Hennessey reveals new Venom F5 Roadster with shinny aluminium wheels

The new Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster is inspired by the Texas-based company’s sold-out collection Venom F5 Coupe that was released last year. The latest model weighs below 3,100 pounds because of its experimentation with lightweight aluminium alloy wheels. Mid-mounted on a carbon-fibre chassis, the twin-turbocharged 6.6-litre V8 engine yields an output of 1,817 bhp reaching a top speed of 300 mph on paper.

Hennessey’s Venom F5 Roadster has been designed to outdo the company’s own Venom GT Spyder which has the ‘World’s fastest convertible’ record to its name. Its maximum reported speed has been 265.6 mph.

The F5 Roadster features a re-engineered roof with removable panels forged from tough carbon fibre material, while the roof is totally lined and insulated with Alcantara upholstery. The semi-permeable, waterproof panel can be bound by four quick-release bolts and latches. The roof panel itself has a calculated weight of 8 kgs, simplifying the mounting and folding processes.

The vehicle runs on a set of lightweight forged aluminium alloy wheels having seven pairs of spokes. Customers might have options to upgrade the Hyper Silver wheels to highly polished aluminium. The wheels are attached to the car’s chassis with the help of five titanium nuts, an alloy preferred for its heat tolerance, strength, low mass and corrosion resistance.

Aluminium is lighter than steel and therefore is utilised heavily in the automobile industry to contain the total weight of a car within a specified limit.

The company founder and CEO, John Hennessey said in a statement: “We created the Venom F5 to be the ultimate expression of a hypercar. The Roadster version takes the Coupe’s speed, exhilaration and awe, plus a sprinkling of respect-inducing fear, to a new, truly visceral level that brings owners closer to the Venom F5’s extreme performance. Our 1,817 bhp ‘Fury’ engine screams behind the exposed cockpit, with its roar unobstructed by a roof – it is an unmatched automotive experience.”

Moreover, a user has the option to store the upper panel in a bespoke Merino wool travel bag or a customised platform designated for the purpose. The Venom F5 Roadster has a tempered glass panel at the rear of the car where lies the ‘Fury’ V8 engine. The sizable glass panel guarding the engine has been certified to withstand aerodynamic forces exceeding 300 mph and temperatures beyond 1000 degrees Fahrenheit.

The additional heat generated by the engine can be channelled out via the dual aluminium air vents skilfully located on each side of the tempered glass panel.

The Venom F5 Roadster would be manufactured in Texas later this year, with a limited production scale of 30 car models only. The customers can easily choose any colour combination for the interior and exterior of the car, leaving the body panels and carbon fibre chassis uncovered.