. This is a car for bold and brave driving enthusiasts who like their hypercars to thrill with wild power, dramatic design, and an experience behind the wheel that is incomparable to anything else on Earth.” So the flag probably is standard fit.

As with all previous Venoms, the F5-M will be assembled in Sealy, Texas. Interestingly, the dozen manuals form part of the originally announced 30-unit Roadster production run, as opposed to an additional batch of cars. Seems there’s still nothing like an old-school transmission to sell very expensive cars ($2.65m) in 2024 – long may it continue, if you ask us.