This Might Be The Highest-Horsepower Manual Production Car Ever Made

Most high-performance vehicles use some form of automated transmission to change their gears. But there's now a hypercar that combines a high horsepower rating with a manual transmission. That car is the 1-of-1, 2,031-horsepower Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution LF, which its maker claims is the "most expensive, complex, and highest spec Hennessey hypercar ever." Our first drive of the Venom F5 found it to be 3 million dollars' worth of pure adrenaline.

The Venom F5 Revolution LF features a six-speed gated manual transmission and was built for entrepreneur and collector Louis Florey, whose initials are part of the unique Venom F5 Revolution's name. In addition to its manual transmission, this Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution LF features a new interior, a new carbon tub, exposed carbon fiber in Cocoa Brown, and several upgrades that conform to Hennessey's 'Evolution' spec. It is essentially a track-spec Revolution model, using an open-top body, with 'Stealth Mode' carbon fiber covering the entire body. In contrast to the Cocoa Brown carbon fiber center section and rear wing, River Sand Metallic paint is used on the rest of the vehicle, which Hennessey describes as "the color of rich champagne..." The Venom F5 Revolution LF is a product of Hennessey's new Maverick division, which is dedicated to bespoke customer vehicle commissions.  

For those wondering about this hypercar's name, the Hennessey F5 is derived from the Fujita Tornado Scale. This classifies tornadoes by wind speed, with F5 the highest, reaching up to 318 mph. That's Hennessey's top speed goal.

As to performance, the Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution is actually an upgrade of the previous version of the F5, which came with "only" 1,817 horsepower. But Hennessey's customers wanted more, so the company delivered. The power increase to 2,031 horsepower comes courtesy of two new Precision Next Gen turbochargers, which Hennessey claims are the largest in existence that can be used in pairs. These are bolted onto the Venom F5 Revolution's 6.6-liter V8 engine. This means the Venom F5 Revolution nearly doubles the Corvette ZR1's horsepower. 

In addition to the 214-horsepower boost, changes were made to the hypercar's aerodynamic components, with an external aerodynamicist engaged to improve the underbody, rear deck, front splitter, and other areas requiring upgrades. A revised suspension and refinements to the adaptive shocks work in tandem with the aero upgrades to deliver maximum stability and downforce at the speeds that the Venom F5 Revolution is capable of. A taller rear wing is also included. Five different drive modes are offered – Drag, Wet, Sport, Road Race, and F5 mode, which provides maximum power. A Touring package, featuring more comfortable seats and a quieter exhaust, was introduced for owners who prefer longer trips in their Venom F5s.

The Venom F5 Revolution's performance is truly far beyond what most drivers will experience behind the wheel of the average high-performance car. Hennessey estimates acceleration from 0-200 mph in an incredible 10.3 seconds

The Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution LF has been specced well above its base price of $3 million, thanks to its manual transmission option plus all the customization elements that make this a 1-of-1 piece of automotive art. The upgraded engine, aero, and suspension package adds another $285,000, while the track-spec version, the open-top body, and the carbon fiber option add plenty to the bottom line. This could easily be a $5 million build, possibly more, with Hennessey confirming it is their most complex and costly build to date. Knowing that, here's what you never knew about the Hennessey Venom F5.

Accommodations for the manual transmission were made, with the footwells revised to accommodate the clutch pedal, which wasn't required in the automatic version. The pedals are machined from aluminum and wear Hennessey logos laser-etched, while the gated shifter that controls the manual transmission is solid aluminum, milled. 

A holster for the key sits on the center console, with air vents located directly above it. The analog-style interior features a bolt-action parking brake. All switchgear is inspired by the craft of watchmaking, extending to luminous materials that absorb light during the day and glow at night. The Venom F5 Revolution LF is a great way for the company to demonstrate its ability to custom-build its hypercars, similar to those of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani.